In Norwich we have established a network of Communication Champions in schools, nurseries and early years settings across the city to create a universal approach to improving speech and language. Addressing speech, language and communication needs in the early years can have a powerfully positive impact on the health and wellbeing, educational progress and employability of children and young people.
“A Communication Champion is a leader in empowering children and young people with the skills for their future”
The network is led by five Communication Hubs who work together, led by Stuart Allen, Headteacher at Mile Cross Primary School. Contact your local Hub school/setting for more info about training and sharing best practice.
| Lakenham Primary School Communication Hub | Hub leads: Jess Bell and Tracey Hawthorne Contact: office@lakenham.norfolk.sch.uk |
| Peapod Preschool Communication Hub | Hub leads: Fran O’Neill, Sarah Riley and Sarah Armstrong Contact: contact@peapodpreschool.co.uk |
| Lionwood Infant and Nursery School Communication Hub | Hub Leads: Sam Thorpe and Faye Herron Contact: duputylians@istnorfolk.co.uk |
| Mile Cross Primary School and Catton Grove Primary School Partnership (North Norwich Communication Hub) | Hub Leads: Eileen Maceachern and Catherine Bryan Contact: cbryan8nra@nsix.org.uk Senco@milecrossprimary.norfolk.sch.uk |
| Little Squirrels Play Forest and Chestnut Nursery Partnership 0-2 Communication Hub | Hub Leads: Suzie Squirrel Hughes and Yvonne Hamilton Contact: enquiries@little-squirrels.com nrp@chestnut-nursery.co.uk |
Communication Champions
Angel Road Infant and Nursery School – Lisa Bilham/Sue Mouncer
Bignold Primary School and Nursery – Julie Carey/Cecilia Basnett
Charles Darwin Nursery – Michelle Owen/Emma Seymour
Cloverhill Infant and Nursery School – Sophia Weston
Colman Infant School – Catherine Situmorang/Katherine Morley/Michelle Collins
Edith Cavell Academy – Gill Pope/Donna Nicholas
Heartsease Primary Academy – Becky Clack
Magdalen Gates Preschool – Leanne Whiting/Paula Watts
Nelson Preschool – Lisa Tomkins
Recreation Road Infant School – Louise Carolan
St Clements Hill Academy – Faye Brown
St Francis of Assisi Primary – Soledad Alvarez Sanchez
Time Childcare – Stella Presland
West Earlham Infant and Nursery School – Cheryl Hillyard/Amy Wood
Online Communication Champion Training – Coming Soon!
As you may already know, prior to Covid-19, our dedicated Communication Champion Leaders were busy cascading their CC training down to their colleagues and other local settings in an effort to upskill as many practitioners as possible around children’s early speech, language and communication development. However, as face to face training is no longer an option given the current circumstances, the Norwich Opportunity Area has taken the decision to move this training online!
We hope that this move will encourage practitioners, from all over Norwich and beyond, to access this training from home and upskill themselves around this key subject. It is anticipated that as a result of the extended time spent away from education settings, the language gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged children will have widened. Therefore, it’s more important now than ever, that practitioners understand how to identify children’s speech, language and communication needs and how they can best support them.
We are expecting this training to be ready in the first week of June thanks to The Communication Trust. Therefore, if you or your school/setting would be interested in accessing this free online training, please contact your local Communication Champion or Communication Hub.
Details of the training modules and contacts are listed below.
Please note, we are also in the process of planning 2 live and interactive webinar sessions with The Communication Trust that will be hosted online in July. These webinar sessions will be available to anyone who has completed at least one of the courses and they will focus on Q + A plus a discussion of the individual tasks that are completed as part of the training. Dates to be confirmed.
| Communication Champion Online Training Modules | |
| CORE | INTERMEDIATE |
| Speech, Language and Communication | 2.1 Attention, Listening and Understanding |
| 1.2 Identification and Assessment of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) | 2.2 Vocabulary and Expressive Language |
| 1.3 The Communication Environment | 2.3 Speech Sounds and Involving Children with SLCN |
| 1.4 Strategies and Support for SLCN |
