Talking Transitions focuses on improving speech and language skills, aiming to ease the transition to primary school for children. The programme is in its fifth year, having expanded across the Southend region. With the intention of building relationships between providers, the scheme involves the creation of a number of ‘satellites’ combining local schools and early years settings (pre-school, day nurseries and childminders), each with expertise in early communication and language. The providers in each satellite collaborate closely to develop and deliver a range of fun experiences and activities for children, designed to support their emotional wellbeing, speech, language and communication.
Key parts of the model include the ‘Learning Together’ component, involving a 10-week accredited Elklan speech and language course for feeder settings and schools focused on 3-5 year olds facilitated jointly by health and education teams. The ‘Working Together’ element provides a chance for those in each satellite to have a detailed discussion about children transitioning from early years to schools, both in terms of their personalities and overall strengths and difficulties, informed by findings from the child’s WellComm assessment. Following this session, strategies are devised for both parents and schools to follow, underpinned by a shared language. Lastly, as part of ‘Being together’ activities where primary schools and early years settings come together to create a programme of summer events at the child’s new school, which focus on communication and language. At these events, children come together with their parents, carers and families and simple strategies and themed activities to support language and communication are modelled. In addition, as part of the transition, teachers visit early years settings and the model integrates with the Family Centres over the summer holidays, offering Stay and Play sessions to keep the families engaged in the programme. The school SENDCO may also attend the Family Centre to get to know the child prior to them starting school.
Talking Transitions won the CYPN Early Years award in 2022, with judges commending the manner in which it enhanced relationships between schools and early years providers, equipped professionals through specialist training and boosted knowledge among parents. Feedback from participants has also been positive, with headteachers remarking on the value of transition events and the increase in attendance from parents as a result of the activity-based approach to building speech and language skills. It has reached over 1,000 families to date and Talking Transitions hopes to broaden its reach so more children are able to receive speech and language support and benefit from a smoother, more coordinated transition to school.