Communication Champions

Local partners, such as schools and voluntary sector organisations, told us that pupils too often have poor communication, social and emotional skills at school entry and there was more to do to engage parents in these areas of learning.  

The proportion of children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) was poor in Norwich and evidence suggests that children that are behind at age 5, often struggle to catch up and the progress children make varies significantly.

Schools suggested that whilst they could refer children to the speech and language therapy service, they often found that the available service did not necessarily meet the whole challenge and there remained a need for improving speech and language support within the classroom.

The Norwich Opportunity Area (NOA) commissioned a new, comprehensive speech and language training programme, known as ‘Communication Champions Training’, to be delivered to Early Years practitioners. This training was mapped to the Enhanced Level of The Communication Trust’s Speech, Language and Communication Framework and offered a Core and Leadership level for practitioners. As the number of Communication Champions increased and appetite grew for further speech and language focused continuing professional development (CPD), the NOA also offered local schools and settings the opportunity to undertake accredited Elklan training as well as a Masters in Educational Practice and Research. 

Communication Champions Training was designed to be delivered to local Early Years educators and practitioners working with children aged 0-5 years. At both Core and Leadership levels the training provided them with the necessary knowledge, confidence, skills and understanding to support children’s early Speech, Language and Communication needs (SLCN) in the classroom. Topics included identification and assessment, the communication environment, engaging parents, speech sounds, expressive language and strategies to support children. 

Learners were required to complete Core training and could then decide whether to go onto the Leadership level. Impact was measured with baseline and endpoint questionnaires to review changes to confidence and knowledge. The NOA commissioned a set of pre-recorded training sessions from ICAN that educators and practitioners could work through at their own pace. 

The Communication Champions Training began in 2018 via a series of face to face, twilight and full day training sessions. In 2020 the training was adapted to be delivered online given Covid-19 disruption with two online solutions. The NOA organised virtual live training delivered via zoom as twilight sessions that provided learners the opportunity to engage with their trainer and peers and to ask questions and discuss their learning.

The number of Communication Champions increased across Norwich and local appetite grew for further speech and language focused CPD. In response the NOA offered local schools and setting educators and practitioners the opportunity to undertake accredited level 2 and 3 qualifications via the national speech and language training provider, Elklan. 

In 2019, the NOA also invited interested educators and practitioners to study for an Educational Practice and Research Master’s degree at The University of East Anglia. Eight MA students were chosen via an application process and they each committed to completing their MA dissertation on an area of speech and language development. The results of this research will be shared with communication champions through the Hubs Network. 

There is a strong appetite for CPD around Early Years speech, language and communication development and educators and practitioners are keen to use new evidence-based interventions and to share their learning with others. Educators and practitioners from schools and other settings have used their increased confidence and expertise to improve approaches across their setting to support children’s SLCNs. 

Despite Covid-19 disruption, each Communication Champions Training course had consistently high levels of attendance and engagement. Educator and practitioner confidence and knowledge to identify and support children’s early SLCNs significantly increased following the training.

By April 2021:

• 41 Communication Champions were trained to core level.
• 73 Communication Champions were trained to leadership level.
• 42 educators and practitioners had completed an accredited level 2 or 3 Elklan qualification.
• 7 educators and practitioners continued to work towards their funded Educational Practice and Research Masters at the University of East Anglia. 

Various formats for training had different strengths for different groups; face to face sessions helped educators and practitioners build relationships and supported the longer-term development and engagement with the network, virtual sessions were flexible and helped participants access learning in the most convenient way but some missed the opportunity to discuss questions with the qualified trainer and their peers. 

With future investment in CPD we would set clear time limits for completion as a number of learners never completed their training. 

Offering a range of formats, dates and opportunities has resulted in the project reaching a large proportion of the early years workforce with high quality CPD. 

Educators and practitioners who engaged in our Communication Champions Training had increased knowledge and confidence when identifying and supporting children’s early SLCNs. This was evidenced in our analysis of their pre and post training questionnaires, as well as through the Communication Champions reports received through the honorariums project. 

It is also evident via these reports that the communication champions have also gone on to embed their learning in their school or setting, cascade their training to other members of staff and make positive changes to their interventions, assessments of SLCNs and whole school policy documents. 

Educators and practitioners who engaged in the Elklan training were awarded an accredited level 2 or 3 qualification, again suggesting an increase in knowledge and understanding.