Makaton at Puller Memorial
At Puller Memorial, we are proud to be a Makaton-friendly school. We believe that communication is at the heart of learning, relationships and wellbeing, and we are committed to ensuring every child can express themselves, feel understood and be included.
Makaton is a language programme that uses signs, symbols and speech to support communication. It helps children develop confidence with language and allows everyone in our school community to communicate more easily.
We use Makaton across both schools to support children with a wide range of communication needs, but it also benefits all pupils by helping them visualise language, build vocabulary and develop confidence when communicating.
Why We Use Makaton
Makaton helps us to create an inclusive learning environment where every child feels valued and supported. It can:
- Support speech and language development
- Help children understand instructions and routines
- Give children a way to communicate if they find speaking difficult
- Encourage confidence and independence
- Support inclusive classrooms where everyone can take part
Using Makaton reflects our commitment as a Church of England federation to ensure every member of our community is seen, heard and valued.
Makaton in Our School
You may see Makaton used in many ways across our schools, including:
- Signs used alongside speech in lessons and assemblies
- Visual symbols displayed around classrooms and shared spaces
- Our “Sign of the Week” shared in newsletters and with pupils
- Staff modelling signs during routines such as greetings, snack time and transitions
Children quickly learn signs and often enjoy sharing them with their friends and families at home.
Sign of the Week
Each week we introduce a Makaton Sign of the Week to help pupils gradually build their signing vocabulary. These are shared in school and in our newsletter so families can practise together at home.
Learning signs together helps strengthen our shared language and supports our aim of making communication accessible to everyone.
Working Together with Families
We encourage families to learn and use simple signs at home. You do not need to learn lots of signs at once — even a few can make a big difference.
Practising together can be a fun and meaningful way to support communication and connection.
If you would like to learn more about Makaton, please visit:
https://makaton.org
⭐ Together we are building a school community where every voice matters and every child can communicate with confidence.