I CAN

Nursery Specialist Speech & Language Unit

We are a team working  within the mainstream nursery at Downe Manor offering up to ten places for children

( who are at least 3 years) with significant speech and language difficulties. We use Makaton daily with our children to support their communication skills, please see below for more information.

We offer intensive speech and language for children whose main area of need is their understanding of language, use of spoken language and speech and /or speech sound difficulties.

We have a specialist Educational practitioner, Nursery nurse who work with the children five days a week and a specialist speech and language therapist who works three mornings.

We work together with the mainstream nursery to ensure the childrens needs are supported.

Here are some examples of feedback we have received from a selection of our parents.

Mrs Howe, Miss Adrien and Lizzie have been amazing!

The progress  made has been unbelievable!

He entered ICAN saying one or two words, not very clearly. He is now able to clearly say sentences using because, adding describing words.

ICAN have been amazing and without their support I do not think J would have made the progress he has done!

I would like to say a big thank you to Mrs Howe, Miss Adrien and Lizzie for all the hard work you do.

C has made so much progress with his speech and learning, I have also learnt a lot myself from you all. I really appreciate the help and support you all have given him.

He loves coming into school. He is always talking about Apple class.

He will miss being with you all so much.

C has become more independent and so much confidence, he loves singing so much more now and will try explaining to me slowly what he is trying to say.

Thank you for each day you support my son and he comes home he has a lot of good things to say about his experiences of nursery.  Your patience, enthusiasm and passion in mentoring my kid are so dear. I honestly thank you as a teacher.

Now my son knows how to write using a pencil, taking turns and washing hands. My son has developed and making his life colourful through your love and care.

   How Makaton Works

 Makaton uses speech with signs (gestures) and symbols (pictures) to help people communicate.

We also use facial expression, eye contact and body language to give as much information as possible.

This helps build and develop important communication and language skills.