Welcome to Silver Steps – HIARP

Silver Steps is our dedicated provision for children with hearing impairments. We offer a nurturing, language-rich environment where every child is supported to thrive—academically, socially, and emotionally.

🌟 What We Do

In Silver Steps, children receive specialist teaching and support tailored to their individual needs. We use a Total Communication Approach, which may include:

British Sign Language (BSL)
Signed Supported English (SSE)
Spoken English
Visual aids, gestures, and technology like radio aids

Our goal is to ensure every child can access the full curriculum, participate in school life, and develop strong communication skills.

🧠 Learning in Silver Steps

Children in Silver Steps are fully included in their mainstream classes, with additional support provided where needed. Learning also takes place in small groups or one-to-one sessions in our quiet, well-equipped HIARP space.

We focus on:

Language development and vocabulary building
Listening and speech work
Social communication and emotional wellbeing
Curriculum access and academic progress

📚 This Half Term in Silver Steps

Our current topic is "All About Me", which helps children explore their identity, families, and what makes them unique. Activities include:

Creating self-portraits and family trees
Learning key vocabulary through signs and speech
Sharing stories and experiences
Building confidence in communication and classroom routines

We also support children with:

Phonics and early reading
Number recognition and counting
Fine motor skills through play and creative tasks
Emotional regulation and social interaction

🤝 Working Together

We work closely with:

Families and carers
Audiology teams and speech & language therapists
Mainstream teachers and support staff
External agencies and professionals

Together, we create a personalised learning journey for each child, celebrating their strengths and supporting their challenges.

🏡 How You Can Help at Home

Encourage daily reading and conversation
Practise key vocabulary and signs
Support homework routines
Attend review meetings and share feedback
Use any recommended apps or resources from our team

📌 Please ensure your child brings their hearing equipment and a named water bottle every day.