Parents and visitors to Lansdowne School will have hopefully noticed the new mapping system that we currently have in place around some of the main parts of the building. This is the start of a project that we are working on to help all pupils feel more inclusive in the school, and to help direct both visitors and pupils around the different classrooms.
All year groups are familiar with the Communication in Print system that we use to help us at Lansdowne School. Our new mapping project also builds upon this with CiP added into the displays, as well as large timetables around all locations.
As well as helping communication for visitors, this project is also of tremendous benefit to our pupils. We are keen to encourage more independence across all age groups. The emphasis is now upon the pupils to understand and know where they need to be at any time during the school day.
We have found this approach to be so successful that we are introducing a new phase using the school iPads. All of the iPads have an app installed that can access CiP. Pupils can understand the symbols, and then play back the audio of what the instructions are. We are hopeful of adding the timetables into the iPads to continue this way of working.
Pupils with minimal verbal skills are already benefitting from this project. Individual teaching strategies can be built into the iPad apps and the pupils are already finding that this use of technology is helping them progress. Communication across all levels is very important at Lansdowne School. We are confident that this new shared mapping approach will help greatly.
