Case study
Kings Furlong set out to identify speech and language needs earlier and make high-quality intervention easier for school staff to deliver. By the end of the pilot, the school had exceeded its pupil target and staff wanted to continue using the platform.
The school wanted to support six pupils identified by its SENCo, while building the confidence of teachers and teaching assistants to recognise needs and respond effectively. Any approach had to be engaging for young children, straightforward for staff and realistic within the working week.
Three members of staff used Chatterdillo to screen pupils and deliver targeted language activities. Built-in training videos helped them introduce exercises with confidence, while the progress dashboard kept improvements and completed sessions visible without a separate record-keeping process.
Seven pupils received intervention during the summer term, exceeding the school's original target of six. Crucially, support was delivered by three teachers and support staff rather than depending on one specialist practitioner.
Staff rated both ease of delivery and pupil engagement at 4.3 out of 5. They reported improved grammar and independence, and saw children apply skills from Colourful Semantics and sequencing activities in English lessons and spoken explanations.
Two of the three survey respondents saved two hours a week on preparation and related admin. Sustained across the school year, that is up to 78 hours returned to each member of staff: time that can be spent supporting pupils rather than assembling resources.
“It's very visual and the children enjoy it.”
“Because it's fun.”
More pupils received early, targeted support through a model that could be delivered by the staff already around them, helping prevent needs from becoming a barrier to classroom learning.
Training within the platform and clear activity recommendations helped staff develop the confidence to deliver intervention independently.
Staff observations, session records and progress tracking provided evidence of engagement and of language skills transferring into wider classroom learning.
Kings Furlong's experience shows how a school can extend early language support without adding a new specialist dependency. Staff gained a usable intervention pathway, pupils enjoyed taking part, and the school supported more children than it initially set out to reach.
