Helping every learner thrive through Widgit Symbols

I’m the Deputy SENDCO at St Peter’s, and we currently support 148 SEND K pupils and 89 pupils with Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs). This places us among the highest SEND cohorts in the county, and brings with it a wide range of learning and pastoral needs.

With this level of need, we face ongoing challenges around staffing capacity, funding, and the development of our Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP). The impact of COVID on learning in particular cohorts has also been a challenge that we have been working hard to overcome by supporting pupils in creative and diverse ways.

We chose to introduce Widgit Online after noticing that many new EHCPs recommended the use of visuals and symbols to support learning. When we spoke to pupils directly, many shared how helpful these had been in their primary school experience. Around the same time, several new specialist staff members joined our team who had seen the positive impact of using Widgit Symbols to support pupils across a range of settings and learning contexts.

Now, Widgit Online is an important part of our inclusive toolkit. We use it to create prompt cards, behaviour management flashcards, visual timetables, and subject-specific vocabulary mats. We also use the English as an Additional Language resources, which have been especially helpful for pupils who are new to English or need extra language support.

Since introducing Widgit, we’ve seen clear and positive changes. Pupils are more engaged in lessons and show increased motivation. Many are now better able to express their feelings or needs through the use of visual cue cards, which has had a noticeable impact both academically and socially.

I’d encourage any secondary school to consider Widgit. As a nationally used platform, it helps create consistency for pupils transitioning between settings and phases. For us, it has become a valuable part of how we build a more inclusive and supportive learning environment, where every student feels empowered with the tools to thrive.