Words First Ltd

One of our recent Words First locality events at Puttshack ⛳️

Always great to see our therapists getting together outside of work.

For those who are new to Words First or London, these events are a great opportunity to meet colleagues and build relationships across the wider team.

And of course, the team that plays together stays together 😁

If you are a Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist, Play Therapist, or Counsellor and would like to join a warm, supportive community that values connection and professional development, we would love to hear from you.

Email your CV to [email protected]

Not all meetings can be emails…

Because then we wouldn’t have this

We made it to the long weekend… and somewhere between deadlines, meetings, planning, delivery and making a difference in schools, we still find time to have a laugh together

Guinea pigs, chickens, cowboy hats and all

It says a lot about our culture that alongside everything we do, there’s space to connect, enjoy the moment, and just be a team

Last week marked our final training session of the academic year for TAs – Developing OTA Skills – at our Peckham Hub.

It’s been a privilege to work with growing numbers of TA's over the year. Spending time with such a dedicated group of education professionals, sharing best practice and exploring our 10-week intervention programmes for fine and gross motor skills, has been incredibly rewarding.

We’re excited to see these strategies taken back into education settings, where they can make a real difference to children’s development.

As always, we’ll be reviewing feedback and continuing to research the effectiveness of our programmes as part of our ongoing commitment to service improvement.

We ended last term with two full days of CPD and Clinical Excellence Events (CEEs) led by our highly specialist therapists.

As always, the focus was on strengthening interdisciplinary practice (IDP) and continuing to build clinical excellence across our team.

Each session brought together different disciplines, perspectives, and real school-based application. Here’s a snapshot of what we covered:

🔹 Working with pupils with PMLD
Understanding profound and multiple learning disabilities and how to support participation through joined-up OT and SaLT approaches, with a strong focus on practical strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration.

🔹 From Behaviour to Safeguarding
Exploring how we respond to distress, self-harm concerns, and disclosures, with a focus on staying within scope while supporting children safely and confidently.

🔹 ADHD & DCD (IDP)
Exploring the links between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

🔹 Co-regulation Programme (IDP Project)
A truly interdisciplinary model bringing together SaLT, OT, and play therapy to support regulation in real classroom moments, with practical tools for teachers and TAs.

🔹 Reframing Social Skills
Moving away from “fixing” towards accommodation, with a neurodivergent-affirming approach to social communication and participation.

🔹 Study Skills in Secondary Schools
Looking at how we support independence, metacognition, and learning strategies, especially where gaps exist for older pupils in mainstream settings.

🔹 Speech Sound Disorder Intervention
Clarifying the “who, what and how” of effective intervention, including differential diagnosis and ensuring the right approach for the right need.

Take a look through some of the screengrabs from across the sessions for a glimpse into the discussions, ideas, and collaboration that made the two days so impactful.

Bringing disciplines together, sharing expertise, and keeping children at the centre is what drives our approach to CPD and clinical excellence.

“A really collaborative space with different disciplines learning from each other.”

What does truly inclusive practice look like working with multilingual children and young people across our education settings?

That was the focus of today’s CPD session at Words First, led by Sunita Shah.

With over 25 years of experience across education, bilingualism and culturally responsive practice, Sunita challenged us to think beyond standard approaches and really examine how we work with children and families from diverse backgrounds.

Some of the biggest takeaways from the session:

• Cultural competence is not about having all the answers, it is about being curious, respectful and reflective
• Assessment tools are not neutral – we must consider language, exposure and cultural context
• Misdiagnosis is a real risk when bilingualism and cultural differences are not properly understood
• Families are not passive recipients of therapy – they are partners, experts and decision-makers

The session also reinforced how important it is to adapt our practice. What works in one context may not translate to another, and it is our responsibility to ensure our approaches are accessible, relevant and equitable.

At Words First, CPD is central to how we maintain high standards across our multidisciplinary teams. It ensures that our Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Educational Psychologists are constantly evolving their practice in line with the needs of the children and schools we support.

A huge thank you to Sunita for delivering a session that was insightful, practical and thought-provoking.

Last Friday, our teams came together for an evening of team socials.

From paint and sip to relaxed dinners, each team created their own version of the night. Across the evening, there was everything from darts at Flight Club, shuffleboard in Kings Cross, and games at Fairgame, to mini golf at Puttshack followed by dinner at Bill’s.

Others headed out for dinner at Market Halls and a visit to the Twist Museum, took on escape rooms after pizza at Enigma Quest, or kept things creative with a paint and sip session at Art Social Club.

Time like this helps keep our teams connected and makes a real difference to how we work together day to day.

Here are some of the highlights, you can see even more in our gallery: https://wordsfirst.uk/2026-2/

🌈 Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026 at Words First 🌈

At Words First, Neurodiversity Celebration Week is not just a moment in the calendar.

It reflects the work we do every day.

As an interdisciplinary team of Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Educational Psychologists, supporting neurodivergent children and young people sits at the centre of our practice. This week has been an opportunity to come together, share expertise, and continue learning from one another across our Clinical Pathways.

Here’s what we’ve been exploring across the team:

🗣️ Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
Sharing knowledge around a common but often under-identified need, with practical strategies to support understanding and communication across home and school environments.

🤸 Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) + Sensory Processing
Bringing together OT and wider team perspectives to support recognition of motor and sensory differences, and how these impact participation in everyday school life.

📖 Dyslexia
Focusing on identifying early markers, challenging misconceptions, and embedding supportive strategies within classroom practice.

⚡ ADHD
Exploring co-occurring needs, sharing practical tools for schools and families, and strengthening whole-school approaches to support.

🧠 Autism
Sharing key insights, practical resources, and building understanding around lived experiences, including masking and under-identification.

What has stood out most this week is the strength of interdisciplinary practice.

When Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Educational Psychologists work together, we build a fuller understanding of each child and create more joined-up, effective support.

That shared knowledge, collaboration, and consistency is what makes the difference in schools.

A huge thank you to our highly specialist therapists and wider team for contributing, engaging, and continuing to champion neurodiversity in everything we do.

Introducing the Words First Speech and Language Therapist Degree Apprenticeship

At Words First we believe the future of the profession depends on investing in the next generation of therapists.

Our new Speech and Language Therapist Degree Apprenticeship has been designed for people who already have experience working in schools and want to build a clinical career supporting children with communication needs.

As an apprentice you will:

•⁠ ⁠Work in schools across London
•⁠ ⁠Learn directly from experienced Speech and Language Therapists
•⁠ ⁠Be part of a multidisciplinary team alongside OTs and Ed Psychs
•⁠ ⁠Complete a recognised university qualification while earning a salary

We are particularly interested in applicants who have worked as Teaching Assistants or Speech and Language Therapy Assistants and want to take the next step in their career.

Our goal is simple: develop confident future therapists who are ready to support children and young people in education.

Applications are now open.

https://words-first-ltd.breezy.hr/p/a032f89e95e501-speech-and-language-therapist-degree-apprentice