Intervenor work: an adult working in a room with students with complex needs becomes the bridge between them and the outside world. The adult can help the students to understand their environment and works to offset the lack of understanding caused by limited use of senses or movement. At all times the adult will use their voice, touch and personal identifiers (tactile and olfactory) to cue the students so that know what is happening now and what is going to happen next. ​

On-body signing: at Castle school we use ‘on body’ signing to aid understanding for our students who are at the earliest stages of development. These students may have a visual or sensory impairment. Body signing is the use of Makaton hand signs with the adult either making the sign on the students arm, or by putting their hand under the students hand to enable them to feel the direction of movement as the sign is made.

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On body signing is used to cue the students for movement; up, down, turning left and right, and to reinforce the end of a session ‘finish’. ​

On-body signing and intervenor work develop fundamental communication and attention skills, laying the foundation for students being able to receive and respond to stories, rhymes and poems. They also lay the groundwork for early speaking and listening, where appropriate.​