Rebecca, who has been working with the NHS Speech and Language team since 2013, has dedicated her career to supporting children in developing their speech and language skills. After years of experience, she took a leap of faith and launched her own private therapy service called 'Speech Street.' Her journey has been inspiring, and her commitment to helping children is truly commendable.
In her work, Rebecca often recommended books that focus on key sounds to aid in speech development. However, she found it challenging to find the perfect resources for parents to use at home after expert sessions. This led her to a brilliant idea: why not write her own book? Thus, 'Sammy the Squirrel' was born!
This delightful book focuses on the 's' sound and features a fun rhyming story, along with top tips and engaging games designed to keep children entertained while learning. Rebecca shared her vision with Miss Brown, our Early Reading Specialist at QUEST Trust: “I wanted to create a high-quality resource that's practical for parents, teachers, and therapists—something children would genuinely enjoy while supporting their speech and language skills.” The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with parents noticing real improvements in their children's confidence and speech sound development.
During her visit, Rebecca read 'Sammy the Squirrel' to our Early Years, Key Stage One, and Lower Key Stage Two pupils, along with their class teachers and support staff. The children were captivated by her storytelling, and it was heartwarming to see their excitement and engagement!
As a special surprise, we were fortunate enough to receive free, signed copies of Rebecca's book, which we plan to share with our pupils for years to come. This visit not only enriched our students' understanding of speech development but also fostered a love for reading and storytelling.
Thank you, Rebecca, for your inspiring visit and for sharing your wonderful book with us! We look forward to seeing how 'Sammy the Squirrel' will help our children on their journey to becoming confident communicators.