Extra pupil capacity has been added to specialist school The Sky Academy in Taunton after a £4.9million expansion was formally opened.

Invited guests from Somerset Council, academy staff and governors, and representatives of the school’s parent trust Cabot Learning Federation attended a cake-cutting ceremony to unveil the extension this week.

The state-of-the-art building includes six new classrooms, breakout rooms, a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) room, kitchenettes, and an activity space.

This expansion has enabled The Sky Academy to take pupils from years 5 and 6 and help increase their chance of long-term success beyond education.

Work on the project – funded by Somerset Council and carried out by Willmott Dixon – has taken two years and has been carefully planned to have the maximum positive impact on pupils’ learning.

This is important for The Sky Academy, which is a specialist school for boys with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

It is currently the only school offering this specialism within the local area – as a result, its pupils attend from a wide catchment area.

The project also saw contractor Willmott Dixon work with students to teach them construction skills like bricklaying. Students took to the task so well, Wilmott Dixon later offered one of the Sky Academy students an apprenticeship at another local site, the Digital Innovation Centre in Taunton.

Speaking at the opening of the new block, The Sky Academy’s Headteacher Bex Jones told guests the expansion reflects a commitment by all parties to ensuring the right specialist provision is available for children with SEND within the communities that they live.

Bex Jones, Headteacher at Sky Academy, said: “We are very proud to be at the heart of Somerset’s SEND improvement strategy for young people with SEMH needs. This new facility has further enabled us to provide the aspirational challenge, nurture and education that Sky has become known for – championing the success and life chances of all children.

“We look forward to the next stage of this collaborative journey, alongside other schools within the Cabot Learning Federation Somerset hub.”

Councillor Tessa Munt, Executive Lead Member for Children and Families, said “At Somerset Council, we are committed to providing equal learning opportunities to all young people. It is fantastic to see this important project completed, ensuring even more children in Somerset can benefit from a specialist learning environment close to home.”

What began as a learning process for a Weston-super-Mare mother and daughter has turned into a YouTube channel with more than 11,000 subscribers and inspired a book dedication by author Dame Jacqueline Wilson.

Nikki Holt’s daughter Lucinda was born with Down syndrome, which meant she had difficulty communicating with her mum during her early years.

This prompted Nikki to learn Makaton, a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs, and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression.

The connection it enabled her to build with Lucinda – now aged nine and thriving at Uphill Village Academy in Weston – inspired her to grow her skills, and she now teaches Makaton across schools in the area.

Nikki went on to launch YouTube channel Makaton With Lucinda, where the mother and daughter duo began by filming a word and sign of the day. Initially it was for fun – but its popularity quickly grew. The channel has now exceeded all expectations, with in excess of 11,000 subscribers.

Among them is renowned author Dame Jacqueline Wilson, who used the channel to research Makaton for her latest book The Best Sleepover In The World. Not only did Jacqueline draw inspiration from Nikki and Lucinda, but she also dedicated the book to them.

Nikki clearly recalls her early efforts to communicate with Lucinda, and the joy of the initial breakthrough using Makaton signs.

She said: “Communication with Lucinda was hard. I knew as soon as Lucinda was born that communication was something that she was going to find difficult and something that she was going to need extra support with. I was determined from the start that I would help her as much as I could, I didn’t want her to struggle.

“Lucinda is a visual learner; it is one of her strengths. So, with signs and symbols being visual – and using them alongside speech – it was the perfect combination for her natural learning style.

“The joy when Makaton opened the door! I had been signing with Lucinda for a long time before she actually signed back. The first time she did, I nearly burst with excitement! She was in the kitchen with me, sat in her little chair watching me cook dinner. I gave her a slice of cheese to keep her going while I was cooking – and she looked up at me with her beautiful big blue eyes and signed ‘more’!

“First of all, I wasn’t sure if she had – her early signs were quite subtle and easy to miss. I asked her for clarification, and she did it again! I gave her another slice of cheese, and there it was again! More! And again! And again! I think she probably ate close to a block of cheese that evening, and I was absolutely ecstatic!

“As soon as she realised that by doing these little signs with her hands, she was being understood, it was like a little light switch. All those signs I had been doing with her she had been taking in like a little sponge. Her communication exploded from that day on. Her speech gradually came along too and now is fantastic – and this is thanks to Makaton.

“Lucinda and I have always been really in tune with each other, and our bond is really something very special – and even more so since seeing her going through heart surgery – however, I do feel that Makaton has really given us some lovely bonding moments together, sat snuggled up on the sofa watching Singing Hands DVDs, signing songs and stories together. These are all really precious moments to share together for us.”

The joy of those early signing exchanges led Nikki and Lucinda to grow their use of Makaton, before opting to share their experiences – and tips for others – via a new YouTube channel.

Nikki continued: “We started our channel when Lucinda was about four. Having seen firsthand the difference Makaton can make, I was really keen to do something to raise awareness and spread the word. So we began recording ourselves doing a sign and putting them on our social media pages and YouTube.

“She has always loved doing them and I love watching some of our earlier vids and seeing how much her signing, her speech and her confidence has blossomed.

“Her little personality just shines through the clips, and she loves watching them back too. I have received some lovely messages over the years – things like parents saying their child signed for the very first time while watching Lucinda, to schoolteachers getting in touch saying they put our signing videos up on a screen in class or assembly and everyone signs along with us.

“When I started doing these videos I thought a few people may watch them on their mobile phones and have a go – I didn’t ever think we would be on a big screen in a school assembly. I am now a Makaton tutor teaching in schools, preschools, charities, organisations, and it is all inspired by my girl.”

And the surprises did not end there. Children’s novelist Dame Jacqueline Wilson – renowned for creating characters like Cookie and Tracy Beaker – reached out to Nikki with some unexpected news.

Nikki said: “My first contact was an email out of the blue from someone called Lizz who said she works with Jacqueline Wilson on the PR for her children’s books. This email explained that Jacqueline Wilson had a new book out called The Best Sleepover In The World and that she had dedicated it to Lucinda and I – OMG!

“The email explained the book had a character in it who was non-verbal and was a Makaton-user. She said that Jacqueline Wilson had wanted to do some research into Makaton for developing this character and had used our channel to do this.

“This email totally blew me away – a book dedicated to my girl! I am so, so proud of Lucinda; she is literally changing the world. To have a dedication in a book like this is beyond anything I could imagine, and to have Makaton out there in a mainstream book is just amazing.

“I later that day found a Netmums podcast where Jacqueline was being interviewed, and she actually named me and Lucinda. She actually said that she was ‘besotted with Lucinda’.

“The most beautiful thing is Lucinda has no idea how amazing she is, or what she has achieved and inspired. She just carries on sparkling and shining like the amazing little thing she is, and literally has no idea. I hope when she is older, she will understand what she has achieved and feel super proud. I know without a single doubt in this world that I am proud of her – I could pop! She inspires everything I do, and I have found my dream job because of her.”

Author Dame Jacqueline Wilson says Nikki and Lucinda’s videos were a big inspiration for a character in her new book.

Dame Jacqueline Wilson said: “I’ve recently written a book called The Best Sleepover In the World about two sisters, Daisy and Lily, who are determined to make their sleepover the best ever. Lily is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, but now she’s learned Makaton at her new school she can communicate brilliantly, make jokes, and help her sister get the better of a nasty girl who’s plaguing her.

“I obviously had to learn a little Makaton myself and discovered the brilliant ‘Makaton with Lucinda’ videos on YouTube.

“I adore Lucinda and her lovely mum Nikki. They’ve taught me so much – and every single time I watch a quick clip I cheer myself up. All power to them – and the fantastic Uphill Village Academy and the Cabot Learning Federation.”

ITV West Country News filmed a report about the impact Dyslexia can have on children and adults. They visited Summerhill Academy where they spoke to Luke Wilson-Reid about this.

‘Aspirational and inclusive’ Uphill Primary Academy is a school where staff have ‘the highest ambitions for every pupil’, according to an Ofsted report which says the school could be rated as ‘outstanding’ in its next inspection.

The school – part of the Cabot Learning Federation – was recently visited by the watchdog’s representatives for an ungraded inspection. This was Uphill’s first Ofsted visit since prior to the pandemic, and is one level below a full inspection in recognition of its current ‘good’ status.

Lead inspector Richard Vaughan met key staff, observed lessons, spoke to parents, and carried out a ‘deep dive’ into key subject areas – before delivering a glowing assessment of Uphill’s provision.

His report confirmed ‘there is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded inspection now’.

The report said: “Uphill Village Academy is a welcoming, inclusive place to learn. The school’s vision, ‘learning without limits,’ is a fundamental part of every pupil’s school day.

“Parents are overwhelmingly positive. Many comment on the care and attention staff show towards pupils.

“Leaders have high expectations for all members of the school community. Staff know pupils and their families well. Relationships are warm and respectful.

“Pupils feel safe. They say bullying is rare and if it were to happen, they are confident that adults would deal with it quickly.

“Pupils behave extremely well, both in and outside the classroom. As a result, the school is a calm and purposeful place to learn.”

Ofsted heralded Uphill’s leadership, curriculum, safeguarding and personal development offering, as well as other focus areas.

On curriculum, Ofsted said: “Leaders and staff have the highest ambitions for every pupil. They are relentless in the way in which they strive for improvement in all areas of the school. Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that is designed exceptionally well.”

On SEND provision, the report said: “Leaders are ambitious for what all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can achieve. They expertly identify pupils’ additional needs. Staff know pupils well and ensure that they receive the support they need to learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.”

And on pupil development, Ofsted added: “Leaders provide pupils with wide-ranging and exciting opportunities to develop personally. Pupils confidently debate issues of importance to them, such as the effect of climate change. They have a mature understanding of respect, tolerance and diversity. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.”

Samantha Hodder, Uphill Primary Academy Principal, said:

“This is a fantastic outcome for our community. We are delighted that the inspection recognised the dedication, passion and relentless hard work of our whole school team. Our children, staff and school are, as described by the inspector, exceptional and we are very proud of our Uphill family.”

Steve Taylor, Chief Executive of the Cabot Learning Federation, said:

“Uphill Village Academy is quite simply a brilliant place to send your child to school. The team responded to the call from Ofsted in the final week of a busy year with characteristic professionalism, keen to demonstrate that the everyday experience of our children is routinely of the highest quality. I’m delighted for the community. Well done to the team.”