Our college was filled with festive sparkle this week as students took to the stage for our Sing and Sign Christmas Performance, a joyful celebration of music, communication and community spirit. The showcase brought together a heartfelt mix of contemporary favourites and seasonal classics, including Sky Full of Stars, The Climb, Proud, O Holy Night, Golden, Last Christmas and the timeless We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Each song was performed using Makaton and Sing and Sign, transforming every lyric into expressive, accessible communication that allowed every student to shine.
Makaton is an important part of life at ROC. As a language programme that uses signs, symbols and speech to support understanding, it enables students to communicate in ways that feels natural, empowering and inclusive. For many of our young people, signing helps bridge the gap between what they want to say and how they can express it, giving them confidence and a sense of ownership over their voice. When combined with music, the impact is even more powerful. Sing and Sign uses rhythm, repetition and melody to support memory and understanding, making it an engaging and effective way for students to practise communication skills and express emotion.
This year’s event felt especially meaningful as ROC has recently become a Makaton Friendly Organisation, a recognition of our commitment to accessible communication across the college. Achieving this status reflects the hard work of our staff, who have embraced Makaton training and embedded signing into daily routines, lessons and interactions. It also reflects our belief that communication should never be a barrier to participation.
We have captured the magic in a special Facebook album so you can relive the performances and celebrate our students’ achievements all over again. Watch the videos here.
We are beaming with pride at every single student who took part. Their courage and enthusiasm lit up the room and reminded us all why inclusive education matters so deeply and is at the heart of what we do at ROC.