Khadijah Akhtar​

Khadijah Akhtar is a dedicated Speech and Language Therapist based in Manchester, working primarily in mainstream primary schools across the region. With a deep passion for making a meaningful impact on people’s lives, Khadijah is committed to supporting children with a wide range of communication needs. She finds great joy in working with diverse groups of children and helping them build essential communication skills.

Khadijah graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2023 with a BSc in Speech and Language Therapy. During her studies, she gained extensive hands-on experience through various placements, working with both adults and children. These included roles in neurorehabilitation, specialist support services, palliative care, and in clinics and mainstream primary schools, where she had the opportunity to work with diverse populations and a wide range of communication challenges. These experiences helped her develop a broad skill set and deepen her knowledge in numerous areas of Speech and Language Therapy.

From the outset of her degree, Khadijah was particularly drawn to working with children. Her positive experiences during placements further solidified her desire to pursue this path. Additionally, Khadijah’s commitment to supporting children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in her local community motivated her to work with these children at her local mosque.

Khadijah joined SpeechWise in January 2024, where she currently works in a number of mainstream primary schools. In her role, she supports children with a wide variety of speech and language needs, working collaboratively with SENCos and educators to create tailored interventions and enhance the learning environment for all children.

Khadijah’s top tip for supporting communication development is to celebrate every small achievement. Whether it’s a child pointing to a symbol, saying a new word or sound, or engaging in social interaction, every milestone, no matter how small, is an important step toward progress.

Outside of her professional work, Khadijah is involved in her local community. She spends her free time learning Arabic, teaching children, and organising events at her mosque, enriching her connection with others and supporting community initiatives.

Khadijah is registered with HCPC, RCSLT and has an enhanced DBS check.