Communication offer for parents - primary

All children and young people are entitled to

• Quality first teaching to challenge and develop all children including those with communication needs.
• Staff with knowledge of the typical developmental stages for speech, language and communication and the implications for teaching and learning.
• Staff who understand the effect of language development that does not follow a typical pattern.
• Teachers who can communicate effectively and explicitly teach speech, language and communication skills.
• Practitioners who create a language rich environment, which provides language learning opportunities and interactions in daily activities
• Careful and detailed transition arrangements made for all transition opportunities, including Year 7 and Post-16.
• Access to a communication friendly learning environment.
• Integrating communication into everyday situations and scenarios.
• Access to a school setting or professional that can refer to Speech and Language Therapy.
• Named Speech, Language and Communication Lead in School for provision and strategies. Guide on resources for continuation of provision.
• Practitioners who recognise and respond to all methods of communication
• Access to a GP
• Child has access to pre-teaching and learning for vocabulary, concepts and reading.
• NHS telephone advice service short appointments.
• Baseline and monitoring assessment in the primary years.
• Access to Reception hearing test
• Knowledgeable parents and practitioners aware of their role in supporting speech, language and communication development and working together in partnership.

Some children and young people may need

• Identification of speech, language and communication needs where pupils are not meeting age-related expectations.
• Access to appropriate school-based interventions, including Elklan strategies, to provide a short-term boost to language learning delivered by appropriately trained members of staff
• Person-centred approaches to meeting identified needs either for individuals or in small groups.
• A graduated approach to speech, language and communication which may require a referral to the Inclusion Team or speech and language therapy (SaLT).
• Identified members of staff who can deliver the speech and language programme in the setting following advice and guidance of the Speech and Language Therapist.
• Child to have access to a personalised communication passport. Templates available from Call Scotland Creating communication passports.

A few children and young people may need

• Access to a speech and language therapist who can assess, provide advice and guidance and, where appropriate, intervention to the young person.
• Identified members of staff who can support speech and language programmes in the setting (if required) following the advice and guidance of the speech and language therapist.
• Involvement of SEND Advisory Teacher around complex speech, language and communication needs / social communication difficulties
• Advice about alternative, augmentative communication (AAC) available through Highfurlong Communication Aids and Assistive Technology (CAAT) Team
• Access to Educational Psychologist if appropriate
• Access to diagnostic pathways.
• Access to specialist communication software and equipment