1. Leeds Communication Friendly Settings An innovative approach
Presented by: Nicola Ogg
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

2. Background 7 children in every classroom have SLCN
50% in deprived areas
Exclusion – 60% plus
Prison – 80% SLCN
Experience here in Leeds – some classes higher still.
Challenges faced by SLT
Reliance on schools to carry out the work
12% of children have some form of SLCN
31% of children are affected in areas of lower socio-economic status
60%+ of children facing school exclusion have SLCN
(Enderby and Pickstone, 2005 and Clegg 2006

3. ‘Reading and writing float on a sea of talk.’
James Britten 1996
James Britton gave this quote and shows how relevant it is for schools.
If a child has difficulties in school, you might see a behaviour child, but there could be many reasons behind their behaviour and so I am going to explain some of this today.
Literacy builds on a foundation of oral language skills
Links to OFSTED, has been researched and links with school improvement, closing the gap etc have also been considered.

4. Background Wave 3 Specialist Wave 2 Targeted Wave 1 Universal
Input into schools is looked at in 3 waves.

5. Wave 3
Wave 2
Wave 1
Wave 3 is where the NHS offer sits,

6. Wave 3
Wave 2
Wave 1
But to generalise the skills and to get children to a point of discharge, we need to access the other interventions happening in school. So we might recommend groups and one to one therapy that TAs, teachers and parents can practice in school.
We mighe recommend things that can be done as a whole class to support a child.
The problem is, that with the NHS cut backs, we no longer have the time to train the schools up to do the wave 2 and 1 work sufficiently.
Solutions: - traded work.
Building in some modelling and training into the package of care that we offer
Expanding our portfolio of training we offer to parents and practitioners
Researching other solutions and developing a communication friendly audit tool ourselves.

7. The principles are broken down into 5 key priniciples
The principles are broken down into 5 key priniciples. Each criteria is clear and unambiguous so schools can se what they need to do to achieve the target. E.g. there is a visual timetable in place and it is referred to during the sessions. Or Teacher pauses between 3-10 seconds when speaking.
It takes 2 years to change good practice in the schools and this is set up to work like that. A principle a term, with time for embedding and practice.
Schools can sign up for different levels of support from SLT. The full package involves a day a term of audit followed by 2 hours training that is bespoke to them. They get a summary report as they go along and the targets set are meant to be achievable as a school. So some schools will try to do everything for one principle in a term, while another school might choose 2 things to do. Over the 2 years, they get to the end in their own way.
In my experience working in schools, we need things to be manageable, achievable and flexible to fit in with the school.

8. IMPACT For LCH SLT – For our children-
More effective generalisation resulting in less re-referrals and more discharges.
More appropriate referrals
A resource that we can franchise and sell
Enhanced reputation
For our children-
Schools with better understanding of how to support them in class.
Less frustrations and poor behaviour.
More time learning.
Reduce the attainment gap
Direct link between SLCN and literacy and attainment

9. Poor spoken language puts young people at risk of poor literacy, poor behaviour, poor social and emotional development and poor attainment
Ofsted annual report 09/010

10. Thank you for reading / listening
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