1. Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)
The progress our pupils make
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

2. Speech, language and communication: Essential life skills
In xxxxx school, we know how important spoken language is for children and young people
Good language, particularly vocabulary at 13, is a strong predictor of better outcomes at GCSE
Good communication skills are rated as the most important employability skills needed for young people entering their first job
Use one or some of these statements to qualify how and why you know spoken language is important in your school – choose the one most relevant to you. Find more in an information sheet on
Language at age two predicts reading, maths and writing when children start school.
(Roulstone, S. et al. (2011) The Role of Language in Children’s Early Educational Outcomes, Department for Education, Research Report DFE- RR134)
Early language is the single most important factor in influencing literacy levels at age 11. More important than behaviour, peer relationships, emotional wellbeing, positive interaction and attention.
(Save the Children (2016) The Lost Boys: How boys are falling behind in their early years)
Good language, particularly vocabulary at 13, is a strong predictor of better outcomes at GCSE.
(Spencer, S., Clegg, J., Stackhouse, J., & Rush, R. (2017). Contribution of spoken language and socio-economic background to adolescents’ educational achievement at age 16 years. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 52, 2, )
Good communication skills are rated as the top/most important employability skills needed for young people entering their first job – from a survey of schools, employers and politicians. (Asdan Employability and skills forum (2012) virtual think tank survey results)
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

3. Children & young people with SLCN
10% of children and young people have long-term SLCN
7.6% have developmental language disorder
In some areas of deprivation, at least 50% of children and young people have SLCN.
7.6% of children and young people have developmental language disorder (DLD). Language difficulties are their main or primary difficulty/need.
(Norbury et al (2016) The impact of nonverbal ability on prevalence and clinical presentation of language disorder: evidence from a population study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry)
As many as 50% of children in some areas of deprivation start school with delayed language (Locke, A., Ginsborg, J. & Peers, I. (2002) Development and Disadvantage: implications for early years IJLCD Vol 37:1, The Communication Trust (2012) Evaluation of Talk of the Town)
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

4. In [your school] [Number of] students
[Number of] students with long-term SLCN
[Number of] students with DLD
[Number of] students identified with SLCN
[Number of] students identified with weak spoken language
Working out the number of children with SLCN in your School
How many pupils do you have on role?
Work out 10% of this figure-10% of children have long term SLCN
Work out 7.6% of this figure-7.6% of children have developmental language disorder (DLD)
*If your school is in an area of deprivation up to 50% of children could have weak spoken language
Use you SEND register to find out how many children are identified as having SLCN as a primary need
How many children are on SEN support?
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

5. Evidence of intervention it’s worth investing in support for SLCN
On average, pupils who participate in oral language interventions make approximately five months' additional progress over the course of a year (EEF 2018)
When teachers are trained in language modification techniques, students with SLCN make significant progress in writing and listening comprehension (Starling et al 2012)
There is loads of evidence that supporting children with SLCN can really make a difference
St.John, P., and Vance, M. (2014) Evaluation of a principled approach to vocabulary learning in mainstream classes Child Teaching Language and Therapy published on line  
Starling, J., Munro, N., Togher, L. and Arciuli, J. (2012) Training Secondary school teachers in instructional language modification techniques to support adolescents with language impairment: a randomised control trial. Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

6. How we support students’ speech, language and communication
To support all students’ spoken language
For students with weak spoken language
For students with identified SLCN
In this slide, include all the things you do in school. You could use this as a discussion activity with colleagues. Include things like:
For all students
Training you offer staff
Whether you have a language or communication champion/lead
Regular discussions at staff meeting
Changes you have made to the school environment such as sign and symbols, talking homework, a ‘talk area’, groups tables and chairs to encourage talking – anything at all
Things you regularly do in lessons to encourage language development – ‘time for pupils to ask questions’, thinking time is built in, minimise teacher talk, giving students roles in groups....all sorts of things. Get some ideas from ‘universally speaking’
For students with weak language
-training for key people to know more
Whole class activities you may do
Programmes you run in school for small groups
For students with SLCN
Describe your relationship with the speech and language therapy service
Interventions – how many children? groups of individual sessions?
Involvement of other professionals
Specialist equipment?
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

7. Bercow: Ten Years On
In a sample of 42 Ofsted reports across inner city, rural areas and London boroughs, across ratings no school reported assessing or tracking progress in spoken language.
But you do!
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

8. Progress children make
Progress in spoken language.
Students’ scores on GCSE spoken language test
2016
2017
2018
Number entered
On this slide, also include any way you measure progress in spoken language.
We have put in GCSE spoken language, but this may not be the best way of showing progress in your school.
This is not reported nationally, so there is no way to compare with other pupils.
This is usually only done once , but in your school you may have practice sessions and so may be able to show progress across time for the same group of pupils
See our factsheet on tools for measuring spoken language.
Remember to include any measure you have which is students’ view – this will be useful for Ofsted.
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

9. Progress children make
Students with weak spoken language
On this slide use the data you collect from interventions you have in place. This might be ‘Talk about Talk secondary’ or ‘Language Link’ or another programme.
Remember to include data from children and young people themselves. How do they rate their own speech, language and communication?
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

10. Progress children make
Students with identified SLCN
On this slide, talk with your school SENCo or speech and language therapist.
What data is collected about the progress made after specialist intervention? This could be:
Targets met
Progress as measured by speech and language assessments
Data from Language or speech link
Something else
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN

11. Our plans for the future
How we will measure the impact
On this slide, think about what you are planning to do to build on your approach, and to enhance outcomes for children and young people. You could do this as part of a staff meeting or discussion.
It might be:
More in-depth training for staff
Appointing a language lead
Going for a communication friendly school award
Ensuring staff are all able to judge progress in spoken language through peer mentoring
Building spoken language into leadership observations
Ofsted is all about showing the impact of what has been put in place. think through how you would do this.
questionnaires for staff
Lesson observations, learning walks
Pupils feedback
Monitoring performance in reading
Noisier lessons!
Bercow: Ten Years On - improving outcomes for children and young people with SLCN