Service Description

Children attending the Language Groups have impaired language and communication skills with a delay of at least 2 years, which prevents them from fully accessing the National Curriculum and impedes their social interaction skills. They may have attended the Pre-school Sunflower Language Group based at Wood Street Health Centre or followed a programme from the Community Speech and Language Therapist who can advise as to whether attending a Language Group would be of benefit. Specialist language provision may be one of the recommendations of a Statement, although children do not need a Statement to attend a Group.

An outreach provision is available for children on the waiting list for a place in a Language Group or who have left a Language Group and continue to need support in school. It is a consultative provision.

Summerfield Language Provision is not recommended as suitable provision for children who have global developmental delay, have learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties or whose prime area of communication impairment lies on the autistic spectrum.

Service Developments

The Language Provision can offer inset in the following areas by negotiation:

  • Awareness Raising
  • Specific areas such as building attention and listening, developing vocabulary knowledge etc.
  • Support with accessing the Inclusion Development Programme

We offer the following traded services

  • 8 Language Groups covering the primary age range, 2 with literacy support.
  • Weekly sessions in a Language Group from 1 afternoon per week up to 2 full mornings per week.
  • A specialised team of a Teacher/Speech and Language Therapist, 3 Speech and Language Therapists and a Language Teaching Assistant.
  • Schools and parents receive an information pack before the child starts in a Language Group explaining the work programme and administration details.
  • Language Provision Staff consult regularly with schools and parents.
  • Schools receive support with writing language targets for IEPs if required.
  • Schools and parents receive programmes of work at the beginning of term and progress reports at the end of term.
  • A consultation outreach service for children who cannot attend a Language Group.
  • Transport can be requested from the Local Authority (LA)
  • Outreach provision is negotiated according to the needs and requirements of the child and school.

Schools are not charged for the following services

  • Pre-school Sunflower Language group, provided by the PCT.
  • Specific service standards, key performance indicators and evaluation systems

For children who attend a Language Group schools can expect:

  • A quality teaching and treatment provision delivered by fully qualified specialist staff
  • A language group usually consists of 5 children.
  • Programmes developed to address individual children's needs and submitted to schools and parents/carers for consultation.
  • Liaison with parents/carers will be via an information pack, termly reports, annual reviews, meetings in schools and other prearranged meetings.
  • Language Group staff visit the schools of children in the groups each term to consult about progress, programmes, new targets, future provision and assessment.
  • Classroom observations of the child in the mainstream school will be carried out by Language Group staff at least once per year.
  • The children's language skills will be regularly assessed using up to date tests and informal methods as appropriate.
  • Continued attendance will be subject to the child making satisfactory progress.
  • Language Provision staff will endeavour to attend Case Conferences and Annual Reviews whenever possible subject to teaching commitments.
  • Children do not attend a Language Group for the first or last week of the school year or the last 3 days of the Autumn and Spring terms or the first 2 days of the Spring and Summer terms.
  • Language groups are occasionally cancelled because of illness and training. However, schools can expect the Language Groups to operate for a minimum of 80% of the school year, i.e. 32 weeks.

For Outreach Service schools can expect:

  • A quality consultation service from fully qualified specialist staff.
  • A regularly updated programme of targets and supporting resources.
  • Consultations with a specialist Speech and Language Therapist as required.
  • Assessments and reports on progress as required.
  • School staff are invited to observe a speech and language therapist working with a language group.

Key Performance Indicators

  • According to evaluations of the past 10 years at least 90% of schools and parents/carers whose children attend the provision are “very satisfied” with the service provided. We aim to maintain or improve upon that standard.
  • Continued attendance in a Language Group is dependent upon children making appropriate progress relative to previous assessment.
  • Termly progress of the child will be monitored according to their achievement towards the objectives and aims of their language programme.

Evaluation

Questionnaires will be sent to schools and parents at the end of the academic year or when the child leaves a Language Group

In order to serve you effectively we request schools

  • To make arrangements with parents/carers to send the child to the Language Groups.
  • To inform the Language Group if the child is unable to attend for any reason.
  • To arrange transport if necessary.
  • Class teacher and support staff to visit the child's Language Group at least once per year.
  • To be available to discuss progress and targets at pre-arranged meetings.
  • To communicate appropriate information such as IEPs, school reports and review dates to Language Provision staff.
  • To invite the appropriate Language Provision member of staff to reviews with at least one month’s notice to ensure sufficient time is available for assessments to be completed and a report submitted.
  • A full term's notice of withdrawal from a Language Provision Service will be expected. Otherwise a penalty fee of 50% of the term's fees will be incurred.
  • Sending a child to the Language Group deems acceptance of this Service Level Agreement.

Contact us:

Summerfield Language Provision
Winns Primary School
Fleeming Road
London, E17 5ET

Tel 020 8527 1872