Speech and Language Therapy
The Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) team promotes and guides a whole school approach to developing speech, language and communication skills for all pupils at Grange Park School. The team works closely with teaching staff to ensure that there are frequent opportunities during the school day to practise and develop functional communication and interaction skills and develop pupils’ social understanding.
Some pupils require more individual intervention and explicit teaching to develop their communication and interaction skills and their social understanding. This is delivered in a variety of ways including the following:
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The curriculum including The Zones of Regulation in Year 7 Grange Park Time lessons.
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Intervention lessons including Lego Therapy and Understanding Me.
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Small group work
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Individual sessions where appropriate
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Individual visual supports
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Advice to school staff and parents
(More information about the programmes in italics can be found on our curriculum pages)
A robust baseline assessment of each pupil’s communication, interaction and social understanding begins during transition into Grange Park and continues through their first term at school. This ensures that staff have a good knowledge of pupils’ strengths and areas for development. The assessment process includes parent interviews, questionnaires, SCERTS assessment and observations. The information gathered is collated into a Learning Profile that outlines strategies and approaches to supporting pupil learning and communication development. The pupils are regularly monitored so that SCERTS assessments, Learning Profiles and specific interventions can be updated in line with the EHCP process.
The SaLT team works closely with the Occupational Therapists and the Clinical Psychologist during the assessment process and when developing interventions and strategies to support individual pupils.
Other important roles include:
- Developing and maintaining all visual supports used in the school
- Target setting in collaboration with teaching staff
- Contributions to the Annual Review/EHCP process
- Contributions to Behaviour Support Plans
- Regular staff training
- Outreach to other schools