At Alfreton Park Community Special School, we understand that communication is a vital part of our pupils’ education. We endeavour to provide a Total Communication environment, which is a way of supporting communication using a variety of methods. Total Communication helps our pupils make choices, make their needs known and be involved in making decisions about their lives.

We believe it is very important for our pupils to be able to communicate and equally as important for everyone who works with our pupils to support them appropriately.

Across school, we support communication in the following ways according to individual need:

To support understanding of language and communication

• Intensive Interaction
• Attention Autism
• Visual support, including objects of reference, photographs, symbols, written words
• Makaton sign language and on body signing / TaSSeLs
• Adults using language at the right level for each pupil, based on annual assessment of every pupil

To support expressive language and communication

• Intensive Interaction
• Attention Autism
• Makaton signing
• Adults modelling language at the right level for each pupil, based on annual assessment of every pupil
• Cued Articulation
• Alternative and Augmentative Communication Methods (AAC) including choice boards, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), communication books, switches, voice output communication aids (accessed through direct touch and eye gaze)

Rachel Cowlam is our Speech and Language Therapist and attends the school every Tuesday afternoon. Rachel works closely with Tracy Cross, Communications Manager. Rachel and Tracy complete an annual assessment of the language and communication levels of all pupils, during the summer term. Rachel meets teachers every term to discuss the speech, language and communication needs of all pupils in school. Pupils then receive support in one or more of the following ways:

• Joint target setting with the teacher
• Advice about specific strategies to support communication
• Staff training in specific approaches
• Small group sessions focussing on specific areas of speech, language and communication
• Whole class sessions focussing on specific areas of speech, language and communication
• Direct assessment - observations, 1:1 work
• A Speech & Language Therapy programme, which may be delivered by Speech and Language Therapy staff and/or school staff. This may be delivered in class and/or out of class
• Rachel and Tracy meet every week to discuss therapy programmes.

Working with families

Letters will be sent home each term to let families know what speech, language and communication support is being provided for their child. Rachel and Tracy are available to meet with parents on request. Please contact Tracy in school if you would like to arrange a time to meet with one or both of them.