Schools
Background Information
Communication is a vital skill; it is crucial for learning, play, friendships, and well-being. Throughout their school life children continue to develop and consolidate their speech, language and social communication skills. Our communication skills continue to develop into adulthood – we are always learning new vocabulary (possibly linked to new hobbies or interests) and our social skills will also continue developing as we meet new friends and socialise in new environments.
Some pupils will require additional support to help them access the curriculum and to develop their social skills. Advice and resources to support the following areas are available on our Communication Carousel.
- Attention and listening
- Building Sentences
- Play and Early Conversation
- Telling Stories
- Understanding Language
- Vocabulary
If you would like to check the progress of a child’s communication skills (aged 0-11 years), you can use the Progress Checker on the Talking Point website. Once you have done this, you can come back to our website and look at activities for the suggested areas using our carousel.
Information and advice for schools and parents of bilingual children is available in our handout ‘Your Bilingual Child‘.
The Speech and Language Therapy Service
The Buckinghamshire Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service works with children and young people from 0 – 25 years. We work in partnership with staff at schools and Early Years settings. We can provide training, liaison and advice to staff working directly with the child or young person. This enskills the key people in the child’s environment, who are then able to develop his/her communication on a daily basis. Where appropriate, we may work in the classroom, in small groups or individually with children on specific targets agreed jointly with school.
If you have attempted some of the activities on our Communication Carousel, and have concerns about a child’s communication development, it may be appropriate to refer your child to the Speech and Language Therapy service. SENCos should first speak to the School’s Link Therapist at a termly Link Meeting, who may be able to provide initial advice.
We have an open referral system. Anyone can refer a child to our service if they have concerns about a child or young person’s communication and/or eating/drinking. Parental consent is obligatory. Please click on the link below to access the SLT Referral Form. Please note that for all school aged children, the child must first be discussed at a termly Link Meeting, then a SLT Questionnaire must be completed and returned to our service before the child can be seen.
