Percy Hedley Foundation

Speech and Language Therapy

Percy Hedley Speech and Language Therapy department supports the whole school philosophy of providing high quality care, education and therapy within an integrated practice. Its aim is to enable each pupil to achieve his/her maximum potential for communication, whether this is verbal or non-verbal. This is achieved through working collaboratively with families and school staff towards promoting confidence to communicate successfully for social purposes and to gain access to, and benefit from, the school curriculum. To know more, explore the links below or click here to download -

Support for Pupils' Speech and Language and Communication

Therapy Contribution to the Curriculum

The Speech and Language Therapy department. It comprises a large team of 11 specialist speech and language therapists who are skilled in the assessment, evaluation and diagnosis of a variety of complex communication disorders. These can be part of the pattern of cerebral palsy or be due to developmental or acquired speech, language and communication disorders. All therapists are highly skilled at devising and implementing appropriate therapy programmes to meet pupil needs and promote their progress.

At Percy Hedley, the therapy team works collaboratively with all disciplines to improve practice and raise pupil achievement. There is particularly involvement with the teachers in planning and implementing programmes which promote literacy and thinking skills and with the occupational therapists in the delivery of the personal, social and life skills curriculum. Some therapists are dually qualified as teachers/therapists and hold post-graduate qualifications in dyslexia. These therapists can advise the team when considering the impact of speech and language difficulties upon literacy acquisition. Some therapists have additional post-graduate qualifications in the management of dysphagia; and these are responsible for the assessment and safe management of eating and drinking difficulties for the pupils with these special needs. They also have a vital role in delivering training to staff and families to ensure that good, safe practice is observed in all situations.

Collaborative planning takes place when preparing pupils Individual Education Plans (I.E.P.'s), and during the implementation of these targets with individual children throughout the school day. Speech and language therapists work in the classrooms as part of the class team. The aim is to ensure that pupils understand information presented to them, and that there is every opportunity to maximise the pupil's communicative potential. They will work in the literacy sessions, social communication groups, life skills, and sessions that promote specific topic based learning. Percy Hedley school adopts an experiential approach to learning and therapists frequently accompany class groups on outings and to complete functional tasks within the community. This approach allows us to evaluate a student's ability to generalise skills beyond the classroom.

It is recognised that some children find a one to one work situation with an adult stressful, and yet working with the whole class group can also be distracting or difficult. There is often great benefit in withdrawing pairs or small groups of children from a class for therapy to concentrate on specific communication skills and to give more opportunities for practice so that they can learn to generalise skills in all situations.

Whilst many of the therapeutic aims for each pupil can be met through class based work there are some pupils who also need to be seen individually. These sessions are agreed with the class team when developing the timetables to allow the pupil maximum access to a broad and balanced curriculum, in additional to meeting a pupil's therapeutic needs.

At Percy Hedley school, all therapists working with children who have cerebral palsy have a good understanding of the principles of Conductive Education. These therapists are more likely to work in depth with augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) involving symbol systems and voice output communication aids (VOCAs).

Therapists working in the Language Department are involved with the pupils both in school and out of school in the community where opportunities for experiential learning and communication assignments are essential aspects of developing language skills and social independence. Social communication skills are taught within the classroom but therapists are able to monitor carryover by observing the children during snack and lunch times and outdoor playground duties.

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Parents and Guardians

By arrangement with the relevant therapist, parents and extended members of the family or carers are welcome to observe therapy sessions to observe strategies for developing communication, to learn about signing and symbol systems or communication aids and to develop a greater understanding of how to help their child to make progress. Families are given the opportunity to discuss the nature and implications of their child's communication difficulties with the speech and language therapist whenever they wish. It is often necessary to review the diagnostic labels as the child gets older and the picture changes. Particular support is given when the child is due to leave school or transfer to another establishment.

Many class teams hold regular termly ‘open afternoons' where parents/carers are invited into school to have an informal ‘chat' with the professionals working with their child. All children in school have a home/school diary and this can be used to pass information onto parents/carers. Home visits are carried out as appropriate or at parents' request.

At Percy Hedley School, therapists are deployed throughout the age range of the school to ensure that pupils have the opportunities to be active communicators within their classes, whatever their level of difficulty, and that they can derive as much as possible from the curriculum and social situations.

Staff and families are supported in their understanding of the pupils' problems and provided with strategies to assist successful communication and learning using specific equipment e.g. voice output communication aids (VOCAs). Sign-supported English sign language training is offered where appropriate.

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Social communication and autistic spectrum disorder

Most children develop the skills of social interaction naturally and successfully by the time they start school. Many of the children referred to Percy Hedley School have a primary difficulty with social communication. Other pupils who have no speech, or who have significant problems with receptive or expressive language, can also present with social communication difficulties as a secondary problem. They may be socially withdrawn or alternatively frustrated and likely to exhibit unacceptable behaviours. Some students present with social communication difficulties, which are integral to their diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. For children to develop confidence and successful communication they need to develop awareness of themselves and others and to have the opportunities to practice these skills in situations, which are structured and supported. At the youngest level these groups may be referred to as “Friends groups” where basic skills such as eye contact and active listening are introduced, and respect for the feelings and opinions of others are fostered. As the pupils progress through the school they are taken through specifically designed social communication activities to address more sensitive aspects of communication and to increase their self-awareness of how to improve their communication skills both in school and in the wider community. Video recording is a particularly helpful way of helping students to see their own behaviour and to evaluate their performances in a safe and supportive group discussion. Principles of the TEACCH approach and PECS are also used if deemed appropriate.

The Lead Therapist for Autistic Spectrum Disorders acts as an advisory to the Speech and Language Department.

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Life Skills

Communication is a skill affecting all aspects of daily living and the speech and language therapists are involved in supporting students in the transfer of skills from the familiar therapy and class environments to meeting new challenges with unfamiliar people in the wider community e.g. shops, cinemas, cafes and restaurants, leisure activities, personal appointments. They are involved at all stages of the school in encouraging the pupils to be as independent as possible, within realistic limitations. Telephone skills are developed through practical experiences and sometimes work experience placements.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Some children do not have the potential for successful spoken language as their first method of communication due to neurological damage of the oral musculature, which prevents the development of intelligible speech. Where there is no speech, or speech cannot be generally understood, speech and language therapists work with other team members to assess other physical possibilities for communication (e.g. eye pointing, finger or hand pointing, laser pointers, switch access) and then begin to introduce augmentative methods of communication such as pictures, symbols and signs. Intensive therapy over a long period is required with any method of AAC if the pupil is to develop competency and confidence. The therapist also advises the family and class team about creating many opportunities to practice and generalise skills.

There are an increasing number of communication aids commercially available and staffs keeps up to date with new developments in order to advise children, families and local authorities about preferred choices and to make funding applications. Designing the layout of symbol boards and books and regular programming of communication aids are part of the therapists' expertise. Maintenance of all equipment in good working order is essential and liaison with manufacturers is essential. Where ever possible students can link their communication aids to printer facilities to ensure that they are fully involved with class activities.

The Lead Therapist for AAC acts as an advisory to the Speech and Language Therapy Department.

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Key Stage 4 and Post 16

The speech and language therapist is part of the specialist team, which aims to prepare the students for leaving school and for transition to the next stage of their life. Observations are made of the students' communication skills on work placement experiences or college visits and feedback is given to help the students to develop their awareness of themselves and others. The focus is on making the optimum functional use of the communication skills learnt at school and accessing support for further education and social integration within a new and unfamiliar environment. Students are encouraged to discuss whether they wish to access speech and language therapy services in their locality when they leave school and information is provided regarding local contacts. The speech and language therapist in the Post 16 unit has an additional role as a tutor to the students. A.A.C. users within Post 16 provision are able to gain accreditation for A.A.C.

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Dysphagia Management

Speech and language therapists who hold additional qualifications in Dysphagia management are often required to advise on strategies for children who present with feeding and swallowing difficulties. These children will have individual mealtime management plans, which are kept in a file in the dining area and are monitored and updated when required.

Basic introductory training for feeding and drinking is offered by the Speech and Language Therapy Department to each new member of staff as part of their induction. These sessions are held at least bi-annually.

The Lead Therapist for Dysphagia acts as an advisor to the Speech and Language Therapy team and is responsible for organising training and oversees the monitoring mealtime plans.

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