Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service
FUNDING FOR INCLUSION (FFI) – SECTION 3
E BAND PRAGMATICS OBSERVATION
SUBMISSION FORM
Synergy
Gateway Ref:
Pupil Name:
D.O.B:
Year Group:
UPN:
School
Observation Notes completed by:
Designation
Signed:
Date:
SLT Name:
Organisation: NHS 
Other:
Guidance Notes
E BAND PRAGMATICS FUNDING IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WITH SPECIFIC SOCIAL
INTERACTION AND COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES, AND NOT FOR THOSE WHOSE
DIFFICULTIES PRESENT AS PART OF A LEARNING DIFFICULTY.
Children with behaviours that challenge or have delayed language skills may also have some of
these difficulties, but may not meet pragmatics criteria.
This observation schedule is designed to support schools in providing evidence/description of
how pupil’s communication difficulties affect access to learning via classroom/playground
observations.
Each child for whom E band pragmatics top-up funding is being sought must have an
Observation Record completed BY SCHOOL.
For children who are felt to be meeting criteria for funding in pragmatics, evidence as to their
levels of need must be produced. These criteria and the recommended provision are outlined in
the FFI Handbook, Section 9, E Band.
To identify which level of funding a child qualifies for funding in pragmatics, the level of difficulty
must be clearly outlined and described.
The Observation Record should be completed looking at the child WITHOUT CLASSROOM OR
PLAYGROUND SUPPORT.
Evidence Checklist (All must be provided)
 Completed Observation form
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 Relevant professionals advice/report
 Pupil passport/profile*
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 Individualised timetable
 Observations evidence including two
real-life examples per descriptor
 Current IEP or equivalent learning plan
 Provision Map
 Latest SLT report/advice (within 1 year)
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*For pupils new to school, a full pupil profile may not be possible. Please provide details of progress in its development up to
this point
Universal and Targeted Support (Core and Notional Inclusion Budget)
For a list of examples of support that might be in place for pupils with pragmatic difficulties please
see the FFI handbook Section 9. It is important to note that the majority of support should be put in
place from these areas in line with the “graduated support” model. Please tick support that is in
applicable.
Pupil Passport*
☐ IEP & IBP or equivalents*
Relevant school training e.g. AET
Level 1
Visual support resources
☐ strategies
☐ Individualised timetable*
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Emotional regulation/support
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*To meet the criteria for top-up funding there must be evidence that the following support is place,
please attach to this observation record.
Top-up funding
To qualify for top-up funding in pragmatics, the difficulties must be having a major impact
on the pupil's learning or social inclusion, and must be the primary cause of difficult/hard to
manage behaviour.
E band Level 2 Tier 1 top-up funding
E Band Level 2 Tier 1 criteria: For a pupil to meet this tier of funding at least five descriptors
need to demonstrated, taking careful consideration of how the difficulties impact on the pupil's
learning. Each descriptor must be supported by evidence from the observations. It is essential
that there has been liaison with an EP, STARS and/or complex needs professionals.
Criteria descriptor
Tick
Evidence
attached
 Little interest in peers, has few friends, unaware of needs of others, e.g.
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doesn’t notice if another child cries
 Poor understanding of social conventions without repeated adult
E1.2
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prompts e.g. taking turns, waiting in line
 Has concrete understanding of age appropriate spoken language but
E1.3
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struggles with abstract language e.g. time concepts, idioms
 Inappropriate expressive communication e.g. makes personal
E1.4 comments, monotone voice, over loud voice, struggles to stay on topic,
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little use of facial expression
 Non-verbal communication skill are unusual and not well integrated –
E1.5
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e.g. hugs everyone indiscriminately, eye contact is variable
 Struggles with change to routine, rigid adherence to rules, needs adult
E1.6
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support to manage transitions e.g. from play time back into class
 Child needs individual prompting to stay on task or move on to next task
E1.7
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e.g. needs to use timers to move on from working on a computer
 Occasional repetitive behaviours seen which interfere with flexible
E1.8 learning e.g. always has to play with trains before can move onto
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anything
 Sensory processing impacts on learning e.g. resistant to touching
E1.9
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certain textures
Please tick and provide in more detail at least two ‘real-life’ examples from a range of contexts if
possible on the observation record. Please provide details of what action was taken or steps that
have been put into place.
E1.1
Section 3 E Band Pragmatics observation record
June 2016 Page 2
E band Level 2 Tier 2 or 3 top-up funding
The important factor in meeting criteria is consideration of how the difficulties impact on the pupil's
learning. For a pupil to meet either one of these tiers, the following conditions need to be met and
the respective number of descriptors need to demonstrable.
E Band Level 2 Tier 2 criteria: Five of the ten descriptors must be evidenced
E Band Level 2 Tier 3 criteria: Eight of the ten descriptors must be evidenced
Supporting evidence must be included from observations from school.
Tier 3 pupils must have recent EP, STARS or complex needs involvement e.g. this might be as part
of an EHC needs assessment. Note that pupils do not need to have an EHC Plan to be allocated
top-up funding.
Descriptor
Tick
Evidence
attached
E2.1
 Lack of interest in peers, doesn’t initiate interaction with others,
totally socially uninvolved
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E2.2
 Completely self-directed and largely unresponsive to adult attempts
to engage child throughout the day
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 Little understanding of /response to spoken language in a social
context
E2.3
Or
 Understands some simple language but struggles with complex
abstract language
E2.4
 Little or no functional expressive language, may name a few items
but unable to make requests, echoes language without meaning,
communicates mainly by physical means e.g. pulling adult by hand
to what he wants
Or
 Core expressive language skills in tact but goes off topic all the time,
interrupts others, repeatedly asks same questions
E2.5
E2.6
E2.7
E2.8
E2.9
E2.10
 Non-verbal communication skills are very limited – no / limited use or
understanding of gestures, pointing, eye contact
 Change in routine causes severe distress or withdrawal into self,
which results in him/her being extremely difficult to engage
 Totally reliant on additional strategies e.g. objects of reference,
visual timetable, to move through daily routine
 Repetitive behaviours form a significant part of the child's day e.g.
lines up toys I equipment, watches anything that spins, carries a
toy in hand all day, displays some hand mannerisms
 Sensory processing interferes with school day e.g. unable to
tolerate messy hands, puts hand over ears to certain noises,
constantly chewing toys I equipment
 Anxiety has major impact on learning - in highly anxious state and
unable to focus
Please tick and provide in more detail at least two ‘real-life’ examples from a range of contexts if
possible on the observation record. Please provide details of what action was taken or steps have
been put into place.
Section 3 E Band Pragmatics observation record
June 2016 Page 3
EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU MAY SEE IN THE CLASSROOM
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Socially withdrawn in work, play and social situations from everyone. Can’t be included despite
efforts of adults.
Unable to (appropriately) communicate needs, resulting in significant tantrums requiring long
period, and/or tactic specific to the child, to calm down.
Not able to/not interested in initiating interaction/play appropriately or unable respond to other
children’s reactions in social/play situations.
Adjusting to/accepting a classroom routine often results in significant tantrums which disrupt the
class and upsets other children.
Excessive physical reaction to interference by peers or adults, e.g. interference with line of cars
or sitting in ‘their’ place on the carpet. May kick/ bite/scratch/spit self or others.
May use previously heard adult language in apparently appropriate situations, e.g. “good boy,
that was good work”
‘Obsessional’ preferences including behaviours e.g. must have yellow counter, same play
routines.
May ‘talk over’ all others and increase their volume to achieve this, but are unaware of the need
to listen to others, take turns and be sensitive to what teachers/peers are saying. Is likely to
disrupt group teaching
May be able to initiate, but not maintain interactions/play appropriately or respond to other
children’s reactions in social/play situations
Has difficulty grasping rules to playground games, coping with sharing, taking turns and losing
and various other social subtleties.
Follows instructions to the extreme. E.g. puts finger on lips to listen but leaves it there until told
to do otherwise, seems unaware that this response is no longer appropriate and the others are
no longer doing it.
Noises, repetitions of large chunks of videos/stories may be attention seeking but child likely
oblivious to their impact/irritation to others.
Obsessional preferences demonstrated at different extremes i.e. either excessive detail or
repetition of the same phrases.
May be extremely vulnerable and easily led by peer group into trouble
Unable to use appropriate social language for the audience e.g. formality of interaction of
teacher vs peer and/or doesn’t understand or use peer vocabulary e.g. ‘cool’ ‘wicked’.
Interprets language in a very literal or unusual way, totally unable to understand idiom, jokes,
sarcasm and humour in general. Prefers visual humour e.g. Mr Bean.
Misinterprets banter for bullying, over sensitive to personal comments resulting in extreme
behaviour e.g. fighting.
Unable to join in majority of conversations with peers, resulting in frustration, withdrawal or
seeking adult company.
Responds inappropriately without realising the seriousness of comments e.g. racist or gender
remarks.
May appear to be threatening to others in the way they respond (non-verbally) e.g. over stares
or “stalks”
Section 3 E Band Pragmatics observation record
June 2016 Page 4
Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service
E band Pragmatics: Observation Record
Pupil Name:
Descriptor
ref.
Date
Date of Birth:
Observations/behaviours – include trigger for behaviours where possible
Year Group:
Impact on
learning/peers/progress
Section 3 E Band Pragmatics observation record
Actions taken /
support accessed
June 2016 Page 5
Descriptor
ref.
Date
Observations/behaviours – include trigger for behaviours where possible
Impact on
learning/peers/progress
Section 3 E Band Pragmatics observation record
Actions taken /
support accessed
June 2016 Page 6
Descriptor
ref.
Date
Observations/behaviours – include trigger for behaviours where possible
Impact on
learning/peers/progress
Actions taken /
support accessed
Notes: For actions taken, please link this with support/provision that can be demonstrated in your provision map
Any other additional notes or comments:
Section 3 E Band Pragmatics observation record
June 2016 Page 7