Trafford Language Outreach Service
Trafford Language Centre
Supporting Children with Specific Language
Difficulties
The Team
Language Outreach Team
Specialist Speech and Language Therapists
 Debbie Swift
 Lucy McGill
Barton Clough Language Centre
Specialist Teachers
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Specialist Teaching Assistants
Who is supported by the
Language Outreach Service?
Any child who has
1.
Significant language difficulties affecting understanding and/or use of
language identified by school and Community SLT.
2.
Strengths in areas of thinking and development which do not require
language.
3.
Reached School Action Plus (or further along the Code of Practice) in
mainstream primary schools in Trafford.
4.
Received a programme of intervention from a Community SLT.
Pupils who do not make progress with the Language Outreach Service
may be considered for placement at the Language Centre.
Who attends the Language
Centre?
Any child who has
1.
A diagnosis of specific language impairment by the Speech and
Language Therapist (SLT) and the Educational Psychologist.
2.
A range of strengths in areas of thinking and development that do not
require language. Language is the greatest area of difficulty.
3.
Made good progress in areas of the curriculum which are less
dependant on language.
Language Centre pupils will normally (but not necessarily)
have Statements of SEN.
Where is Language Outreach
Support available?

The service is available to pupils in Primary Schools across the
whole of Trafford.

The Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) will
assess and provide programmes of work/advice in the pupil’s
primary school.

Lucy McGill is responsible for schools in the north of Trafford and
Debbie Swift is responsible for schools in the south of Trafford.

Lucy and Debbie can be contacted at Timperley Health Centre
on 9808041.
Where is the Language
Centre?

Trafford Language Centre is based at Barton Clough
Primary School. There are 20 full time places,
divided into two classes, each with 10 pupils.

Pupils will have the opportunity to take part in
integration with mainstream classes in school (with
appropriate support).

Pupils may return to their local mainstream primary
after a period of intervention.
Accessing the Language Outreach
Service
Step 1
Case Discussion with Community SLT.
This can be done at any time in the academic year.
Points to consider




Has the pupil got significant language difficulties that prevent him/her using
language to learn?
Has he/she got noticeable strengths in some areas?
Has the teacher and therapist worked together to support language development?
Have you used the SEN Criteria for Speech and Language Difficulties to help
decision making?
Step 2
Teacher/SENCO and SLT complete the request forms available from the SENCO and at
www.traffordlearning.org (an example can be seen on the following slide)
Step 3
Send to Carol Skillan, Administrator, School Improvement Service
3rd Floor, Arndale House, Chester Road, Stretford, Manchester, M32 9BH
Tel: 0161 911 8686
carol.skillan@trafford.gov.uk
Trafford Language Centre Request for Consideration for Language Outreach Support from a
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at SAP
To be completed by the SENCO and Community Speech and Language Therapist (SLT)
Name of Pupil:
Address:
SENCO (please print):
Signed:
Date:
DOB:
School:
Community SLT (please print):
Signed:
Date:
PLEASE NOTE THAT SUPPORT FROM SPECIALIST SLT FROM THE LANGUAGE OUTREACH TEAM
DOES NOT INCLUDE TEACHING ASSISTANT TIME. SCHOOLS WILL NEED TO IDENTIFY
SOMEONE IN SCHOOL TO WORK WITH THE SPECIALIST SLT
Please summarise the evidence you have included in support of ______________’s severe and complex
communication needs. (e.g. SLT report, NC Levels, School Assessment)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please summarise the evidence you have included in support of ______________’s average/above average
cognitive/non-verbal ability. (e.g. SLT non-verbal checklist, NC Levels, EP report (if applicable), Early Years
Checklist, Aston Index, Teacher report detailing strengths in areas of development and thinking that do not
require language)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NB The Language Outreach Team works with children with a discrepancy between verbal and non
verbal skills
Please summarise the evidence of joint working with the Community SLT you have included. (e.g. SLT plans
with outcomes, IEPs with outcomes)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please summarise what you have done at School Action to support ____________’s communication needs
(e.g. Class Teacher/SENCO report, evidence of participation in programmes within school)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Any further comments?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please remember to include….
Essential
 Summary of evidence (i.e.
request form)
 Teacher progress report
 SLT reports
 Therapy plans/IEPs with
outcomes
 Notes from EP
Consultation/liaison
 Completed SEN criteria for
Speech and Language
Difficulties
Desirable
 EP Report
 Paediatrician’s report
 NC levels
 Foundation stage profile
 Tracking of development of
non-verbal skills
Please remember…
Work together with the Speech and Language Therapist

The pupil must have up to date language assessments and have identified
language needs that are severe and complex.

The school and the Speech and Language Therapist must have worked
together to support the pupils language needs at School Action, and there must
be evidence of this (e.g. IEPs, language plans – with reviews).

There must be evidence that the pupil is making progress with areas of the
curriculum that do not require language.

Refer to the SEN Criteria for Speech and Language Difficulties (Entry Criteria for
Early Years / School Action Plus) to see if the pupil’s needs would be
appropriate for this support. They can be found at www.traffordlearning.org
When the request form is
received…

The request will be considered at the half termly Language
Outreach Meeting. We aim to inform schools of the decision by
the team within 5 working days.

The decision will be one of the following:




Support from the Language Outreach Service at enhanced School
Action Plus.
Recommendation for further School Action intervention from school
and Community SLT.
Recommendation that the pupil should be considered for a place at
the Language Centre.
When making a decision, we will look at all the information you
submit, including the completed SEN criteria checklist.
Language Outreach Support

Detailed assessment to find out more about the
pupil’s needs.

Specialist advice and information on how the school
can help reduce the effect the language needs are
having on the pupil’s ability to access the curriculum.

A programme of work and/or specific targets may
also be devised following discussion with school
staff.
Language Outreach Support
cont…

If a programme of work is recommended, the school will need to
identify additional time from a TA for the language programmes.

The SLT will demonstrate activities for the language programme
to the Teaching Assistant.

The TA and SLT will need a quiet place to work with the pupil
during visits to demonstrate activities.

Programmes will be reviewed – with school staff - and updated
as appropriate.

The SLT will attend review/IEP/Annual Review meetings in
school.
After the intervention…


Language Outreach support would initially be for a period of 1
year. A review will then inform the next stage.

Further intervention from language Outreach Service may be
required

Pupil returns to School Action with respect to language needs.
The pupil may be transferred back to the Community SLT, or
discharged from the Community SLT in Trafford.
This decision would be made jointly with the School and SLT.
How to Access the Language
Centre

A decision to refer for the Language Centre
placement for a Statemented pupil will be made by
the LA/Admissions panel. Schools will put forward
pupils for Formal Assessment in the usual way.

Following referral to the Outreach
Services/intervention from Outreach Services, a
decision may be made to request that the
Language Panel consider the pupil for a place at
the Language Centre.
Support in the Language
Centre

Each class is taught by a teacher and specialist
support assistant with specific training in speech and
language difficulties.

Pupils receive intensive speech and language
therapy (3 – 4 sessions per week) according to
need. This may be in the classroom, outside the
classroom, 1:1 or in a group.
Language for Learning
Trafford Language Outreach Service
Trafford Language Centre
Supporting Children with Specific Language Difficulties
Further details from Debbie Swift and Lucy McGill
980 8041
debbie.swift@trafford.nhs.uk
lucy.mcgill@trafford.nhs.uk