Advice please! Speech & Language

[japanesebears]

Hi everyone

Our son has been at a language unit attached to a mainstream primary school for just over 2 years since he was 5.

He has made great progress with his speech and language - started with CELF scores putting him in the severe category for expressive language and moderate for receptive. At the beginning of the summer he scored in the normal range for receptive language and core language score, and moderate difficulties for expressive language.

We’re moving house next year and are thinking of what is the best setting. My question is... what now?

While he makes the best of it, socially he’s really limited at his current school. He’s in a small class covering 4 year groups with no kids in his actual year. He used to love playing football with his mainstream school friends at playtime but all that has now been restricted by covid. He’s made great progress with the support he’s had for his S & l, but the cost socially of having close friends his own age is starting to show.

Given he appears to have stabilised at those current levels, expressive language is going to continue to be an issue. Is that manageable in a mainstream school with good SEN? Or should we be looking at another specialist provision?

Thanks.

I would say it is definitely manageable. However, if you feel it isn’t and he is struggle at whatever school he goes to, applying for an EHCP would be the next step. Have you considered this option?

Thanks for the reply! Sorry, should’ve said - he already has an EHCP. He needed one to get into the language unit

Ah ok, so that will help you find the right place I think. You’ve got the provision set out and I would meet with the sencos of prospective school and ask them if they could meet his needs. It would be worth visiting lots of provisions and you will quickly get a feel for where is the best fit. There is no reason why a mainstream wouldn’t work, they just need to get the right support in place

I agree with @Wowcherarestalkingme
Not all special schools are the same.
Not all REesource Bases are the same.
Not all S&L Units are the same
Not all mainstream schools are the same.

The Sp&L ResBase I worked in had the children based in their classes with their peers, and brought out of class to work specifically on their language development during some of the lessons. Sometime staff from the Unit went into the main classes with them and sometimes they were in their classes without 1:1 support - the mix worked really well, and meant they had all the social side with their peers. So not all Units work as yours does.
Same with their being a HUGE variety between one mainstream and another.