SENCos and Teachers

Do you have pupils with SLCN? Speech4Schools is working in over 60 educational settings across Kent.

Do you work in a pre-school, primary school, secondary school or specialist setting?

At Speech4Schools, we understand the struggles SENCos face, with SLCN difficulties affecting:

• A child’s ability to learn
• Social interaction and making friends
• Joining in
• Understanding and following instructions
• How children thrive
• Phonics and literacy development

You’ll already know that the impact of the pandemic means a SENCO’s growing caseload is increasingly complex.

We would like the opportunity to talk to you about how we can take the pressure off your team by helping to provide early, targeted support, reducing the need for further interventions throughout a child’s school life.

Email us to arrange a free meeting to talk about all of your concerns – we can come to visit you at school or talk on the phone / video call.Send me an email to arrange a convenient date and time: sidonie@speech4schools.co.uk

How we can help you and your school?

Our work in schools across Kent in tackling SLCN issues benefits not only individual pupils, but the whole school by helping children to:

• Clearly communicate their needs
• Overcome frustration and reduce challenging behaviours
• Better understand instructions, expectations and classroom routines
• Improve social interaction and ability to make friends
• Achieve their academic potential

We know budgets are stretched and that’s why we offer a whole range of services from a one-off visit to more regular support in school.

It’s flexible and could include:

• One-off consultative meeting - to look at your SLCN pupils’ needs with expert advice on which pupils might benefit from being grouped together and the style of support to give.
• Bespoke training – for all staff including teachers, TAs and lunchtime supervisors, promoting a holistic approach to encourage SLCN development in the classroom.
• Parent sessions – to help families find out how easily they can bring speech and language into everyday situations at home...and see results!
• Assessments – for any pupils you are concerned about. Immediate and impactful help without an NHS waiting list, followed by an in-school and at-home therapy plan.
• Help with paperwork and applications - our professional reports and evidence can help support SENCos with a wide range of applications and onward referrals e.g. for High Needs Funding or EHCPs
• Target setting – we’ll help you set and meet targets, to measure progress and re-set new goals.
• Resources – we’ll show you how to use your existing school resources for SLCN interventions and can also suggest new ones too.
• Regular therapy sessions – for children with SLCN and/or an EHCP to develop speech and language in line with their learning topics.
• Ongoing support – we can be on-hand to help as little or often as you need. Some schools invite us in for a couple of days a year, others we visit weekly.
• Ask us – we are always here to help with any SLCN query, at any time. We are always at the end of a phone or email to offer you expert advice.

Everything we do is tailored to ensuring every penny goes towards addressing your school’s specific needs to create the changes you need and want to see.

Get in touch to chat about how we can help you and your school.
sidonie@speech4schools.co.uk

Who are we?

Founded by speech and language therapist Sidonie Delaney more than 15 years ago, Speech4Schools and Speech4Kids therapists are qualified, experienced and passionate about making a difference to children’s lives.

We know how important SLCN is to learning outcomes and children’s future achievements, self-esteem and success.

We never stop enjoying seeing those breakthroughs and steps they take because we know it’ll have a lifelong effect.

Our experience spans a range of SLCN including:

• Autism and Social Communication Difficulties
• Listening and Attention Needs
• Non-verbal communication
• Cleft lip and/or palate
• Developmental language disorder
• Speech sound delays or disorders
• Stammering
• Selective mutism

What our schools say

We’re very proud of the feedback we get from professionals and parents. We’re happy to put you in touch with other SENCOs to hear about their experiences with us and find out what we’ve done for their pupils.

Here are a few of their words – we make a difference.

DITTON INFANT SCHOOL, MAIDSTONE

Claire Lewer – Headteacher
“I can’t recommend Sidonie enough – she's been such a great inspiration in our school.”Hear Claire’s review of Speech4Schools:

AQUILA TRUST (Kent)

Aquila Trust has 18 schools across Kent and we work across them for one day a week.

Recognising the need for extra input into speech and language, Chris brought us in to work with all teachers, providing training, guidance and classroom resources.

We visit each school a few times a year, to meet with SENCOS to discuss children who they are concerned about, to give practical advice and strategies for the class teacher to implement to help the children to progress – understanding the language of the classroom and curriculum.

We’ve supported staff with training, classroom ideas and resources, and also helped with interpreting NHS reports and targets for speech and language. Staff now feel more confident with supporting speech sound difficulties and gained lots of practical ideas to use in the future.Ofsted have also commented on staff delivery on speech too, since we came in.

Hear from Dr Chris Clarke – Educational Psychologist
“Sidonie has been absolutely first rate for us.”

Hear from Antoinette Starmer-Smith – Head of Inclusion, St Nicholas Church Of England Primary Academy, New Romney

Antoinette said: “Sidonie has been the most fabulous resource that we have been able to use, with a fantastic impact on the children. I just can’t recommend her highly enough. The children come away asking when they will see her again!”

Contact us

sidonie@speech4schools.co.uk – email me and I’ll reply or call you at a convenient time

speech4kids.co.uk – plenty of blogs and resources for you to use (this website is for our private clinic work)

01227 694740

Additionally, if you have parents keen to access private assessment or therapy sessions, our clinics are open 6 days a week - please do pass on our details if you think they might like to know about us:

Tenterden Clinic: 01580 459025
Chilham Clinic: 01227 694740
Mobile: 07967 031558
Web enquiry form: Contact Us - Speech4Kids

Wishing you a happy term,
Sidonie Delaney & The Speech4Schools team