Communication and Interaction Unit Admissions

Our specialist resource based provision has 18 places for children with Communication and Interaction challenges.

Children will present with any of the following:

• Long term specific language behaviours indicating skills significantly below those of peers
• Limited expressive language that limits participation in classroom/setting activities
• Difficulties in communicating with peers, leading to social isolation
• Expressive communication that limits participation in classroom/setting activities
• Difficulties in following instructions, classroom routines and in maintaining attention to tasks, making it impossible for the pupil to participate in most ordinary classroom/setting activities without a high level of support and structure.

We are able to include no more than 18 children in the unit per academic year group due to physical space constraints in classrooms for the children to work with their mainstream peers. This stipulation is made to ensure effective inclusion and learning opportunities for all children. As the unit aims to achieve a high level of inclusion into mainstream classes and whole school life.

1. The child must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or statement of special educational needs stating the child’s primary need as a communication and interaction.
2. The child will have scores within the average range for non-verbal abilities.
3. Social, emotional and mental health difficulties must not be the main cause for concern. It is recognised that these may occur as a temporary underlying need, but these must not present a major barrier to the learning of an individual child. Where incidents are frequent or intensive, where the child is not responding to support, where the child poses a risk to self or others, and/or impacts on the learning of other children, their place in the unit will be reviewed. This may be through the process of annual review, which may be brought forward.
4. Children will be expected to access a high level of mainstream inclusion in order to experience a variety of learning and social opportunities, and to generalise their learning and self-help strategies [independence]. They may not be supported by an additional adult for all of these inclusive opportunities.
5. Places in the Unit are commissioned by Suffolk Local Authority who consult with the Headteacher and governing body. Reports and any other available information will be scrutinised to carefully consider the needs of each child, together with those of others already placed in the unit and the wider school. Initial assessments will ascertain if:
   • The Unit is suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude and special educational needs
   • The child’s placement in the Unit is compatible with the efficient education of the other pupils with whom the child would be educated
   • The placement is an efficient use of resources
6. Designated staff from our school will visit the child to observe them in their current setting and liaise with staff to gain further insight into their needs and to support the decision making process.

Each child’s progress is continually monitored by Unit staff in collaboration with other professionals where appropriate e.g. Speech and Language Therapists.

If significant changes become evident in the child’s profile and their needs cannot be best met in the unit, alternative provision will need to be considered.

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