The Speech and Language Unit within Matthew Arnold Primary School is a specialist service that supports children with the most significant and specific speech and language needs:

• The provision covers Foundation Stage through to the end of Key Stage 2
• All places are part time basis with speech and language outreach support where appropriate.

How is provision accessed?

Following a joint assessment (Community Paediatrician, Educational Psychologist and Speech and Language Therapist) the Speech and Language Co-ordinator receives the Language Resource Notification Form that has been signed by parents and professionals asking for a Speech and Language Unit placement. This form along with all of the latest reports and information on the child is then matched to appropriate support for each child and their family. This involves careful transition planning with parents and schools across the city.

Please note that only children placed in a language unit by the SLCN Panel can access the language unit. Children attending the mainstream setting cannot access the specialist support or the specialist teaching staff. 

What are the aims of the Speech and Language Unit provision?

The aim of the Speech and Language Unit and Outreach Support is for staff from Liverpool City Council (LCC) and Speech and Language Therapists from Alder Hey Hospital Trust to work in partnership with each other and with parents and schools to return pupils to their local mainstream school full time as quickly as possible. In order for pupils to reach their full potential, the goal is to support their speech and language needs so that their speech and language skills progress and develop in line with their other abilities.

What type of difficulties do children who attend a Speech and Language Unit have?

Children attending the Speech and Language Units may have difficulties with their speech sounds, their talking, their understanding of language or any combination of these.

What is the role of the Speech and Language Unit Teachers?

The Speech and Language Unit teachers are employed to teach small classes of 8 pupils who are experiencing very significant speech and language needs. The pupils attend the Speech and Language Unit for 2 days per week and attend their mainstream school for the other 3 days. The Speech and Language Unit Teacher plans a focused curriculum from the Early Years Foundation Stage/National Curriculum for the group. This includes each child’s individual speech and language targets integrated into every activity and lesson. This work will be planned in conjunction with the Speech and Language Therapist and may be completed in small groups or individually. The teaching staff at Matthew Arnold Primary School with the child’s home school on Wednesdays in order to support their individual speech and language needs. The teacher is an experienced teacher who has a particular interest in special educational needs and speech, language and communication needs.

Please read our parents booklet and visit our curriculum overviews pages for each class below: