Balanced System Offer
Foreland Fields School is a Centre of Excellence for supporting Speech Language and Communication Needs
The Balanced System:Scheme for Schools is a nationally recognised accreditation. In July 2023 were awarded this for the second time.
The Balanced System has now extended to include the NHS Speech and Language Therapy service.
The Balanced System® is used in Kent to help everyone work together to support pupils’ speech, language and communication, and this includes us working in a more joined up-way with the speech and language therapy service.
We have an allocated link speech and language therapist from the NHS who we meet with regularly to help us plan and improve our support for speech, language and communication across the school. They are based at Foreland Fields once a week.
Our school is committed to achieving the following outcomes, known as the ‘Five Strands’ of the Balanced System®:
- Family support: Parents have the confidence, knowledge, and skills to support their child's speech, language and communication; and pupils can make pro-active choices about their support.
- Environment: classrooms and other places in school are set up to help pupils to understand and express themselves effectively.
- Workforce development: our staff know how to support pupils with their speech, language and communication.
- Identification: speech, language and communication needs are identified early and effectively.
- Intervention: pupils get the help they need to make progress with their speech, language and communication.
In each strand, there are three levels of support:
- Universal Support: Helps all pupils with speech, language and communication. For example, staff using visual aids to enhance understanding in class.
- Targeted Support: Assists pupils with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) or those at risk. For example, pre-teaching vocabulary and small language groups.
- Specialist Support: For more complex SLCN requiring individualised approaches. For example, therapy for a child with a complex speech sound disorder.
Pupils may need support at several levels simultaneously, and this can change over time. For instance, specialist support might be helpful at certain points, but pupils will also receive universal and targeted support.
If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language or communication skills, please speak to your child’s class teacher first. We will then work together to agree on the next steps.
If necessary, we may discuss your child’s needs with our link therapist and develop a plan. You will be kept informed about any plans to support your child.