Whole School Intent

• Improve communication to enable self-support. 

• Utilise every opportunity to interact and improve social skills.  

• Improve relationships and build friendships. 

Communication and Interaction Skills at a glance

Whole School Implementation

• PECs and communication boards used consistently.  

• Makaton used with speech.  

• Encompasses subject related skills-based learning and some elements of sensory  development that support language, interaction and communication skills’ development. 

Nuture

Willow And Elm

Cherry and Chestnut

Intent 

• Developing self-awareness 

• Encourage communication through gestures, eye contact, PECs, Makaton. 

• Encourage and support interaction with the world around them. 

Implementation 

Personal motivators to entice communication and interaction.  

• Mastery approach 

• Targets set through OPAL and link to EHCP outcomes 

• Communication skills woven throughout the curriculum. 

• Intensive interaction and play interaction to develop social skills. 

• Learning powers: Explore, Connect and Persevere. 

Intent 

• Developing self-awareness and awareness of others so they can improve their social skills. 

• Encourage interaction to build relationships with staff and peers.  

• Make their needs and wants known using different modes of communication.  

Implementation 

• Fun group activities to engage and develop communication and interaction.  

• Functional and active learning opportunities. 

• Repeated opportunities to practise skills. 

• Mastery approach 

• Targets set through OPAL and link to EHCP outcomes 

• Learning powers: Explore, Connect, Persevere and Feel 

Intent 

Generalisation of social skills for use in everyday life.  

Have close and trusting friendships with their peers. 

Developing self-advocacy. 

Communicate all their needs and wants to familiar and unfamiliar people.  

Implementation 

Functional and cross curricular links 

Whole class or small groups 

Mastery approach 

Targets set through OPAL and link to EHCP outcomes 

Learning powers: Explore, Connect, Persevere, Feel and Reflect 

Curriculum Content 

• Curriculum overviews and planning have been developed as appropriate for each pathway. The typical time budget for each pathway, including embedded practice and ‘teachable moments’ is as follows: 

Nuture

Willow And Elm

Cherry and Chestnut

• Child led 1:1 Intensive Interaction throughout the day. 
• 1:1 Daily PECs sessions building to spontaneous transaction 
• Objects of Reference and visuals for transitions. 
• Daily 30 min of TACPAC Set One 
• Phase One Attention Autism (length of time is dependent on children) 

• Communication and Interaction skills are linked into all areas of the curriculum and incorporated throughout the day.  
• PECs used throughout the day. 
• Daily 30 min of TACPAC Set One & Two 
• Phase One & Two Attention Autism (length of time is dependent on children) 

• Communication and Interaction skills are linked into all areas of the curriculum and incorporated throughout the day.  
• PECs and Communication boards throughout the day.  
• Makaton incorporated with speech. 
  • ‘Sign of Day’ linked to all new learning.  

Resources, Training and CPD 

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/communication/understanding-and-developing-communication 

https://www.autismspeaks.org/social-skills-and-autism 

What is PECs? https://pecs-unitedkingdom.com/pecs/ 

https://www.widgit.com/products/inprint/index.htm 

https://www.intensiveinteraction.org/ 

https://makaton.org/ 

https://tacpac.co.uk/ 

Staff CPD - see staffshare & OneDrive CPD folders:  

Planning and advice guides linked to PECs, Makaton, Intensive Interaction, TACPAC, Attention Autism 

Strengths 

• Staff have a strong understanding of the communication needs of their students and consistently use different means to communicate; Objects of reference, signing, visuals and symbols and speech. ​​ 

• Staff role play, model and comment so children can learn how to communicate and interact appropriately. ​ 

• PECs used throughout the day in classrooms. 

• Staff teams are able to create engaging and purposeful curriculum for their pathways. 

• Students are making progress in their OPAL ladders. 

Areas for Development 

• Completing the Curriculum Map for the pathways. 

• Setting up a SIT team so that teams can improve their depth of knowledge and share this with the whole school. 

• Re-visit and embed ‘Intensive Interaction’ skills for staff in Willow pathway.  

• Introduce assistive technology for communication. 

• Trips to include real life experiences to support communication rather than just role playing, e.g. visiting hairdresser, going shopping etc.