Sir Thomas Abney Primary School has an Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) for children with a severe speech disorder or difficulty, or a diagnosis of Developmental Language Disorder.  There is provision for up to ten children, and places are allocated by the local authority. At Sir Thomas Abney, it is known as a Language Resourced Provision (LRS).

Those children who are part of the LRS receive intensive speech and language therapy from specialist Speech and Language Therapists, supported by a specialist Speech and Language Therapy Assistant.  This might consist of one-to-one sessions or small group sessions and typically occurs three times a week, although this depends on the individual needs of each child.  The members of the LRS are fully integrated into the mainstream classes, and teachers and support staff receive regular training in how to support their communication and understanding.  Across the whole school we provide a communication-rich environment where all children are enabled to participate and contribute.

If you are interested in a place in the provision for your child, you are welcome to contact the school office on 020 8800 1411 to arrange a visit. 

Applications can be made via your child’s current Speech and Language Therapist, or by contacting Helen Wilson (Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist) on helen.wilson75@nhs.net

More information can be found on the Hackney Local Offer page:

https://www.hackneylocaloffer.co.uk/kb5/hackney/localoffer/service.page?id=axl3eJATt6A

What is DLD?

DLD is when a child or adult has significant difficulties learning, understanding and using language. It
is not caused by speaking more than one language or by a known medical condition. Children with
DLD might make errors in their talking, use simpler sentences or have difficulty telling a story or
having a conversation. These errors can be hidden, so children with DLD are often overlooked.
To find out more information about DLD:

https://gethackneytalking.co.uk/fact_sheet/developmental-language-disorder-dld/

What is Speech Sound Disorder?

All children make some errors when they are learning to talk. For some children, these errors persist
longer than they should, or they make lots of errors at the same time, or they make unusual errors.
This can make their speech hard to understand. This is called a Speech Sound Disorder. There are
different types of Speech Sound Disorder, and a Speech and Language Therapist would assess a
child’s speech to see how best to support them.

To learn more about speech sounds, visit Speech Sound Development - Get Hackney Talking:

https://gethackneytalking.co.uk/fact_sheet/speech-sound-development/

What support do children in the LRS receive?

All children allocated a place in the LRS are included in mainstream classes for lessons, enabling
them to experience the full curriculum. In additional to their mainstream education, children receive
regular speech and language interventions from qualified Speech and Language Therapists (SaLTs)
working with experienced speech and language therapy assistants. These sessions might be 1:1,
small groups, or within class. In addition, the SaLT will work with the child’s class teacher to ensure
that their communication needs are met within the classroom, through tailored strategies and
training. Progress is regularly reviewed and targets updated.

How do children get a place in the ARP?
The allocation of places is decided by the local authority (Hackney Education) in consultation with the school, the local SaLT team and parents. Children already attending Sir Thomas Abney as part of the mainstream provision do not have priority for the places.
How can I find out more or apply for a place?
This leaflet contains more information about Language Resourced Schools in Hackney. If you believe your child would benefit from a place in the LRS, speak to your
child’s Speech and Language Therapist or school SENCo. They can discuss your child’s suitability and if appropriate, support with the application process.

You can also contact the Speech and Language
Therapy service directly, at hello@gethackneytalking.co.uk or 020 7683 4587.