Nursery, School + EHCP support
Special Educational Need Code of Practice
- For Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), the SEND Code of Practice states that Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) should usually be recorded as special educational provision in the EHCP, as communication is essential for learning (Section 21, Children and Families Act 2014).
- Under paragraph 4.40, SLT and other therapies (e.g., OT, physiotherapy) must be treated as special educational provision where they educate or train a child.
- The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) must commission services to meet the reasonable health needs of children with SEN or disabilities (Sections 26 & 37, Children and Families Act 2014).
- Health provision must be agreed in time for inclusion in Section G of the EHCP.
- For CAS, intervention is often intensive, specific, and educationally critical, meaning provision should normally be recorded in Section F for enforceable delivery.
- Joint commissioning and agreement between the local authority, health, and social care partners is essential to secure appropriate provision.
EHC plans, EHC needs assessments and SEND Tribunal appeals
Do you need a template for a letter? - try IPSEA
Educational Health and Care Plan- Childhood Apraxia of Speech
SmallTalk Speech and Language Therapy has some great advice-We make sure our EHCP reports are as tight as possible, which means they are hard to argue against. So, now a couple of local authorities are saying that because we didn't observe in school, the reports are invalid and they don't have to accept them. Just so you are all aware:A speech and language therapist’s (SLT's) report can and should still be accepted, even if the therapist did not observe the child in school, for several important reasons:
1. Clinical assessments are valid in any appropriate setting
• SLTs are trained to assess speech, language, and communication in any quiet, distraction-free environment where the child can engage (e.g. clinic, home, remote).
• In fact, observing a child outside of the stressors of school may give more accurate insight into their communication potential and profile, especially for children who mask, shut down, or become dysregulated at school.
2. Standardised and structured tools are valid regardless of setting
• Standardised assessments (like CELF-5, CCC-2, BPVS, etc.) are designed to be administered consistently, not school-specific.
• The SLT’s professional interpretation of these tools is based on norms, not on location.
3. Clinical interviews and background information provide contextual understanding
• SLTs gather detailed input from:
o Parents/carers
o School staff
o Other professionals
• These sources offer insight into how the child functions in school, even without an in-person observation.
4. Some children cannot be meaningfully assessed in school
• For children with high anxiety, demand avoidance, or sensory sensitivities, school observations might not show their true abilities.
• In such cases, home or clinic assessments are more appropriate and still professionally valid.
5. Therapists follow HCPC and RCSLT professional standards
• SLTs are legally and ethically bound to provide accurate, evidence-based reports.
• Their conclusions must be based on all available data, including:
o Direct assessment
o Observations (in any setting)
o Reports from others
o Background history
Evidence required for EHCP
Evidence Required for EHCP Application
1. Speech Pathology Reports
- Latest Speech Pathology Assessment (current)
- Previous Speech Pathology Assessment(s) and Progress Reports
2. Supporting Professional Reports
- Occupational Therapy (OT) report
- Psychologist’s report
- Paediatrician’s report
- School/Kindergarten report
3. Therapy Plan & Delivery
- Individual therapy plan (e.g., DTTC approach, frequency & intensity, e.g., multiple sessions per week)
- Evidence of progress towards therapy goals
4. Functional Impact Evidence
- Teacher/nursery report on communication, learning and participation challenges
- Early Intervention Teacher reports (e.g., Brigance Early Childhood Screening results)
- Parent statement on how Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) affects daily life, learning, and communication
- Short video clips showing child’s speech before and after therapy
5. Reference & Support Material
- CAS Evidence Brief
- Apraxia Kids fact sheets
- Speech Pathology Australia CAS Clinical Guideline
- RCSLT CAS Guidelines
Council for disabled children guide
Guide to SEND court claims
A Practical Guide to Claims in the First-Tier Tribunal (SEND) for Disability Discrimination in Schools in England
Making school accessible
Top Tips: Consider
Preschool visit
meet SENCO before starting
Sharing CAS reports/information
Providing low-tech AAC alongside high-tech. (if used)
Send information on CAS as awareness is low
Resources for Students and Educators - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Highman, C., Wylie, K., Overby, M., Leitão, S., Thilakaratne, R., & McCabe, P. (2025). “I just want him to be understood”: Parent perspectives of the long-term desired outcomes and experiences of early intervention for children with childhood apraxia of speech. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00211
Useful websites for teacher training on accessibility/managing students with additional needs
Training, resources, case studies
Implementation Resources | High-Leverage Practices
Handouts, training and resources
School-Reading Aloud and Oral Presentations
Reading Aloud and Oral Presentations
Give extra time for the pupil to practice individually or in a small, supportive group.
Offer alternatives to live speaking tasks, such as pre-recorded videos or using speech-generating devices or AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) tools where appropriate.
Suggest paired reading with a peer or reading aloud to a younger sibling or small group to build confidence.
Allow the pupil to complete speaking tasks with a familiar adult, such as a member of the inclusion team, who can support the use of speech and language strategies effectively.
School-Answering Questions in Class
School-Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment
School-Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment
Consider how and when the pupil is called upon to answer, they may benefit from going first, last, or having a choice.
Provide non-verbal alternatives such as pointing, writing, using a whiteboard, multiple-choice tick sheets, or using a communication device.
Let the child prepare answers in advance if possible.
Use clear, simple questions and break them down into parts to support understanding and response planning.
Be patient and allow plenty of time for the pupil to respond, without pressure.
School-Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment
School-Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment
School-Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment
A predictable and calm classroom routine can help children with speech apraxia feel more confident when communicating.
Encourage all pupils to take turns speaking and listen without interrupting.
Teach and reinforce good communication etiquette, such as waiting, listening, and using body language.
Avoid drawing attention to errors—focus on what the pupil is trying to communicate, not just how it's said.
Moving to secondary school top tips
School-Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment
Moving to secondary school top tips
Have you just started secondary school (or high school)? Or are you about to? It can feel exciting, but also a bit scary. There are new people to meet, more teachers, and new situations where you might need to speak or be understood.
If you have speech apraxia, some parts of school might feel harder – but with the right support, you can thrive. Here are some tips that might help you:
Postsecondary Transition Planning
Find your support network
- Have any of your friends from primary school started at your new school too? Stick together familiar faces can make things easier.
- Find out if there’s a Student Support, Pastoral Care, or Welfare Team at your new school. They are there to help you if you’re worried.
Join clubs or activities
- Doing things you enjoy makes it easier to meet new friends. Look at noticeboards or ask at reception what’s on offer – drama, art, sport, music, coding, debating, or something new!
Focus on your strengths
- Everyone has things they find tricky, but you also have unique talents and skills. Notice what you’re good at, and let yourself shine in those areas.
Keep doing the things you love
- Whether it’s drawing, football, gaming, or music, making time for hobbies outside school can help you relax and feel good.
Stretch your comfort zones
- Some things about secondary school may feel confusing at first. Try to see them as new challenges to figure out, step by step.
Volunteer or help out
- Helping with school clubs, library duties, or events can build your confidence and help you feel part of the school community.
Getting support for speech apraxia
Moving to secondary school top tips
If you feel comfortable, talk to your teacher about your speech apraxia. Teachers want you to feel happy and confident in school.
You could explain:
- Sometimes it takes longer to get your words out.
- Reading aloud, answering quickly, or doing presentations may be harder.
- Extra time, visual supports, or knowing questions in advance can make things easier.
You might:
- Ask a parent or your speech & language therapist to speak with teachers if you’d rather not explain yourself.
- Find out if your school has a key person (like a SENCO or Learning Support teacher) who can help set things up.
Other Ways to Get Support
- Notice what teachers and friends do that helps you most – then tell them.
- Talk to your parents or carers about how you’re feeling.
- Ask your speech & language therapist for ideas on strategies that work for you in class.
Things to Keep in Mind
- It’s okay if speaking feels hard sometimes – it’s not your fault.
- You might have days where you feel confident and others where you feel low. That’s normal.
- Everyone is nervous about starting secondary school, not just you.
- Be brave when you can, but also be kind to yourself when you need a break.
- The more you try new things, the easier and more comfortable they will feel
Social and emotional support
Build your confidence and self-esteem | Childline
RULER is an approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) that teaches emotional intelligence to people of all ages,
Mental Health Directory
Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope
Collaborative and proactive solutions
School assessment for counselling need
MCARS Assessment: Start Your Student Evaluation Here
School reasonable adjustments
Choice of whether and how to speak in class
Asked about what would help in school
Use of AAC allowed and provision made for charging +training
Additional time in tests especially spoken presentations
Additional training provision for teaching staff in childhood apraxia of speech
Support provided on work experience placements
Consideration and funding for ECHP provision
Supporting access to school teaching-reading and writing
Reading difficulties in children with childhood apraxia of speech.
Reading difficulties in children with childhood apraxia of speech.
Reading difficulties in children with childhood apraxia of speech.
Some children with speech sound disorders may have issues learning to read, although not all do. Reading relies on strong phonological awareness, the ability to recognise, identify and manipulate the speech sounds within words. Because CAS affects the planning and programming of speech movements, children may have less accurate or stable internal representations of speech sounds. This can make it more difficult to connect spoken sounds (phonemes) with written letters (graphemes), affecting decoding, spelling and reading development. Early intervention that combines speech production with phonological awareness and literacy instruction can help reduce the impact on later reading skills.
Red flags of reading issues
Sustained difficulty learning grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPC). •Sustained difficulty recognizing spelling patterns.
Slow and inaccurate decoding when sounding out words.
Fuzzy phonological representation for words.
Word finding problems in spontaneous speech.
Phonological errors in spontaneous speech.
Difficulty or slow at recognizing familiar words in print.
Slow and inaccurate reading at the text level.
Problems in reading comprehension.
Low self-esteem associated with negative experiences about reading/writing.
Weakness in:vocabulary, morphosyntax, complex grammar, narrative/discourse,
Early Identification and Assessment
Reading difficulties in children with childhood apraxia of speech.
Reading difficulties in children with childhood apraxia of speech.
Identify speech sound difficulties as early as possible.
Monitor speech intelligibility.
Consider effects on reading and spelling.
Screen phonological awareness skills.
Assess hearing, oral structure and speech development.
Use dynamic assessment where appropriate.
Do not delay assessment while providing intervention.
Recognise children at risk of literacy difficulties
Classroom Strategies-Sound Walls and vowel valleys resources
Reading difficulties in children with childhood apraxia of speech.
Classroom Strategies-Sound Walls and vowel valleys resources
Use Sound Walls instead of Word Walls
Introduce one speech sound at a time Build the Sound Wall gradually
Use articulation mirrors
Include daily sound practice
Use pacing boards
Incorporate speech practice into classroom routines
Provide small-group or co-taught intervention where appropriate
Sound walls The Science of Reading and Sound Walls: Why Sound Walls Matter | Lexia
Tools for Reading – Webinar Sound Walls
Louisiana Literacy Sound Wall Resources
Colorado Department of Education Sound Wall Resources
Early intervention- key important points
Early intervention- key important points
Classroom Strategies-Sound Walls and vowel valleys resources
Start therapy during the early developmental years.
Use speech-to-print approaches.
Combine speech production with phonological awareness.
Teach articulation alongside literacy.
Use explicit, structured teaching.
Provide intensive, time-limited intervention where appropriate.
Monitor progress regularly. Increase support when needed.
WETA Reading Rockets | The Development of Phonological Skills
Home and school collaboration
Early intervention- key important points
Home and school collaboration
Work closely with teachers, parents and caregivers
Explain the stages of intervention and expected progress
Model correct speech production techniques
Encourage positive feedback rather than repeated correction
Build speech practice into everyday routines
Send home enjoyable practice activities
Use games, reading and everyday conversations to reinforce speech sounds
Encourage frequent, short practice sessions
Focus on functional communication
Review progress regularly and celebrate success
The Alphabetic Principle
Early intervention- key important points
Home and school collaboration
The Alphabetic Principle is the idea that letters (graphemes) and letter patterns (phonics) represent the sounds of spoken language (phonology including phonological awareness). The alphabetic principle is not about the 26 letters. Its about the 44 phonemes and the ways they can be represented by a letter or combination of letters.
The first 6-8 weeks of the first year of school all of the sounds and the corresponding names of letters (upper and lowercase) should be taught focusing on one new letter name every 1-2 days reviewing previously taught letters before introducing new ones