Sophy Moore
Where is Oracy Mentioned in the Code of Practice?
As someone that was a class teacher for 12 years (approximately half of this time also being a SENCo) I used to handle Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) literally on a daily basis. A few years ago, ‘oracy’ was not a term that was being thrown around in the way it is today. In fact, it is not even mentioned in the Code of Practice from 2015! But, what it means has always been an area of need.
The SEN Code of Practice (DFE, 2015) covers this as a broad area of need stating, “Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication.”
Data from DFE (2023) reports that in 2023-2024 there were over 434,000 pupils with EHC plans in place in schools in England. It also reports that, “The most common type of need for those with an EHC plan is autistic spectrum disorder and for those with SEN support is speech, language and communication needs.”
For anyone that is familiar with EHCPS, they will know that the process for getting one is not straightforward. Applications require a number of assessments from a whole host of professionals. This could include educational psychologists, speech and language therapists or specific learning difficulty assessments. Some will require paediatric reports or assessments from specialist services such as Neurodevelopment Pathway Teams. The support of these agencies in assessing how a pupil’s learning is impacted (across the curriculum) as a result of their needs is crucial.
Almost all teachers and SENCos will be used to using a graduated response framework of some kind, (COP 2015). This might include interventions that have been used over time, or referrals into services. Most children for whom we are applying for an EHCP will already be on the SEN register and have a learning plan in place. Data DFE (2023) reports that last year, 13% of pupils in school were registered as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) without an EHC plan. Therefore, if we take into account the 4% of pupils with an EHCP, that means that approximately 1 in 5 children in English schools have a recognised additional need. That is not taking into account all those that are not recognised or on the SEN register. Furthermore, some children with Speech and Language needs are not even on their school’s SEND register. This makes me question, how many children in each class have some kind of oracy need?
What is the Primary Need of the Child?
SEN needs often coexist. When I was both applying for EHCPs, and then breaking down the targets and outcomes, it was rare that I saw a case where there was only one area of need (as determined in the COP 2015). But, if Speech and Language is not the child’s primary area of need, does oracy still matter? Should oracy still be considered in the EHCP?
Speaking and listening is obviously part of speech, language and communication. But how many children with cognition and learning needs also have the speech, language and communication needs? How many children with social and emotional needs in school have unmet Speech, Language and Communication needs (SLCN)? In my experience of managing a school’s SEND register for almost ten years, almost all SEN needs existed alongside speech and language or oracy needs.
Identifying Children with Oracy Difficulties
When I was in school, there seemed to be constant cuts in services, especially Speech and Language therapists. Not to mention the cuts that came with Covid. In a ‘Post Covid’ report by I CAN (2023) the massive negative impact that teachers felt that Covid had on students and their speech and language were outlined. Early identification and intervention are so important to support these young people with oracy needs. In some cases, as a result of Covid and school and nursery closures, children who might have been picked up in the early years or Key Stage 1 as having a language difficulty went unnoticed. In Key Stage 2, this child then appeared not as one with a speech on language or communication need, but one with a cognition and learning need. The child who struggles to process language or needs additional processing time will quickly fall behind if the teacher is not providing for this need. The child who struggles to understand idioms and metaphors might fall behind in reading comprehension, appearing to have a cognition and learning need. When in fact, oracy is the primary need that is not being met.
Is Oracy an Unmet Need?
If any EHCP does not have oracy or SLCN needs as a section with targets in this area, be certain that there are no needs here. I often wonder if a child that has Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs might be a result of other unmet needs such as not being able to express themselves verbally or be able to make themselves understood. For children who struggle with social norms around communication and language, forming and maintaining relationships can be extremely difficult and frustrating for them- possibly affecting their mental health in the near or distant future.
Dyslexia and dyscalculia are specific learning difficulties around English and Maths. In my experience of both meeting with and reading reports from psychologists and dyslexia assessment specialists, both of these learning difficulties benefit from those interventions that support a child with oracy needs. Breaking instructions down; using simplified language; giving processing time; clear now next steps – all of these might be provision usually associated with SLCN needs. But these were also recommendations I was given to support children with other learning needs. In my previous blog, I referred to the Oracy Skills Framework (Cambridge, Oracy, 2020). This could be used as a helpful reminder of how oracy support can be integrated into an EHCP.
How Do I Break Down EHCP Targets?
Anyone that has been part of an EHCP review knows that a lot of the talk focuses on targets and whether the child has met the target. The problem here is that it is often hard to measure this progress. Children who have SLCN needs often have such small steps that the targets and outcomes in the EHCP must reflect this. This could be as subtle as a child looking at you when you speak. It could be as simple as an older child asking a question back in a two-way conversation. Therefore, EHCPs need to allow for these very small steps. These are often vital documentations for showing progress and how that child has been able to develop their skills. Especially when that child might not be showing progress in the way that Ofsted wants or what baselines assessments or SATs scores set.
Final Thoughts
Don’t be afraid to mention oracy when it comes to EHCPs and don’t forget it either. Always consider a speech and language assessment as part of the graduated response to find the best provision for the child and to meet their needs best.
References
Cambridge Oracy, 2020. The Oracy Skills Framework and Glossary. [pdf] Available at: https://oracycambridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/The-Oracy-Skills-Framework-and-Glossary.pdf [Accessed 8 August 2024].
Department for Education and Department of Health, 2015. Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years. [pdf] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf [Accessed 8 August 2024].
Department for Education, 2023. Education, Health and Care Plans. [online] Available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans [Accessed 8 August 2024].
Department for Education, 2023. Special Educational Needs in England. [online] Available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england [Accessed 8 August 2024].
I CAN, 2023. Speaking Up for the Covid Generation: I CAN Report. [pdf] Available at: https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/speaking-up-for-the-covid-generation-i-can-report.pdf [Accessed 8 August 2024].
