Communication and Interaction
Secondary
The
School for Communication and
Interaction
(Secondary) [CIS] provides
education that meets the learning needs
of
pupils aged between 11-19 years who
have autistic spectrum
conditions, speech
and language
impairment or hearing loss
and whose
current National Curriculum
levels of attainment are predominantly
below expectation for their
age.
Aims
Our overall aim is to
enable students to achieve their full potential for future
independent and personal autonomy. We seek to achieve this by:
- Developing pupils’ communication and
interpersonal skills;
- Developing pupils’ self-esteem and self-worth;
- Maximising pupils’ opportunity for integration
and inclusion into a variety of community settings;
- Maximising pupils’ opportunity to function
independently as a member of society;
- Enhancing pupils’ capacity for enjoyment and
fulfilment;
- Enabling pupils to realise their potential in
particular areas of interest;
Curriculum
Pupils in CIS
follow the Whitefield semi-formal or formal curriculum. The school is
organised into two specialist streams according to pupils’ learning style. It is
recognised that some pupils require teaching strategies and a curriculum balance
that reflects practice from both specialist settings, and therefore there is
considerable organisational flexibility to enable the needs of such students to be
met. Pupils are taught mainly by their class teacher and usually within the
appropriate age-related key stage.
There are opportunities for some pupils to integrate to Highams Park School for
Science, Design Technology and PE lessons. Some pupils may integrate for a
session a week to a school or college in their home borough.
Many learning opportunities take place off-site. For example, some classes study:
ICT at the City Learning Centre, food technology at Drive House, sailing at Fairlop
Water, swimming at local pools or horse-riding at Chingford.
Pupils’ achievements are accredited through nationally
recognised awards,
including SATs, ASDAN, OCR Entry Level and GCSE.
Strategies
A
range of alternative and augmentative communication forms are used to meet
the need of individual pupils. These include sign bilingualism, BSL, sign
supported English, Signalong, PECS, objects and pictures of reference.
A range of specialist teaching
strategies and multi-sensory approaches are used
to reflect the individual,
preferred learning styles and special educational needs of
the pupils. These may
include TEACCH structured teaching methods,
behaviour analysis and support,
intensive interaction, phonological awareness
training, social stories and the
use of a total communication approach.
Transition Planning
We are
proud of our support for pupils and their families with transition planning.
Currently most pupils stay until they are nineteen years of age. Some feel
ready to
make the move to College at sixteen. Pupils and their families are
supported by
CIS staff, the family support team, their
Connexions Personal Advisor and social
workers to research and identify appropriate post-school placements. Post-16
pupils may attend Link courses at their local college and/or attend sessions at
Waltham Forest College. All are encouraged to integrate to their follow-on
placement prior to leaving.
