Communication Support Service

Background

The Communication Support Service (CSS) for East Renfrewshire Council was established in 2014 to provide an enhanced level of targeted support for those secondary-aged pupils who have identified core language and social communication needs. A number of the pupils who attend the specialist service have a diagnosis of autism although a formal diagnosis is not required to receive this support.

There are two contexts of support, which staff from the Communication Support Service offer to pupils in relation to the development of their core communication skills:

•            Alternative provision, which exists out with a pupil’s home school on a full-time basis.

•            Outreach support within the context of the pupil’s home school.

Referrals for full-time provision and outreach support are managed through East Renfrewshire’s Education Resource Group (ERG).  This group meets every four weeks to review and allocate resources and service provision across the authority. 

Accommodation

The Communication Support Service is accommodated within an area of Williamwood High School. Williamwood High School is one of 7 secondary schools within East Renfrewshire Council.

East Renfrewshire is a forward thinking local authority which is committed to continuous improvement for its customers, and in the case of Education, increases in attainment and achievement for its learners. Within that framework schools are empowered to ensure we deliver excellence and equity for all working in and using our services.

The Communication Support Service works within the context of East Renfrewshire’s approach to inclusion as outlined in Standard Circular 12, the Education Department’s Local Improvement Plan and the Key Priorities of the National Improvement Framework. 

The Communication Support Service has a teaching complement of circa 10 FTE, which includes:

• 1 Senior Leader
• 1 Principal Teacher
• 9.5 Teachers including an Outreach Teacher
• 5.79 Pupil Support Assistants (PSAs) Grade 5

Vision, Values & Aims

The Communication Support Service’s vision reflects fully East Renfrewshire’s vision statement of “Everyone Attaining, Everyone Achieving through Excellent Experiences”.  We aim to nurture the potential of every pupil with a school experience that is individual, challenging and enjoyable in equal measure, and which is tailored to the personality, talents and needs of each individual learner.  The ethos of the service is nurturing, supportive and ambitious with the aim to produce confident individuals, successful learners, responsible citizens and effective contributors. Parents are of course a vital part of the ‘team’ around every young person. We work closely with parents, carers and a wide range of other partners to achieve the best outcomes for our pupils.

Our Staff

Our teaching and support staff are committed to providing the best possible learning opportunities and experiences for our young people. They work in partnership with many other agencies and organisations to ensure that we strive every day to get it right for the young people.

Professional learning activities for staff are given a high priority in the service as part of our collegiate agreement.  We actively encourage our staff to seek opportunities to extend their expertise in supporting pupils with significant support needs to ensure that we provide the highest quality learning experiences for our pupils. 

Close working relationships within the staff are a strength of the service and staff widely deliver CLPL for colleagues within and out with the school.

Our Curriculum

In line with all other schools in East Renfrewshire, the Communication Support Service implements Curriculum for Excellence. This enables professionals to teach subjects creatively, to work together across the service and with other schools, to share best practice and explore learning together. Curriculum for Excellence balances the importance of knowledge and skills and provides us the opportunity for exploring new ways of assessing progress and ensuring children achieve their potential.

The young person is at the centre of our curriculum which is designed to offer a balance of knowledge and skills.

Our young people are entitled to experience:

•            A curriculum which is coherent from 12 – 18;

•            A broad general education from S1 through to S3;

•            A senior phase after S3 which provides opportunity to obtain qualifications, as well as to continue to develop the 4 Capacities;

•            Opportunities for developing skills for learning, skills for life, and skills for work with a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing;

•            Personal support;

•            Support in moving into positive and sustained destinations beyond school and;

•            Access to East Renfrewshire’s vocational opportunities delivered in partnership with various colleges in the local area.

Our curriculum recognises and realises the rights of our young people as agreed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).