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Becoming an Elklan Communication Friendly Setting - Primary

Elklan Communication Friendly Setting (CFSe) accreditation is awarded to settings that have trained and support all their staff in communication and language development. They will also have shown evidence of embedding this knowledge in targeted interventions and through the implementation of a Communication Policy.

Accreditation can be achieved in one year and can be renewed after three years. It is the most cost effective strategy available for whole-setting capacity building in communication.

CFSe Primary - an overview of the process

Becoming a Communication Friendly Setting involves three elements, each of which can be commissioned separately:

  1. Training Teaching Assistants
  2. Training the whole setting staff through trained Lead Communication Practitioners
  3. An audit of the embedding of practices and policies in the setting

1. Speech and Language Support for 5-11s

Level 3 course (9 credits)

2. Communication Counts

2 x LCP Level 4 portfolios (10 credits)
Cascaded to whole setting

3. Audit and Accreditation

Video: impact of Elklan CFSe status in Oldham primary schools

Video by Jonathan Davies Photographic

About the stages:

1. Training Teachers and Teaching Assistants

Elklan accredited training programmes

For CFSe status the accredited course Speech and Language Support for 5-11s should be completed at Level 3 by a minimum of two of TAs and two teachers.

Staff who have already completed any of these courses within the 2 years prior to commencing the CFSe process can be counted. However, training more TAs adds to the setting’s capacity and will help to extend the CFSe status after the third year. We encourage settings to consider upskilling all TAs with this accredited training.

The teachers will become Lead Communication Practitioners (LCPs) in the school.

2. Training the whole setting staff through Lead Communication Practitioners

In this element the capacity of the setting is increased as the two Lead Communication Practitioners cascade the relevant Communication Counts training to the whole setting staff. The LCPs (one of whom is the SENCO) are provided with teaching notes, tutoring and resources to facilitate this At the same time they are mentored by an Elklan tutor and complete a Level 4 portfolio. This involves an analysis by the LCPs of the embedding of the training and an evaluation of the impact in the setting on staff practices and pupil learning.

What is taught in Communication Counts?

LCPs cascade the Communication Counts training to ALL staff (teaching, non-teaching, support and administrative) in 5 x 1 hour sessions over 5 half terms to develop and support speech, language and communication throughout the setting. The five sessions taught are:

  • What is communication?
  • Interaction
  • Asking effective questions
  • Extending vocabulary
  • Developing understanding and ‘Speak Out!’
  • Encouraging expressive language and narrative development

3. Gaining Communication Friendly Setting Accreditation

Settings access an online CFSe audit via the CFSe Tracker. Along with the Tracker, which records lists of staff trained, additional documentation and examples of interventions and strategies used is uploaded.

Please contact Clare McKee, clare@elklan.co.uk for more information.

The course content has been described by teachers as "high quality teaching in a nutshell". Training ancillary staff in communication strategies enables better behaviour management

Feedback on the impact of whole-school training:

Pricing information

Please contact us for up to date pricing information for your setting.

Register your setting's interest

If your setting wishes to achieve Communication Friendly Setting status, please get in touch.

See also: