Communication, Learning, Autism Support Service (CLASS)

Communication, Learning and Autism Support Service (CLASS) offers support, advice and training to mainstream schools and academies. We work with other services to support children and young people to access full-time education.

Our staff hold specialist qualifications in speech, language and communication needs (SLCN, including autism) and specific learning difficulties.

CLASS can provide:

• An experienced team of Advisers and Practitioners
• High quality training and support to all education settings (5-19)
• A link Adviser for every primary and secondary school in East Sussex
• A service to parent/carers through CLASS+.
• A service to children and young people through Spectrum.

For 2022-2023, CLASS are an approved Autism Education Trust (AET) training hub. We will be offering a range of autism-specific training packages across the school year.

Core Activities CLASS Offers

• Adviser observations leading to strategies to support inclusion and progress
• Working with teachers to develop their practice
• Working with young people and/or modelling to a staff member
• Small group work intervention on an identified need (e.g. social skills groups)

CLASS also offer a Link Adviser to:

• as a key point of contact within CLASS for the school
• have an overview of the needs of the school in relation to communication, learning and autism
• support early identification and intervention on needs
• support SENCo to build capacity in the school to identify training needs and areas for development
• support whole school understanding of SLCN, Autism and Specific Learning Difficulties
• signpost to appropriate training, best practice and other resources

Traded Activity:

• Exam access arrangement testing at KS4 and KS5
• Support for facilities (where capacity allows)

Core Support can be accessed via the Education Front Door referrals.

See also:

• CLASS+
• Spectrum