Therapy Team

Who are we?

At Five Acre Wood School we have our own therapy team consisting of Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

Kent Community Health Trust (NHS) provide Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy support for certain pupils and support for pupils with eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia).

Meet the team

Gemma Byrne – Lead Occupational Therapist

Maddie Simmons – Lead Speech and Language Therapist

Charlotte Wenham – Occupational Therapist

Colette Parsons – Lead Therapy Assistant

Rachel Pizzy – Therapy Assistant

Our Aims:

  1. To integrate therapy into all aspects of the curriculum across school day.
  2. To increase the knowledge, awareness and skills of all school staff and parents/carers.
  3. To ensure high quality intervention is delivered to those that need it, wherever they are in the school and at home.

What we offer:

  • Regular training and drop ins for school staff
  • Parent Support Groups and attendance at parents’ evenings & transition meetings
  • A referral and assessment process to ensure the right support is given at the right time
  • Availability for advice and support for parents/carers and staff

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy (OT) aims to promote our pupils’ participation and independence in everyday activities at school. We support students to do the things they want and have to do. OT considers all aspects of the person, the environment and the task that impact on a person’s functioning.

What we offer:

  • Strategies and support to help students dress independently
  • Specialist equipment for toileting
  • Eating and drinking support
  • Support and advice on fine motor skills such as writing, using scissors, grip strength, isolation of fingers and dexterity
  • Specialist equipment: low postural/sensory seating and hydrotherapy slings
  • Support and advice for safe manual handling
  • Sensory based interventions and equipment
  • Staff training on specialist OT interventions

We can make recommendations and provide further guidance on skills for development as independence increases.

We provide support on the breakdown of tasks, enabling simple manageable steps to aid pupils to begin to develop these skills needed for furthering their independence.

Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) provides support with communication and interaction skills.

We encourage a total communication approach using speech and/or using alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) which includes using signing, objects, photos, symbols and sensory cues.

What we offer:

  • Strategies and support to help students to communicate effectively
  • Staff training on specialist SaLT interventions
  • Specialist equipment e.g. Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA), see ‘Powered Forms of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)’ on page 3 for further information.
  • Assessment of speech sound difficulties
  • Supporting class staff on the implementation of universal strategies e.g. Attention Autism, Lego Therapy and The Curiosity Approach

Therapy Provision at Five Acre Wood School

Advice, training and support is available to all members of the school community, through our Universal Provision as described below.

If a pupil is experiencing challenges that cannot be supported by their specialist classroom team, a referral to the therapy team can be made, the pupil may then be placed on our indirect or direct provision levels.

Universal

Pupils on this provision have their needs met through specialist teacher input within a need led learning approach. Therapy support is embedded into their routine to ensure the pupils’ needs are best met continually throughout their day. A range of needs-led resources and equipment are available and accessible to all pupils of FAW.

Advice, regular training and support is available to all members of the school community. This is provided throughout the year as and when required. Essential training is provided as standard to relevant staff annually.

If a pupil is experiencing challenges that require further support from their specialist classroom team, a drop-in with a therapist can be attended by class staff. A referral to the therapy team can be made.

Following referral and information gathering, the pupil may be observed and/or assessed by a therapist.

Targeted

Following referral and observation/assessment, therapy targets and/or a therapy programme will be written by the therapist and input will be sought from class staff and parents/carers as required. The implementation of therapy targets and/or therapy programme will be completed by the specialist class team.

The provision will be reviewed at the end of a set period of time and next steps are determined.

Pupils deemed to benefit from weighted jackets and Quickshifts regulation music will remain on the targeted provision level. This provision will be reviewed throughout the year to ensure continued suitability and fit.

Specialist

Direct intervention

Following referral and observation/assessment, therapy targets and/or a therapy programme will be written by the therapist and input will be sought from class staff and parents/carers as required.

The implementation of the therapy targets and/or therapy programme will be directly completed by a member of the Therapy Team, when they are experiencing challenges that cannot be fully met in class or by the specialist class team. This could be through 1:1 sessions or group sessions, for an identified period of time.

The provision will be reviewed at the end of a set period of time and next steps are determined.

Specialist seating

Following referral and assessment, pupil’s that have been assessed to require specialist seating provided by the in-school OT Team will continue to be supported on the specialist provision level. Regular reviews and monitoring will take place while the seating is in place by the Occupational Therapists.

For the majority of specialist seating, this will be prescribed and supported by the NHS Occupational Therapy Team.

Powered Forms of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

Following referral and assessment, pupil’s that have been assessed to require a powered AAC device (e.g. IPad’s with Grid Player and eye gaze devices) will continue to be supported on the specialist provision level.

The in-school SaLT Team will work in collaboration with the specialist class team and parents/carers to facilitate a referral to the Kent and Medway Communication and Assistive Technology Team (KM CAT) to ensure a personal, permanent device is put in place. Once a pupil has a personal device, the in-school SaLT Team will continue to work closely with the KM CAT team should the need arise.

The devices will be loaned on a trial basis to determine success in meeting KMCAT’s criteria. If this criterion is not met, then these devices will be returned to Five Acre Wood School and an alternative method of communication explored.

Examples of the specific provision in place on each of these provision levels can be seen on the pyramids for both OT and SaLT below. Which provision level your child is on will be available from their class teacher and will also be communicated through their EHCP annual review paperwork.