Therapy Teams

Speech and Language Therapy

The aim of Speech and Language Therapists at Hatchside is to use a Total Communication Approach to develop pupil’s attention and listening skills, understanding, functional and social use of language. All forms of communication are encouraged and developed including the use of:

• Words and vocalisation
• Non-verbal communication
• Objects Of Reference
• Photographs and symbols
• Makaton signing
• Communication boards/books /electronic devices
• Switches

 The Speech and Language Therapist will assess all pupils who have an Educational Health Care plan. An individualised communication plan will be created with recommendations to continue to develop communication skills.

The Speech and Language Therapy input may include:

• Writing communication plans
• Annual Review of the Education and Health Care Plans
• Meeting and Working with parents
• Individual therapy sessions
• Small group work
• Whole class group work
• Target setting
• Providing resources to teachers and parents
• Modelling and training teaching staff

Recommended strategies can include the use of Visuals to support understanding and use of language, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Intensive Interaction, and Colourful Semantics.

 Appropriate training is provided to staff to ensure carryover and embedding of recommendations, strategies and resources into the classroom setting.

 There will be opportunities for parents to meet the Speech and Language team to discuss their child’s communication in a 1:1 meeting or during coffee mornings, and training workshops. We are keen to support parents to use resources and strategies that are working at school in the home environment.

Occupational Therapy

The aim of Astrum Occupational Therapy is to help pupils participate in activities of daily living whilst promoting independence and a better quality of life. We aim to enable each pupil to discover how much they can do for themselves and achieve their potential to access the curriculum and develop independent living skills. 

An occupational therapist can help transfer skills from school to home and vice versa to develop on the following skills using a holistic person-centred approach:

• Fine Motor Skills: Developing stronger hands, manipulating objects, using fingers individually, grasping and refine hand dexterity would enable a pupil to use cutlery, play with toys, use tools such as scissors or write and type on a computer.
• Gross Motor Skills: Using exercises in play to strengthen core muscles (i.e. trunk) and improve stability, such as working on endurance and strength, coordination and balance, attention, awareness of body and space and praxis (movement planning).
• Sensory Regulation: Providing movement breaks, personalised sensory diets, messy play exploration and sensory aids such as weight or hug vests to aid the pupil on their journey to self-regulate. 
• Self-care/life skills: Providing strategies to improve independence in self-care such as eating, dressing, personal hygiene and toileting.  Advice is given to provide adaptations or adaptive utensils. 
• Postural management: Seating and postural needs of the pupil are assessed with the aim to increase functional ability and promote good postural seating. This includes the provision of specialist seating within the classroom.

Therapy happens in various forms from individual sessions, to working with pupils in the classroom to generalise skills; to working directly with staff and parents to encourage independence in self-care skills.  The Occupational Therapist works with and trains parents, teachers and staff on a variety of subjects to support the pupil and increase their knowledge.

Astrum Occupational Therapy works alongside NHS Occupational Therapy and other health professionals, to follow a multi-disciplinary, holistic approach.