Students have direct and indirect access from Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Clinical Psychology, Counselling and Massage.
Quality of Life surveys from students and their families help to formulate termly plans for each student in conjunction with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and staff perspectives. All our therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
As an integral part of ‘Quality of Life’ framework our therapists take the leading role in delivering our ‘Independence Plus’ curriculum.
This sets out the Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge we believe our students need to be happy, healthy and empowered young people, and to help prepare them for adulthood. It is built of 10 core sections, which combine aspects of Communication, Self-Management and Independence, hence the name Independence Plus. For more details please see our Independence Plus curriculum.
Our 2022 Ofsted inspection report praised our therapeutic provisions, it said:
“There is a strong emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach. Education, residential and therapeutic provision dovetail to achieve the best outcomes for children. This is exemplified by how therapists are regularly seen in the houses, working into the evenings.
As a result, there are plenty of opportunities for them to provide advice or explore strategies with staff and children in an informal setting. Pupils’ experience is not of being referred to a therapist but of speaking to a known adult who is in the best position to help them with a particular issue. This contributes to the exceptional progress pupils make in their emotional, social and psychological well-being and, as a result, their educational achievements. “
At Swalcliffe Park School students have access to integrated therapies which includes a fully equipped Occupational Therapy room complete with climbing wall and sensory integration resources. Some students prefer to work in individual working-bases, which are situated in amongst the classrooms within the school building and help facilitate an integrated approach to therapeutic support.
Highly skilled staff are able to support students with their therapy and wellbeing in a number of specialist areas including sensory integration, social learning and specific literacy development. They work within the school day and after school.
There is effective liaison with health professionals including the in-house therapeutic team, whose members advise on physical, emotional and psychological healthcare. (Ofsted)