Together, therapists and teachers set or amend the targets in pupils’ Education Health and Care Plans so that they are relevant and meaningful. This collaborative approach is a strength of the school.
(Ofsted December 2021)
St John’s School and College provides a range of therapies for our students to access.
Therapies Overview
The therapy team at St John’s are based on site, and include four speech and language therapists, an occupational therapist and a music therapist. All therapists are specialists in meeting the educational needs of children with complex needs. Working onsite enables therapists to be part of St John’s daily life, building positive relationships with both students and staff and providing the opportunity to see students in a wide range of settings.
We place a high emphasis on the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and supporting the individual needs of students, with regular reviews of needs, outcomes and provision as part of the annual review process.
All therapy targets are set jointly with class teachers and embedded within the School/College day to ensure repetition, functionality and generalisation. We work closely with all class staff to audit the communication, sensory and learning environment and model strategies within the classroom to optimise access to the curriculum and maximise student progress.
We work collaboratively with other therapists, specialist teachers, learning mentors and parents, as well as liaising with external professionals and agencies.
Therapy Approaches
We promote a range of evidence-based interventions to support students’ needs within the learning environment, including Picture Exchange System (PECS), Makaton, Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Supports (SCERTS) and Zones of Regulation. The therapy team also provide extensive training to both education staff, parents and carers, including accredited Elklan training.
Click on the button below to find out more about the approaches we use in school and college