Therapies at Brooklands School

Brooklands School is a school for pupils with severe and complex learning difficulties. We are able to deliver highly specialised and personalised education and care which is enhanced by collaborative working alongside our therapy partners.

What therapies are available at Brooklands School?

Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) is concerned with the management of disorders of speech, language and communication and swallowing in children and adults.

Physiotherapy is concerned with the assessment and management of children and young people with movement disorders, disability or illness. The aim of the physiotherapist is to help the child/young person reach their full potential through providing physical intervention, advice and support.

Occupational Therapy is focussed on assessing and treating children who have difficulties that affect their ability to do every day functional activities. OTs assist the child achieve or maintain their maximum level of independence so they can access the school curriculum to his/her full potential while minimising the impact of the child’s disability within the school setting.

Who provides the therapies?

Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group and Surrey County Council commission (buy in) therapies for Brooklands School.

The therapies are provided by Children and Family Health Surrey who are providers of NHS services.  

Children and Family Health Surrey are responsible for employing and managing the therapists who are all based at East Surrey Hospital.

How is therapy delivered?

The therapists in the school work alongside the staff, including the medical team, to provide a service for pupils based on their individual needs and informed by good practice and research. Therapy is delivered in a number of ways: 

• By providing guidance, advice and training to staff and parents
• Working with groups of pupils in the classroom setting alongside the staff
• Providing programmes and targets for individual pupils which the teaching staff will carry through, monitor and review
• Delivering programmes to individual pupils
• Assessment and recommendation for specialist equipment
• By sharing their skills with staff and parents so that there is integration of therapy/ skills throughout the child’s life both at school and at home.

Each therapy team will work closely with parents and school but do have different ways of working and providing services. For example the physiotherapists will consider and monitor use of home equipment while OTs working for Children and Family Health Surrey will work closely with Social Services OTs regarding equipment in the home.

What are the aims of the therapies? 

• To support pupils to maximise the development of their physical, functional and communicative skills
• To support pupils to access their curriculum, learn and make progress
• To support parents and staff by providing training and support and working closely with them in a multi-professional environment

Does the school have any specialist therapy facilities?

Yes. We have two dedicated therapy rooms which are used by the therapists. The school also has a hydrotherapy pool, alongside the main pool, which can be used to undertake specific physical therapy programmes.

A little more about…

Speech and Language Therapy

The SaLT team in the school consists of qualified therapists and Speech and Language Therapy Assistants. (SaLTA).

Communication

• Attention and listening
• Understanding
• Expression (body language, eye pointing, pointing, signing, speech, switch use, communication aids i.e. grid player used on a tablet). 
• Interaction and social skills

Swallowing

Pupils, staff and parents have access to a therapist who is trained in working with children who have eating and drinking difficulties (dysphagia), to ensure that pupils are supported to eat and drink safely.

How do the SaLTs work in the school?

• A small group of children will have a specified amount of SaLT detailed in their Statement of SEN or Education, Health and Care Plan and will receive individual speech and language therapy sessions with a therapist or SaLTA.
• There is dedicated therapy time in the school’s Early Years classes working alongside the staff to support the development of early communication skills. 
• A referral system is in place for staff to identify pupils who may need a SaLT assessment or review. Referrals are moved to a waiting list which is reviewed by the therapists half termly
• Pupils who move off the waiting list will receive input from a SaLT for a half term. This input may include classroom observation, liaison with school staff and parents, provision of a programme for home and school or individual input with a member of the therapy team.
• At the end of the half term the class staff will continue to undertake the therapy programme integrated throughout the curriculum.

Physiotherapy

The physio team at Brooklands consists of physiotherapists and a physiotherapy technician.

How do physiotherapists work in the school?

• Referrals to physiotherapy are accepted from health, education and social care.
• Physiotherapists provide programmes, which may be carried out by classroom staff and parents. Physiotherapy can be advice or a hands-on approach that ensures the child is optimally positioned to carry out activities and exercises.
• Treatment in school provides opportunity for the therapist to discuss and give appropriate advice for handling and supporting the growing and changing child in the school environment.

Occupational Therapy

The Paediatric Occupational Therapist (OT) team consists of two OTs.

How do Occupational Therapists work in the school?

• Occupational therapists require a referral from a parent/teacher or health care professional.  It is helpful to have a discussion with the person who had identified the child’s functional difficulties.
• Seating - assessment of posture and recommendations of suitable seating systems to enable access to the educational curriculum.  This includes teaching staff and parents in the assessment process.
• Self-care skills including advice and equipment recommendations to promote skills in feeding, dressing and toileting.
• Sensory Processing - advice/programmes/strategies to address sensory difficulties that affect a child's ability to learn.
• Upper Limb Splinting - to maintain movement of hand and wrist joints and promote function. 
• Advice and strategies to support development of functional hand skill.

How to contact the Occupational Therapists: 

Telephone: 0300 247 0025 or email: scfh.contact@hcrgcaregroup.com

OT helpline: via the single point of access on 0300 247 0025 (option 5) Monday to Thursday 1 to 4pm.

Support For All:

A universal service for all children - Support for All aims to ensure that adults working with children, including parents/carers and school/nursery teams, are supported to implement and embed OT strategies and advice to best support children in developing their independence and participation across home and school environments.

All children can access this service through:

• Strategies, advice and activity leaflets including the early years and school aged resource packs, found on our website:  surreychildandfamilyhealth.co.uk/occupational-therapy-OT
• Contacting the occupational therapy service helpline via the single point of access on 0300 247 0025 (option 5), or scfh.contact@hcrgcaregroup.com to discuss challenges and gain advice with regards to everyday living skills at home, school or nursery. OT advice line open 1-4pm Monday to Thursday.
• Accessing online training provided to adults working with children at home and in the educational setting, including parents/carers and school/nursery teams (see website for details).
• School/nursery staff consulting with the occupational therapists visiting the educational setting.

How do I get hold of my child’s therapist?

• Our therapists may contact you through your child’s home-school communication book or by phone.
• Please discuss with your individual therapist the best way to liaise and contact them to ensure therapists can respond in a timely way.
• When not in school the therapists may be working in other schools and clinics and therefore can be contacted either via school or through a central number at East Surrey Hospital 01737 768511:

Speech Therapy ext. 6090 or at the school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays

Physiotherapy direct line 01737 231628 or at the school on Tuesdays

Occupational Therapy: 0300 247 0025 or email: scfh.contact@hcrgcaregroup.com

OT helpline: 0300 247 0025 (option 5) Monday to Thursday 1 - 4pm.

Therapists often work part-time and will respond to you as soon as they can.

As therapists we know that close working relationship with parents and school staff is essential therefore we welcome direct contact from parents to ensure timely response and good communication. 

The Brooklands School staff and all the therapy teams look forward to working closely with you and your child.