SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY

Language and Communication at

Durants School

Helping every child communicate and thrive

Language and communication are a focus throughout the school, supported across the week by the class team. This includes:

• Understanding language (what others say)
• Expressing ideas (using body language, words, signs, symbols etc)
• Understanding, expressing and regulating emotions
• Attention and listening
• Social communication               

                                       

Core Support

The Speech and Language Therapists work with all classes to support communication. This includes:

• Support within the classroom e.g., creating a communication-friendly classroom environment
• Meeting with teachers to discuss targets & outcomes
• Suggesting appropriate communication systems to trial e.g., objects of reference, symbols
• Parent training
• Whole school training
• Class training through modelling interventions in the class environment
• Available at parents’ evening with the class team
• Available for discussion with parents (via email, phone, video call or face-to-face) on request.
• Coffee mornings

A referral to the Speech and Language Therapy service is not needed to access this core support and pupils’ referrals may be closed soon after they join the school or following their first annual review.

Enhanced Support

A pupil with an Enfield EHCP may access enhanced support when extra help is needed for a specified purpose. This might be when:

• Further information or assessment is required
• A class team requests enhanced support
• A pupil is moving on from school soon.
• There is a change in how the pupil communicates or how they want to communicate
• There is a change or new concern in how the pupil is chewing, swallowing, eating and/or drinking.

 

The Speech and Language Therapist will open a referral and may provide:

• Individual or small group support
• Personalised communication plans
• Specialist equipment or strategies.

 

At the end of the enhanced block of Speech and Language Therapy, the referral will be closed, and a summary report will be provided which can be used at annual review. This referral can be re-opened at any time whilst attending Durants School with an Enfield EHCP.

 

For children and young people who do not have an Enfield EHCP, requests for enhanced/specialist Speech and Language Therapy should be through the SEN team of their local authority.

 

Contact Us

Please contact us through the school office or via your child’s class teacher.

School: 0208 804 1980

 

Music Therapy

Music therapy is the psychotherapeutic music through which a person can engage creatively in a process to further their emotional, cognitive, physical and social abilities. The use of music is founded on the principle that music is innate in us all regardless of ability and background. Music therapy is the development of a relationship between child and therapist where music making forms the basis for communication. It allows a child or adult to explore communication and express their feelings through sound and play. Music therapy can motivate the use of fine and gross motor skills and can extend focus of attention through engagement in an enjoyable, interactive activity. Music therapy can facilitate positive changes in behaviour and emotional wellbeing as well as increasing self awareness thereby enhancing the client’s quality of life. Within sessions generally both the music therapist and the client/s engage in musical activity; improvised and pre composed music. The therapist does not teach the client but responds musically to the client’s music thus supporting and encouraging exploration and communication.

 

Occupational Therapy

All children in the school have access to whole school and class-based services. Your child will receive class-based input and/or specialist input as appropriate, in discussion with their class teacher and the OT. If you would like a home visit for activities of living support please contact the OT team.

Please contact us through the school office or via your child’s class teacher.