Outside Agencies

Educational Psychology Service (EP)

The school subscribes to the Swindon Educational Psychology (EP) service and referrals are made through the school and are dependent on individual pupil needs. The EP provides training and advice to the school staff and parents, as well as doing a range of assessments to help us understand and meet the needs of the children. The information provided by the assessments often support us in an application for statutory assessment.

Speech and Language Therapy Services 

The school has regular visits from the Speech & Language Therapy Team (SALT), during which time they:

• assess children with identified communication needs
• plan an individual intervention plan, discussing strategies with parents and school staff
• provide any necessary games and activities for school and home
• monitor the progress of children they are working with
• deliver training, when required, to both staff and pupils

School Nursing Service

The school is assigned a nurse to work closely with us on all aspects of pupil health. This includes an annual update on medical conditions affecting children in the school, and delivering staff training. She gives advice to individual families and will write the Health Care Plans when needed.

School Counsellor

The school employs a qualified therapeutic counsellor specialising in work with children (she is also an experienced teacher and permanent member of staff). She works with children needing emotional support across the school.

Advisory Teachers

Advisory Teacher for Physical Disability
They will ensure that pupils with a physical disability (PD) have the appropriate resources and support needed to enable full access to learning. They can provide support and advice to school, including training if required. They will visit regularly to monitor the child’s continuing progress.

Advisory Teacher for Visual Impairment
They will ensure that pupils with a visual impairment (VI) have the appropriate resources and support needed to enable full access to learning. They can provide support and advice to the school, including training if required. They will visit regularly to monitor the child’s continuing progress.

Advisory Teacher for Hearing Impairment
They will ensure that pupils with a hearing impairment (HI) have the appropriate resources and support needed to enable full access to learning. They can provide support and advice to the school, including training if required. They will visit regularly to monitor the child’s continuing progress, and will check that any hearing aids are working correctly.

Physiotherapist

 Our visiting physiotherapist offers assessment, advice and intervention for chidren with congenital and aquired conditions across physical, sensory and learning difficulties which impact on physical and mental function. She works closely with the wider health, education and social care team.

Our physiotherapist can be involved in the following:

• Transition into school
• Provision and maintenance of equipment
• TAC meetings (Team Around the Child meetings)
• Wheelchair referrals
• Vulnerable children’s meetings
• Training packages

Occupational Therapist

Our visiting occupational therapist offers assessment, advice and intervention for children with congenital and acquired conditions across physical, sensory and learning difficulties which impact on physical and mental function, working closely with the wider health, education and social care team.

Our occupational therapist can be involved in the following:

• Transition into school
• Provision and maintenance of equipment
• TAC meetings (Team Around the Child meetings)
• Wheelchair referrals
• Vulnerable children’s meetings
• Training packages

Families can also access occupational therapists from social care, who are involved with the assessment and prescription of equipment and adaptations within the home to meet the needs of children with disabilities.

TaMHS/CAMHS

We only access TaMHS (Targeted Mental Health in Schools) Service through the child’s doctor. If necessary the child/family can be referred to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service).

SIAS

SIAS – Swindon SEND information, advice and support service

SIAS, The SEND information, advice and support service (previously known as SENDIASS) provides information advice and support about education, health and social care for children and young people from 0 to 25 years with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as their parents and carers.

You do not need to have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan to use this service.

• We are free, you will not need to pay for our services
• We are impartial, which means we don’t take sides
• We are confidential, which means no-one will be told about the things we talk about unless you give your permission
• We offer training and advice to local education, health and social care professionals.

To find out more about SIAS and how we can support you, visit the SIAS website, the Swindon SIAS Facebook page or our page on the Swindon Local Offer website.

SCID/ASD

We work closely with the advisory teachers and teaching assistants who support the children with ASD in our school. They are able to advise on strategies and to monitor the pupil’s progress. They provide training, workshops and support groups for school staff.

There is also the option to buy into the facilities provided by ARC (Autistic Resource Centre). This is an enhanced provision of social communication and therapeutic learning activities. They take pupils for a couple of sessions a week to help develop skills needed in the mainstream class.

Assistive Technology

They will ensure that pupils with a need for alternative methods of recording and/or communication have the appropriate resources and support needed to enable full access to learning. They can provide support and advice to school, including training if required. They will visit regularly to monitor the child’s continuing progress and will check that any equipment/aids are working correctly.

SpLD including Dyslexia

In Swindon there is the option of accessing support from an advisory teacher for Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) including Dyslexia. We are able to seek advice for children through a referral to this service and they can offer specific strategies and suggestions of ways to support them in school and at home.

Social, Emotional, Mental Health Support

The Social Emotional Mental Health Team (SEMH team) provide support to school staff in developing strategies to manage challenging behaviour.

Young Carers

Young Carers are a charitable organisation who provide support for children and young people, whose lives are affected by looking after/caring for someone. A worker will assess the young person’s needs and then offer varied support eg. time out away from home; activities in small groups during school holidays; regular groups mixing with other young carers of the same age.