Blossom House School

Occupational Therapy & Physiotherapy

Occupational and Physiotherapy departments work closely together at Blossom House School. Where children have a specific need for one or the other, their needs are met accordingly.

Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Service

1. Curriculum Provision

• OT and PT are integrated into the Lower School curriculum.
• IEP’s are set termly for every child alongside other core subjects.
• Gross motor learning breaks delivered in ALL curriculum lessons for ALL pupils in Lower and Upper School groups.
• Sensory Integration theory is integral to the teaching strategies implemented in the classrooms across all curriculum subjects.
• Advice and Education for staff and parents to aid the children in accessing the National Curriculum.

2. Individual Provision

• Pupils who are identified to have a specific need for individual therapy will receive direct one to one input weekly.

3. Paired or small groups

4. Fine motor development and handwriting groups

5. Sensory Diets

• Sensory diets are implemented according to individuals’ needs. These may be set to aid the child’s learning and behaviour at school and at home.

6. Specialist programmes

Specialist programmes delivered to specific individuals or groups depending on their need, such as:

• The Alert Programme
• Handwriting Without Tears
• Write From The Start
• The Teodorescu Perceptuo-Motor programme.
• Fed Up - (fussy eaters) Programme

7. Environmental Adaptations

• Individualised seating for posture within the classroom.
• Writing slopes
• Move ‘n sit cushions
• Visual aids

8. Workshops

• S I talks for teacher training (GTP)
• Sensory Integration in the classroom (INSET for local schools)
• Father-Child Rough and Tumble Workshop

Facilities

We are fully equipped with a sensory integration room, complete with multiple suspension points and specialist lighting equipment to provide a variety of sensory experiences.

Staff

At Blossom House School, all OT and PT therapists are Sensory Integration trained and use a combined SI and Visual Perceptual Motor approach. We have one full time Occupational Therapy Assistant working alongside therapists to aid in delivery of individual and group provisions.

Two of our therapists have done the Helen Arkell (certificate Level 5) Course and are trained specifically to help children with Dyslexia(SpLD). Those children that require help with reading and writing can receive help using a sensory integration approach to learning.

Our therapists work within a multi disciplinary team and are therefore able to provide integrated classroom support and behavioural strategies devised in conjunction with school behavioural specialist. Therapists work closely alongside speech and language therapists using strategies such as the MORE approach to improve oral-motor skills.