Therapeutic & Specialist Services
Therapists work as part of a multidisciplinary team, integrating therapeutic programmes into daily classroom activities alongside educational goals. Some pupils require ongoing, intensive support through individual therapy programmes in scheduled sessions and dedicated therapeutic settings.
At Mandeville School, we use a collaborative approach where teachers, specialists, and therapists plan and work together to create effective tools that fit into daily class routines, optimising teaching time.
Therapy is essential not only for promoting communication but also for maintaining physical well-being and addressing key learning, health, or emotional needs. A pupil's right to these services is ensured through their Education Health and Care Plan, and practical details are included in the pupil's individual education plan.
Therapists working within Mandeville School will :
- Be qualified and professionally accredited;
- Be members of a professional association;
- Follow an agreed and recognised code of practice or formal professional guidelines.
Therapists may delegate some parts of their programmes to school staff, pupils, and their families. When non-therapists are involved in delivering therapeutic programmes, therapists will:
- Provide advice and training for staff, pupils, and families on the techniques and approaches to be used; regular training sessions for the whole school and specific departments are conducted by speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists.
- Monitor the quality of the work being done and offer appropriate support;
- Ensure that time is allocated for these activities.
Those conducting these sessions are responsible for tracking pupils' progress.
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy (including individual programmes and specialist equipment to support mobility, as well as access to a hydrotherapy pool)
- Music Therapy (provided by Ealing Music Therapy Services)
- Child Psychology
- Specialists for Hearing and Visual Impairments
Speech & Language Therapy
Health SaLT
Our Health Speech and Language Therapists focus on pupils’ eating, drinking, and swallowing needs. They work closely with staff and families to ensure safe eating and drinking practices, providing guidance on textures, positioning, and specialist techniques that promote independence and well-being.
| Team | Availability |
|---|---|
|
Carina McCormack |
Available every other Thursday (Dysphagia) |
|
Ngan Ho |
Available on Thursday (Dysphagia) |
|
Megan Morpurgo |
Available on Wednesdays (Nursery) |
Education SaLT
Education Speech and Language Therapists support pupils in developing their communication skills.
Speech and Language Therapists support the development of the following areas of communication:-
-Attention and Listening
-Play
-Social interaction and communication
-Understanding of language/Communication
-Expressive Language/Communication
-Speech and Ortho-motor skills
They work alongside staff and within the multi-disciplinary team to individualise approaches and strategies to enable pupils to make choices, express themselves, comment, understand instructions and timetables, interact with others and engage in social interaction, learning and play.
A Total Communication approach is adopted across school and extended into the home and community, as appropriate. This includes the use of Picture Exchange, Makaton signing, body signing, facial expression and body language, objects of reference, switches, voice-activated communication aids, eye gaze and other alternative communication aids depending on the individual child's strengths and needs.
The aim is for children to maximise their potential in order to become independent communicators for life.
| Team | Availability |
|---|---|
|
Claire Kavanagh |
Available on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesdays |
Occupational Therapy
Health OT
The primary goal of Children’s Occupational Therapy to help individuals participate in the activities (occupations) of everyday life, as per the child’s age and development.
Occupations are broken into 3 groups:
- Self-care (dressing, feeding, toileting, grooming)
- Productivity (tool use, writing, classroom engagement/attention)
- Play and Leisure (PE skills, coordination, hobbies, play with others, access to the playground)
The focus of Health OT, which is provided by NHS. is to provide specialist support at home.
Health OT is specialist input for any significant issues at home with:
- Eating/ Feeding
- Toileting
- Personal Hygiene and Dressing
- Sleep Hygiene and Routine
- Specialist equipment to support with daily activities e.g. seating.
Health OT needs will be reviewed as part of the EHCP provision.
| Team | Availability |
|---|---|
|
Deepa Mistry Team Lead Paediatric Occupational Therapist |
Available on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
|
|
Namita Namboodiri Senior Paediatric Occupational Therapist |
Available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
|
Education OT
Education Occupational Therapists help pupils develop the skills they need for everyday activities, such as movement, coordination, and sensory processing. They work with staff to create strategies that support pupils' independence, engagement, and comfort in the school environment.
(sensory integration; gross and fine motor skills; self-help skills; independent skills including use of specialist equipment)
| Table Heading | Table Heading |
|---|---|
|
Kritika Godiyal |
Available Monday - Friday |
Music Therapy
Music Therapy is a clinical intervention that uses music, musical interactions, and play to support a child's psychological, physical, emotional, communication, social, and cognitive needs.
At Mandeville School, Music Therapy plays a vital role in assisting our pupils’ communication, emotional well-being, and engagement, as well as helping them to overcome challenges and develop valuable life skills, enabling them to reach their full potential. By using music as a creative outlet, pupils can express themselves, build confidence, and develop social and communication skills in an enjoyable and creative manner.
Our HCPC-registered therapists employ music, sounds, words, and play to foster interaction, relaxation, and learning, tailoring sessions to meet individual needs.
| Team | Availability |
|---|---|
|
Gemma Lenton-Smith Clinical Lead & Operations Manager |
Available on Mondays & Wednesdays |
|
Robert Simonis Music Therapist |
For more information, please see the document linked below.