At Montacute, we regard ourselves as part of a team around a child or young person. The purpose of that team is to make sure that the child or young person is flourishing. The team always includes the family, but it also includes a number of professionals such as the following:

 

Educational Psychologist: This person is involved in pupil assessments, including the one for a child’s first Education and Health Care Plan. However they can also come into school and advise the teacher or family on strategies and approaches that might help if this is needed.

 

Hearing and Visual Impairment Teachers: These teachers will come in to support individual pupils where they are needed. They can advise on aids, resources, individual programmes and the learning environment.

 

Physiotherapist: A Physiotherapist comes into Montacute regularly to support pupils who have a physical disability. This person devises programmes for pupils which class staff are taught to carry out throughout the week, often every day. Advice is given on equipment such as standing frames or walkers, and the Physiotherapist also links with the wheelchair clinic and orthotics (splints and braces) to make sure that pupils get the right equipment.

 

Occupational Therapist: The school can ask the Occupational Therapist to come in and give advice on equipment a child needs – for eating, for example, or writing, or using the toilet. An Occupational Therapist can be asked for help to understand a child’s sensory processing, or to look at developing their hand skills. This person also measures children for specialist seating in the classroom, and recommends the right chair.

 

Community Paediatrician: Holds clinics at the school on a regular basis. Parents and carers are invited to attend appointments, and the doctor is available to them at other times on request. Other clinics can be held at school, for example with the Dietician.

 

Community Nurse Team (BOSS): This team can help with a range of issues e.g. toilet training, sleep or challenging behaviour. The Consultant Paediatrician in charge of this team sometimes holds clinics in school.

 

Social Workers: These individuals help to ensure that families are supported to meet children and young people’s needs in the home. They are able to assess a family’s need for respite care, or refer to their own Occupational Therapist who can support adaptations or specialist equipment for the home. Where children or young people are fostered, Social Workers have additional responsibilities to make sure that those children and young people are thriving in all settings.

 

No professional will be given access to a pupil while they are at Montacute without parents being informed first. If we wish to refer a pupil to one of the people above in order to get specialist advice, we will speak to you first. If you wish your child to be seen by someone, contact either your child’s class teacher or the school’s Parent Partner and they will advise you how to go about it.