Pupils at Clay Hill School benefit from direct and regular access to a wide range of support provided by the Aspris Lyndhurst therapy team. Our specialist therapeutic team enables us to provide a holistic package of education, care and therapeutic intervention for our young people. The school can facilitate assessments for young people to identify and meet a wide range of therapeutic needs.
An exceptional therapy team
Our Therapy Team is employed full time at Clay Hill School and support all of our provisions. The Clay Hill School team include:
- Occupational Therapist – Specialising in Sensory Integration
- Speech and Language outsourced to a company called Speaking Space
- Psychotherapist -This can offer a safe space for students to make sense of what they are experiencing.
In addition, we also have a service level agreement with a Clinical Psychologist and an Educational Psychologist. Both of which work with the school to:
- Complete assessments
- Where required, deliver specialist interventions
- Support and train staff
These would be additional costs to the base Therapy Package.
Group therapy programmes
Our group therapy attempts to give the young people in our care, a safe and comfortable place where they can work out problems and emotional issues. They gain insight into their own thoughts and behaviour, and offer suggestions and support to others. In addition, young people who have a difficult time with interpersonal relationships can benefit from the social interactions that are a basic part of the group therapy experience.
These are delivered through a variety of mediums and with a different focus for all.
These include:
- Lego Therapy
- Thrive Group Therapy (attachment and trauma based)
- Theory of Mind Group Therapy
- Social Skills
Specialist therapeutic facilities
Clay Hill School aims to support a variety of sensory needs through our onsite facilities.
Within the heart of the school is a specialist Occupational Therapy Gym. The Gym is equipped with sensory equipment including:
- C-Swing
- Climbing Wall
- Balance equipment
- Soft play equipment
- Sensory boxes
This equipment and more allows our Occupational Therapist to complete full assessments of each young person and provide them with a bespoke sensory profile and diet. This can be used both in class and at home to support the young person with their regulation strategies.
In addition, we have onsite de-escalation spaces as well as therapy rooms where 1:1 sessions can take place.
Using therapy to help young people manage their conditions
Clay Hill School is known for the innovative way in which we combine therapeutic integration with education. The range of therapy we offer allows our pupils to express themselves without consequences and build a level of trust with their therapist. In turn, this allows the young person to begin to understand the reasons for their behaviour, their trigger points and how to deal with issues when they arise.
Whilst we believe in taking a therapy-based approach to our pupils’ development, we still deliver on academic outcomes too. We believe that, unless a pupil is in the right head space to learn, they are unlikely to make progress in the classroom. At Clay Hill School, our focus is on using therapies to work on an individual’s communication and social interaction skills. We find that this approach supports young people to thrive academically.
We also recognise how young people with ASC and associated co-morbid conditions, find traditional therapeutic methods sometimes challenging to engage with. Our therapists are in place to overcome these barriers by using innovative approaches in line with the most current research from Autism Societies globally.
Consequently, they use effective and non-intrusive ways to engage our young people in therapies that will support them in managing their reactions and behaviours to the various negative sensory inputs they can experience within their day-to-day lives.