FAQs

How does therapy work at Aspire?

When pupils join Aspire and   have Speech and Language input specified in their EHCP, or   a    need is identified in school or from home, we will visit them in class and assess their language. Usually this is an observation, a discussion with the teacher and a phone call or meeting with parents/carers to work out what the priorities are for your child’s communication.

After the assessment  we will decide what level of support  the Speech and Language Therapy team will offer.  Please see 'General Information ' page for more information.

 

Does everyone get Speech Therapy?

Everyone is supported  by the team, but some pupils need more support than others.   Pupils will receive an initial assessment   if Speech and Language Input is  stated on their EHCP,  or if teachers  or  families raise a  concern. 

We will then decide how best to support your child – this could be through class based activities delivered by the class team with  advice and training from the therapy team, or in some cases, regular therapy sessions.  We will discuss this with you and also give you a written summary of where your child is, and what their targets are.

 

Will my child's NHS    therapy continue?

It depends on your child's needs - All class teams are trained  in delivering communication support as part of the  everyday curriculum.   If we find that your child needs more input than   is  part of  the Aspire Core Offer,  we can assess their needs and  decide if further input is needed. 

If your child was previously seen by a Therapist in the NHS, in most cases their care will    transfer to the Aspire Therapy team. We will have spoken to our NHS colleagues to find out more about your child and their current targets.

You may    receive ongoing support from the NHS if your child has feeding and swallowing difficulties, a stammer or a cleft palate.

 

My child's EHCP states  that    at their current school/nursery, they need a specific   number of speech therapy sessions.  Will these be offered at Aspire?

Because Aspire is a specialist school, all our staff are given training on how to support children’s communication.  For this reason, sometimes the recommendations in an EHCP e.g. ’10 sessions of speech therapy’ are no longer relevant.  Our pupils receive daily support, woven in to every aspect of their day, delivered by our specialist classroom staff.  For this reason, we may speak to you about changing the wording in your child’s EHCP to reflect the setting they are now in.  

 

Who will my child see?

Initial and review assessments are carried out by  our Qualified Speech  and Language Therapists.  If your child receives Specialist Therapy, this is usually delivered by a  Speech and Language Therapy Assistant  (Salta).  We are all employed  directly by the school and there is a therapist on site every day.

 

How often  will   my  child be seen by the  speech therapist?

This  depends on  your child's needs and the level of support they  receive. 

If an assessment is needed when your    child first joins Aspire, we aim to  complete this  within 2 terms .   This ensures that they are settled in school and we  get a true picture of their skills.

 

How often do you speak to parents? 

We will always contact      parents after their initial assessment.  After reviews assessments    we will send a 'Communication Summary' so you know what your child is working on, and what level of support they will receive in future.  After this, we will contact you when there is a change in your child's  support level, or their targets needs reviewing. 

 

What  therapy approaches do you use? 

Among other things, Our Therapists are Trained in :

Makaton

Intensive Interaction

The SCERTS Model

Attention Autism

The Nuffield Dyspraxia  Programme

Grid for Ipad

 

Do you offer parent training?

We do. Our parent workshops will be advertised throughout the year. 

 

Can I contact the team ?

Yes -  the team are  available year round, although may take longer to respond during the school holidays. Please use the main Aspire telephone number and e-mail address.