We use a wide range of interventions and therapies to meet the diverse needs of our students.

Music Therapy

Music therapy is a psychological therapy that provides opportunities for self-expression and social interaction using an expressive medium other than words. It is based on the principal that all humans respond to music, regardless of disability or illness. Evidence shows that many people with special needs, such as autism spectrum disorder, have a special affinity to music due to the way in which they process sound.

In music therapy sessions, pupils have access to a wide range of percussion instruments that they are free to explore. The music therapist builds a relationship with the pupil by ‘joining in’ and supporting their music, either improvising or using familiar songs such as nursery rhymes. Using a flexible, child-led approach, music therapy aims to develop: 

  • Interaction
  • Communication
  • Attention and concentration
  • Social skills e.g. eye contact, listening, turn-taking
  • Self-expression
  • Self-esteem
  • Sensory processing
  • Gross and fine motor skills

Referrals to music therapy are usually made by the pupil’s teacher, but can be made by others if appropriate. There is a waiting list which is reviewed regularly so that as many pupils as possible can access the music therapy service. 

Pupils are offered individual or group music therapy sessions, which may be either short-term or long-term, depending on the pupils’ needs. The music therapist communicates regularly with both staff and parents about each individual’s music therapy.

Please see the following comments from parents regarding our Music Therapy provision:

"My son has always responded to music. The music therapy sessions have increased his awareness of others to a point where he was able to join in songs and simple games. He expresses himself in the sessions through using instruments and sounds. Sometimes we can see his whole range of emotions – but mostly he smiles with joy."

 "Owen has always enjoyed music. His music therapy sessions....have allowed him to explore the instruments and to enjoy music even more. Music therapy calms him and allows him to build relationships with other people. Long may it continue!"

"Music therapy has played a key role in Isabel’s development. Isabel’s progress during the music therapy sessions over the last two years has been amazing. She has developed her anticipation skills by vocalising for the next part of a song, moved her head in the direction of the music and developed greater body awareness by exploring instruments with her feet, hands and head. We are so grateful that Isabel has access to such sessions and we have seen her development flourish as a result."

If you have any questions about music therapy, please do not hesitate to contact Rachael.

Rachael Stalker

Music Therapist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

rstalker@highfield.cambs.sch.uk

For further information, see:

Music Therapy in Education – British Association for Music Therapy

Counselling

Updated: 04/11/2021 43 KB

TEACCH

TEACCH is an evidence-based structured teaching approach that follows 6 principles to support independence:

  • Organisation of the physical environment
  • Material / task structure
  • Visual supports
  • Individualised visual schedules / timetables
  • Routines and flexibility
  • Work and activity systems to increase predictability of expectations

TEACCH recognises that students with ASD have different learning styles, and these can be used as a strength (such as attention to detail, and learning best visually). This intervention uses individual timetables, workstations, and tasks designed to build confidence in learning independently. These allow students to practice generalising previously learned skills to new tasks and a new setting. The students’ then complete 1:1 table work to learn new skills based on their EHCP targets (eg. letter formation, answering questions based on a book, fine motor skills). Visual supports and symbols are used throughout the sessions to support communication both socially, and to convey information eg. First and then visuals.

Structured TEACCHing supports learning styles by:

  • Decreasing confusion and anxiety
  • Increase meaning and clarity
  • Increase flexibility
  • Supports generalisation
  • Increases initiation and independence

Brick-by-Brick® programme

The Brick by Brick programme is an evidence-based child-led programme that uses Lego bricks to help students develop many different skills whilst learning through play in a social setting. The programme is run by a trained Brick by Brick certified facilitator, and are known to the students as ‘Brick Club’.

The sessions aim to develop:

· Communication, social and listening skills

· Following instructions

· Teamwork and collaboration

· Problem solving

· Turn taking

· Conflict resolution

· Friendship and relationship building

· Confidence

Our Brick Clubs follow the 5 principles of play as adopted by Play Included and The Lego Foundation:

  • Meaningful
  • Iterative
  • Joyful
  • Socially interactive
  • Actively engaging

Brick Club uses 3 job roles, which are rotated around the group throughout the sessions:

· Engineer - reads the instructions, describes the bricks and     placement, and directs the members to build the model

· Supplier - finds the correct brick and passes it to the builder

· Builder - follows the engineer’s instructions and builds the model

Students that attend these sessions will have a sense of pride for the model they have created, a sense of belonging of working in a team, and have the confidence to socialise in the future. 

More information can be found on

https://playincluded.com/en-GB

 

Talking Partners

This is a programme designed to improve the way children communicate across the curriculum, enabling them to be independent and skillful speakers and listeners.  It is delivered to students on a referral basis and is run by our specialist Communication Teaching Assistant who is trained in ELKLAN and delivering the intervention.

 

Play Therapy

 

Play is the natural medium of self-expression for all children, essential for enabling them to develop physically, emotionally and socially. It fosters the imagination and encourages creativity. It builds confidence and concentration. It helps them to make friends, learn about the world, and make mistakes safely.

Play therapy aims to help children relax and find ways of expressing difficult feelings. It is particularly suitable for children with special needs because it does not rely on spoken language; it allows them to express themselves at their own level through their play, either with words or non-verbally.

 In play therapy sessions there is a variety of media on offer - paint and craft materials, a sand tray, clay, puppets, human and fantasy figures to stimulate the imagination, domestic items, some small percussion instruments. Children are invited to choose what they would like to do, and the therapist follows their lead. This gives them the freedom, within safe boundaries, to do whatever is most interesting and helpful to them at the time.  A trusting relationship develops, in which children begin to interact and play freely. The therapy process enables them to make decisions, discover how to express powerful feelings safely, explore their difficulties and learn alternative ways of relating to others. They also have fun, and experience acceptance, relaxation, and satisfaction.

A period of play therapy can last between three months and about a year.

For further information see the Play Therapy UK website - https://playtherapy.org.uk