The team work with each pupil, as well as their parents or carers, to agree a support plan which will become part of their school life, enabling them to build on their strengths and increase their resilience.

We aim to provide our pupils with a safe, caring and nurturing community with clear, consistent boundaries and high expectations. Relationships are at the heart of our approach and are based on sensitive understanding of a pupils experiences and the areas in which they require more support.

Behaviour is understood as a form of communication and all staff work together to enable the healthy physical, social, and emotional development of each student.

Holistic approach

Many pupils who come to The Grange have a whole range of social, emotional and mental health issues which prevent them from thriving in their academic and personal life. To help them manage their feelings and work through specific issues, we make therapy an integral part of our timetable. We have a dedicated psychotherapist who heads up a multi-disciplinary team including a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist and two general child therapists. Their work is over seen by one of the group Clinical Psychologists – Dr Leanne Johnson.

Focused Therapy Centre

All therapy is conducted on site. mostly in The Lodge, a spacious, homely environment where children can relax away from the classroom. Group Speech and Language Therapy sessions may take place in the classroom. All our pupils who come for therapy will have been referred by either a GP, social worker, teacher family or carer, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), paediatrician, or sometimes themselves. We carefully select a therapist whose skills and experience match the needs of each pupil and will support them for as long as they require our help.

Integrated Approach

Our therapist, education and care staff work seamlessly together to help set targets around each individual pupil. Our Head of Therapy joins the staff meeting at the end of each day and frequently runs training sessions to ensure there is consistency in our approach throughout the school. Some of this training is in conjunction with the school SENCos. Therapists also play an active role in communicating with the wider network of individuals and organisations involved in the lives of our pupils – be it Youth Offending teams, CAMHS and the children’s families or carers. Therapists regularly speak with parents and carers too and often help them develop strategies to support their child’s development at home.

Coping during the day

We build periods of therapy into the weekly plan for most of our pupils. On site we also have quiet rooms where pupils can take themselves if they feel anxious or just need a break from the classroom environment. Our beautiful grounds also provide a wonderful haven of space and calm where pupils can unwind.