Therapy is fully integrated into the curriculum at Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy as it prepares the learner for learning. Quite simply, without it, very little, if any learning, could take place.
The Community Integrated Paediatric Services have a base at the academy and work closely with academy staff to support the physical, communication and emotional needs of all children.
Therapists work in close partnership with academy staff in which they:
Therapists will always seek informed consent for an assessment and any treatment at all stages of the child/young person’s involvement with the service, (Integrated Community Paediatric Service).
Therapists, although based in school, manage various school and community caseloads so may not be in school every day. They can however, be reached through their team bases or via the NHS administrator Joanna Whiting (Monday to Thursday).
Joanna can be contacted the following ways:
Tel:01473 760906/760908
Email: [email protected]
Alternatively, you may find support on the West Suffolk NHS website
Website: www.wsh.nhs.uk/icps
Once a child is known to the therapy services; a review can be requested. Referrals are prioritised according to need and team guidance.
Education staff, families and health professionals can ask for a review if specific needs have been identified. This may include a change in the child’s condition or service transition. Please let therapists know if your child’s condition changes significantly between reviews.
If you have any queries or concerns with any aspect of your child’s therapy care that cannot be resolved with your therapists. Please contact the relevant team leader.
| Physiotherapy | Christine Hawley | Bury 01284 741786 Ipswich 01473 321220 Suffolk InfoLink | Children’s Physiotherapy Service |
| Occupational Therapy | Bury 01284 741714 Ipswich 01473 321230 Suffolk InfoLink | Children’s Occupational Therapy | |
| Speech and Language Therapy | Isobel Crichton-Smith | Bury 01284 741732 Ipswich 01473 321225 Suffolk InfoLink | Children’s Speech and Language Therapy |
Physiotherapy supports children who have difficulties with their physical development, movement, positioning or mobility.
Pupils that have been referred to the children’s physiotherapy service and who attend Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy for 2 or more days per week will be under the care of a physiotherapist at school. If children attend the school one day per week, they will continue to be under the lead care of the community physiotherapist.
Occupational therapists help children develop skills in the areas of self-care, school and play. They see children at home and school and can help in the following areas:
Speech and Language therapists support children who have a variety of difficulties with their speech, language, communication or feeding.
Speech and Language therapists support children to communicate in whatever way they can whether through their voice, signing or gesture, symbols or VOCAs, (voice output communication aid).
They also support children with dysphagia, (difficulty eating and/or drinking). Many of our children have difficulty with, e.g. chewing, co-ordinating lip and tongue movements, or swallowing. The speech and language therapists who work at Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy have been specially trained offer support and advice with such eating difficulties.
SCARC stands for Suffolk Communication Aids Resource Centre. SCARC are based at the academy. SCARC is a countywide assessment, support, training and advice service for children and young people up to age 25 to consider use of a Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA).
They operate an equipment loan bank for short and long-term loans of communication aids, including responsibility for maintenance and repairs.
They also provide specialist Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) advice for their Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) colleagues and other settings supporting students with communication difficulties.
Music Therapy is currently available for Thomas Wolsey pupils for part of the week. For a more detailed explanation of what music therapy is please and how it can support pupils, see the Arts section in the Curriculum Areas page of this website. It is funded through charity funding and our Pupil Premium grants. It is provided to the school through Suffolk Music Therapy Services. Pupils are referred for a wide variety of reasons from social, emotional to communication. Pupils generally receive a block of sessions which can extended if it is felt this would benefit them. Places for music therapy are always high in demand but anyone can make a referral to the service. All referrals are considered and are allocated on priority of need. If you would like to refer your child, please download a Music Therapy referral form on our ‘Forms’ page or request one from our school office.