Therapists
Solent NHS
Greetings from the Physiotherapy, Occupational and Speech and Language Therapy team at Solent NHS!
We hope you are all keeping well and safe. You may be aware that there has been a change of staff in the Physiotherapy team at Saxon Wood school: Beverley Randle-Bissell and Sonja Cooper are the physiotherapists and Jo Harmer and Shannon Head-Moss the physiotherapy assistants that are now part of the therapy team in school. Bethany Sullivan remains as the Occupational Therapist and Sophie Harvie as the Speech and Language Therapist.
As parents/carers, you are part of the team of people working around your child as you know your child better than anyone else. Your child’s goals will therefore be jointly set with therapists. Evidence suggests that children make the best progress when activities are incorporated into their everyday life at home and at school to enable the carry-over of progress.
For further information please see the “Solent NHS Information to parents and carers” leaflet with information about how we aim to support you.
Speech & Language Therapists
Saxon Wood School, like all Hampshire Special Schools, has access to support from Speech and Language Therapists (SaLTs) from the Hampshire County Council Communication and Interaction Team, part of the Specialist Teacher Advisory Service (STAS).
We assess and offer support to children who may have difficulties with:
- Speech sounds
- Understanding of language
- Using words and sentences
- Vocabulary
- Attention and listening
- Social communication skills
We work in lots of different ways:
At Saxon Wood we work closely with all class staff. This includes ongoing training and support sessions on speech, language and communication so that all classes can focus on speech, language and communication activities within the classroom and across the curriculum. Additionally, we can see individuals and offer assessments, programmes or specific therapy and regularly run groups within classes or with specific identified children.
For more information, please see our website:
Telephone Advice Line
Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech & Language Therapy
Our telephone advice line is for parents and professionals who would like advice directly from a therapist. In order to use this service, the child or young person you wish to discuss must be under the age of 19 years, live in or go to school in Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth or be registered with a Hampshire, Southampton or Portsmouth GP. This includes children who have not currently been referred to the therapy team.
Our advice line can:
- Offer reassurance
- Give you tips on ways to help
- Give you activities to improve your child's skills
- Decide if your child needs to be referred to us for a more detailed assessment
- Suggest others who can offer you more advice, e.g. health visitor or children's centre.
If you would like to use this service, please call 0300 300 2019
Our therapists will be available Monday to Friday to offer advice.