How OT supports schools

We can give advice to teaching staff on strategies and approaches that may help if a child you work with needs support in areas of daily life such as eating a meal, using the toilet or playing with friends.

OT support may come in the form of: 

  • Modelling new skills and techniques or recommend different ways of completing tasks.
  • Working closely with school staff (e.g., learning support assistants, teachers, SENCOs) to understand the needs of students and collaborate on implementation of strategies. 
  • Offering staff training (e.g. on topics like motor skill development, sensory regulation, and self-care skills) and workshops. 
  • Providing advice on adapting the classroom environment, equipment, and activities to support students' participation.

The video below gives an introduction to the SEN Occupational Therapy Team for new SENCos and Learning Support Assistants and explains how SEN OTs provide therapy in schools and how teachers and LSAs can implement OT programmes in the classroom.

Depending on the OT teams capacity, your allocated school OT may be able to support you with running a targeted OT group in school (upon request only). 

Groups can address various areas (e.g. concentration, fine motor skills, handwriting, gross motor skills) with the goal of improving a child’s or young person’s participation and performance in school. 

If you are interested in running one of these groups below at school, please contact your allocated school OT for more information or complete our Contact Form. 

Targeted OT groups

  • Fine motor group
  • Pre-writing group
  • Handwriting improvement group
  • Movement and coordination group
  • Messy play group
  • Get set for learning group (sensory circuit)
  • Life Skills Group (e.g. shoelace, zip group)

Our team also provides training in the following areas:

  • Introduction to SCERTS +C168:C178(Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support)
  • Practical Sensory Strategies
  • Autism Training for Early Years and Private, Voluntary or Independent settings (2 day training)
  • Supporting Autistic Learners in Secondary School - Q&A session
  • Fostering Emotional Regulation
  • Autism and Puberty
  • Practical Strategies to support Handwriting
  • Toileting and independence skills
  • Navigating mealtimes with Sensory Challenges
  • Sensory Circuits
  • Emotional Regulation Early Years Practitioner Training (delivered jointly with SLT, psychology)

Check our Events section for more details on upcoming training.