Little Heath School

External Agencies

Lots of professionals work within the school to provide additional support or specialised learning for our pupils. Here are brief summaries of each of their activities in Little Heath.

Music Therapy

What is music therapy?

In music therapy the medium of music is used to form a working therapeutic relationship between the young person and the music therapist. The primary concern of the music therapist is the emotional and psychological well-being of the young person. Music therapy sessions can support young people's development in the areas of communication, social development and emotional well-being. Music therapy can include individual or group sessions.

Why music therapy?

Some people on the ASD spectrum, with emotional or behavioural difficulties, or those who have a learning disability may experience difficulties in relating to others, expressing themselves appropriately and may, sometimes, become overwhelmed by their feelings. Music therapy can provide a space to work on these things, offering young people alternative ways of being with, and relating too, others. In music therapy young people can explore their emotions within a safe and supportive environment and explore modes of appropriate self-expression. Music therapy can help clients build a stronger sense of self and increase their self-awareness, confidence and develop a positive self-image. Music therapy can be effective in both short-term and long-term work.

What happens in a music therapy session?

Both the young person and music therapist are involved in active music making during sessions through playing, singing and listening. Improvised music makes up most of the session but pre-composed music can also be used. Participating in music therapy sessions is different to learning a musical instrument and no instrumental teaching is involved. No previous musical skill is needed and the instruments provided are accessible and easy to use. In a music therapy room there is usually a piano or keyboard, tuned percussion and un-tuned percussion instruments. Music, words and play can all be used within a session. A young person's music, their sounds, silences, movements and gestures, are significant and individual to each client. The music therapist aims to be-with the client and to facilitate and understand the musical and non-musical communications.

Community Paediatric Physiotherapy

We are a team of highly qualified specialist physiotherapists with long experience of working with children with gross motor difficulties. We are based Redbridge Child Development Centre with secondary bases in both Newbridge School sites and Seven Kings High.

We accept referrals from any one with concerns about a child's gross motor development including education professionals, health professionals and parents. We always need parental consent to the referral. We see children aged between 0 and 19 (if in full time education) with any condition that limits their gross motor development and activity and who are resident in the London Borough of Redbridge.

The department is part of the Integrated Support Team. We also work closely with other members of the Team, sometimes doing joint treatment sessions or visits.

In schools we:

Supply advice to statements
Offer assessments and treatment sessions in school
Give advice to LSAs on exercise programmes and use of equipment
Order and maintain equipment e.g. walking frames, standing frames and orthotics
Offer advice to PE teachers on differentiating PE

The department also offers a number of special clinics:-

Orthotics - working with a specialist paediatric orthotist to supply and fit boots, splints, insoles, braces etc
Serial cast - using fibre glass, for toe-walkers, tight calf muscles, neurological conditions.

We are also available at the end of the phone or e-mail for any questions you might have about us and our services

School Nurse

I am the school Nurse for Little Heath School and I am based at Redbridge Child Development Centre.

My role is to provide health surveillance and advice to pupils, promoting the health and wellbeing of all the children in school. School medicals are also provided by the community paediatrician twice a month.

I also provide immunisations as required as part of the universal immunisation programme, Year 8 HPV vaccinations for year 8 girls, leaver's boosters for all year 10 pupils. I also provide immunisations as part of specific health protection campaigns eg flu vaccinations.

My role is also to train and advise staff on medical conditions that pupils may have in school, including epilepsy, asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, enteral feeding. I set up careplans and protocols for children with complex medical needs who require treatment in school, eg epipen training.

I am also involved in the delivery of some teaching sessions for the pupils, including puberty, personal hygiene, healthy eating.

Elaine Thompson

Joseph Clarke School

We offer education and support for pupils with visual impairment and additional or complex needs and also offer a small number of places for pupils with communication difficulties, including autism, who are not visually impaired.

We currently have pupils travelling in from 12 different London Boroughs, Essex and Herts. Our Educational Service works in Waltham Forest, Enfield, Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge. Staff support over 450 pupils with visual difficulties in a range of pre-school, school and FE placements.