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At Forest Moor School we use a therapeutic approach. We believe that every interaction is an opportunity to support our pupils. We always seek to be therapeutic in our approach to all situations. This can be through the use of therapeutic and empathic language, gestures and caring.

We offer interventions on site and have staff trained in: lego therapy, Theraplay, and restorative practice. Interventions would usually take place on a 1:1 basis for short weekly sessions running 4-6 weeks.

Forest Moor uses a 4 wave intervention system. This is designed to find the best support for our students. See below for our wave descriptors and thresholds:

Internal  External
Descriptors
Wave 1 – Quality first teaching and differentiation for all  Wave 2 – Active interventions Wave 3 – Additional intervention in a place Wave 4 -Additional highly personalised intervention
  • Setting high expectations 
  • Quality first teaching
  • Personalised curriculum and activities 
  •  Personalised targets and process 
  • Quality environment 
  • IPRA
  • 95%
  • RRB
  • In class therapeutic style activities. 
  • Co-regulation activities 
  • Vagal breaks to ensure regulation.

The things we do everyday in our classrooms 

  • Interaction as an intervention.
  • Proactive response to previous challenges.
  • Response to need at ad hoc moments within the day.
  • Managed within school as a priority-based reaction.
  • Individualised therapeutic tool kit provided to some students (after discussion with the SENCo) e.g. fiddle toys, chewelry etc. 
  • Additional planned interventions in a certain place
  • Organised and timed 1:1 support in class from Care Team Intervention plan draw up by behaviour lead (with input form SENCo) reviewed at 6 week intervals 
  • Different to ordinarily available resources 
  • Small group activities
  • Focused strategies and targets sought from an outside agency.
  • Outside agency to support as an alternative provision for the child.
  • PCAP put in place in order to help support the child and their needs.
  • CAMHS
  • Speech and language 
  • Use of Alternative provision and bespoke curriculum 
  • Exceptional funding applied for to support interventions 
Thresholds 
Wave 1 – Quality first teaching and differentiation for all  Wave 2 – Active interventions Wave 3 – Additional intervention in place Wave 4 -Additional highly personalised intervention
All students have EHCP and have been offered a place at Forest Moor

IPRAs inform wave 2 interventions –

Dynamic  assessments of students – at key times. 

Students are unable to to settle within wave 1&2 Wave 3 showing little or no impact. CAMHS or Ed.psych report details specific interventions needed.

School Dogs

Our school dogs are available to support children and can provide a calming influence in school. We encourage our students to take a dog for a walk to support with co-regulation or just to play in the school grounds.

oscar

Oscar

Oscar is an 8 year old labrador. He has been working in SEMH for 4 years. Oscar started going to Springwell Leeds with Mrs Crichton where he met Louie. Since then Louie and Oscar have been friends so it is nice that they are back working in the same school.

 Most weeks Oscar is in school on a Wednesday and Friday.

Oscar’s favourite things to do in school are walks in the woods and eating out of bins (which he is not allowed to do). Oscar also likes to meet and greet the students when they come to the main office.

boo

Boo

Boo is a six year old Border Collie. She is black, white and brown. She normally is in school on Thursdays.

Boo absolutely loves coming to school to play ball with all the children. She really enjoys taxi time and giving cuddles and kisses to the students as they arrive in school.

She loves going for walks around the school site.

Ralph

Ralph

Ralph is a four year old lab who lives with Mrs Ashton. He doesn’t have set days that he attends school but he is usually here a few times a week.

Ralph will usually be seen with a tennis ball in his mouth as his favourite thing to do is to play fetch. He loves going for walks on the field with the children and loves all the attention he gets. Sometimes he is sneaky and escapes from the office, you will usually find him digging through the bins around the school trying to find some tasty snacks. 

If you see Ralph in school then please come say hello, but expect having to throw his ball continually for him to fetch.

Cedric

Cedric

Cedric is a four year old lab, who is usually in school on Monday’s and Friday’s. 

Cedric’s favourite things to do in school are chase Oscar, be chased by Ralph and hang out with students in the Meadow Suite.

He also love cheese, dog treats (preferably Gravy Bones) and playing ball. He’s also partial to sponge cake, and although he shouldn’t really eat it he somehow manages to find it on the days we have it for school lunch. It’s a mystery…

IMG-20240621-WA0007

Polly

Polly is an 11 month old Sprocker and lives with Mrs Heley. She has so much energy she can jump into anyone’s lap, windowsill and the dinner trolleys if you aren’t too careful!

She loves coming to Forest Moor School, she loves being in lessons and helping everyone regulate to be able to learn! She woofs how cool maths is and snuffles to Mrs Heley how English is puptastic!

She is always around when you feel low, need a hug, or need a walk in our amazing setting. She likes to chase birds, eat food off the floor and tummy rubs. Her nicknames are P, Polly Poo, and Poo.

I come to school on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and I am hoping to come in more once I get bigger.

She feels safe and that is down to you guys that take care of her.