Specialist Provision - Belmont School

Specialist and individual interventions

Among Belmont’s specialisms is a focus on speech, language and comprehension difficulties. Our staff team is highly skilled in identifying and meeting the specific needs of each and every child.

The team also has access to a range of specialist services through Gloucestershire’s multi agency disciplinary teams including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and school nurse services. Belmont also employs specialist practitioners including a Communication Support Worker and an Interventions Learning Support Worker.

As a school we offer a range of academic and holistic interventions for all our students. Interventions are identified and delivered either individually or in small groups, depending on the child’s needs and the type of activity, and progress is tracked and monitored to evaluate the success of the intervention.

THRIVE at Belmont

To support our emotional, health and wellbeing strategy we have introduced a key intervention called THRIVE.

THRIVE is a whole school intervention which focuses on a child’s mental well-being, and is based on three main theories: Attachment Theory, Neuroscience and Child Development.

The purpose of this intervention is to ensure that every child feels valued, involved and appreciated. If children have been emotionally thrown off track, THRIVE allows us to understand the needs being signalled by their behaviour and allows us to implement targeted strategies and activities to help them re-engage.

At Belmont, children are assessed on their personal, social and emotional well-being. Using this data and other information about the child, activities and strategies are implemented to ensure their social and emotional needs are being met within teaching and learning. THRIVE has become a standard lesson within our weekly timetable to ensure children’s holistic needs are being met. As a school we are now working towards increasing parental engagement with THRIVE to ensure consistent practice at school and at home.

Further information on this approach can be found on the THRIVE website https://www.thriveapproach.com/ or you are welcome to contact Chantel Yeates (Deputy Headteacher and Lead THRIVE Practitioner) via the school office.

Additional Interventions

Speech and Language Therapy – supporting programmes are carried out by Belmont staff
Dancing Bears, Apples and Pears – developing literacy skills
Numicon – developing numeracy skills
Speak Up – building confidence in communication for older pupils
Social Understanding of Language Program (SULP) – improving communication in social settings
Occupational Therapy – supporting programmes are carried out by Belmont staff
Active Listening – child-centred counselling
Therapeutic Play/Sand Play – helping younger pupils explore their issues and feelings
Relax Kids – helping with anxiety and calming
Behaviour Mentoring – Cool Connections, Heartmath
Fine and gross motor skills
Handwriting
Drawing and Talking Therapy
Lego Friendships and Lego Communication
Working Memory
Access to the sensory garden.

Team Teach

Team Teach is an approach for positive behaviour management. Positive Handling uses the minimum degree of force necessary for the shortest period of time to prevent a pupil harming himself, herself, others or property. The scale and nature of any physical intervention must be proportionate to both the behaviour of the individual to be controlled, and the nature of the harm they might cause.

Good personal and professional relationships between staff and pupils are vital to ensure good order in our school. It is recognised that the majority of pupils in our school respond positively to the discipline and control practised by staff. This ensures the well-being and safety of all pupils and staff in school. It is also acknowledged that in exceptional circumstances, staff may need to take action in situations where the use of reasonable force may be required. Belmont School acknowledges that physical techniques are only part of a whole setting approach to behaviour management.

Belmont School uses two safe spaces across the school, the Tidal Room in Primary and the Grey Room in Secondary. These are often places where children will go to self soothe or regulate their own emotions if they become frustrated or even if they just need a space to calm, a quiet area outside of the busy classroom environment. This is encouraged and children are given time to reflect and calm before returning to the class.

At Belmont School since September 2022 only 7% of pupils have needed physical intervention. This equates to 12 children needing assistance to ensure safety across Belmont School. This percentage is considerably low, due to the relationships staff are building everyday with all the children across the whole school.

If you would like to know more about Team Teach please see the website link below.

Team Teach