Speech and Language Therapy
Mary Hare School has a dedicated team of Speech and Language Therapists who will support students throughout their journey at the school.
The support they are given is based on their needs as identified by their EHCP and/or following a review of their assessment results. This can include both individual and group therapy. We also run a number of lunch time clubs that aim to develop social skills
and communication skills.
A great part of having our own Speech and Language Therapy team on site is that students are not removed from lessons, so they do not need to worry about having to catch up on missed learning in the classroom. Instead, sessions typically take place during form times, lunchtimes or after school.
Therapists work closely with the Teachers of the Deaf, specialist Teaching Assistants and the Care Team to support the pupil’s communication skills and ensure that speech and language targets are implemented across the school day. They also provide advice and training to all the staff at Mary Hare.
Our team are also experienced in working with young people who have additional language difficulties such as Stammering, Speech dyspraxia, Auditory Neuropathy and Developmental Language Delay.
Areas of focus in our Speech and Language Therapy sessions include:
Developing listening skills
Improving voice pitch, rhythm, fluency and intonation
Improving speech sound production and artliculation
Lip-reading skills
Narrative skills
Developing inference and higher-level language skills
Communication skills
Emotional literacy
Social skills
Deaf Identity
Our team are also experienced in working with young people who have additional language difficulties such as stammering, speech dyspraxia, auditory neuropathy and specific language impairment.
Primary School
Primary pupils are seen 2 to 3 times a week depending on their needs identified on their EHCP and through our own assessments. Provision includes individual as well as group sessions and occasionally the therapists work alongside the children in class when needed. Therapists work closely with both parents and staff making sure that targets are shared and integrated throughout the school day into all teaching and learning. Activities are sent home fortnightly to provide advice and ideas for parents to complete with their child.
We believe every child has the right to develop their spoken language skills and have a ‘voice’. At Mary Hare, pupils have a nurturing, supportive environment where they are immersed in a language-rich environment, giving them every opportunity to reach their full potential.
Secondary School
Group and individual sessions are available for pupils to improve their spoken language skills and communication. Pupils do not miss lessons to attend Speech and Language therapy – these are timetabled for lunch times or after school. For those pupils requiring additional language support, the Speech Therapist delivers a jointly taught intervention lesson with a qualified English Teacher of the Deaf. Our team also work closely with teachers giving advice on individual pupils and teaching programmes.
Sixth Form
Our Sixth Form programmes aim to develop independence and life skills to support the pupils as they prepare for life after Mary Hare.
We provide programmes to support pupils applying for their driving license, preparing them for university and can assist them with the learning of communication skills and tactics, which is particularly helpful for interviews.