Therapies
Our therapies
At Wilds Lodge School, we believe that every child deserves the chance to feel safe, understood, and capable of success. Our therapeutic approach is the foundation of everything we do, combining care, creativity and expertise to help learners grow both emotionally and academically. Through a highly integrated model of education and therapy, we support our learners to overcome challenges, build resilience and discover their strengths every single day.
At Wilds Lodge School, therapy is at the heart of everything we do. As a therapeutic school, we believe in equality and collaboration between therapy and education. Every learner deserves the right support to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Our therapeutic approach is woven into every part of school life. Therapists work alongside teachers in classrooms, during break times, lunchtimes and extracurricular activities, ensuring that support is both holistic and continuous.
In addition to our integrated, whole school therapeutic support, we offer targeted and specialist interventions through small group, paired or individual sessions. This ensures every learner receives the right level of support, when they need it most.
“The school’s therapeutic provision supports pupils’ personal development and learning well.”
Good, Education Ofsted February 2024
Our therapies
We’re proud to offer a rich range of therapies and therapeutic support that help our learners develop confidence, resilience and independence.
Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT)
Our Speech and Language Therapist supports learners in developing the communication skills they need to learn effectively and build meaningful relationships.
Their work may focus on:
Improving speech clarity
Building expressive and receptive language
Enhancing social communication skills
Expanding vocabulary related to emotions, topics and curriculum areas
Encouraging confident self expression and advocacy
Working closely with staff and families, our therapist ensures that communication development is a shared, supportive journey.
Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)
Our Literacy Specialist provides dedicated support for learners with Specific Learning Difficulties in English.
Support is delivered in small groups, paired and individual interventions, alongside literacy assessments and classroom strategies that make learning accessible for all. Our Literacy Specialist oversees reading and spelling assessments, dyslexia screening and literacy based exam access arrangements.
Beyond direct support, our Literacy Specialist delivers regular training for staff and learners while also leading on exciting literacy initiatives including World Book Day, along with overseeing our school library and audiobook resources.
Their passion for literacy and learning ensures that everyone at Wilds Lodge can discover joy and confidence in their reading and writing.
Educational Psychology
At Wilds Lodge, we’re fortunate to work with our regional Educational Psychologist as well as our own Educational Psychology Assistant. Together, they bring deep expertise in child and adolescent development.
Their work focuses on understanding each learner’s unique needs through psychological models and assessment, enabling staff to tailor integrated approaches to support engagement and progress. They also deliver regular training, consultations and, where appropriate, specialist assessments to inform EHCPs, annual reviews and exam access arrangements.
They work closely with staff, families and learners to ensure that every voice is heard and every learner is supported to achieve their full potential.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Our Occupational Therapist, helps learners build confidence and independence by developing key life and learning skills.
Their work takes place throughout the school day in classrooms, specialist learning environments, and dedicated therapy spaces. Their integrated approach is tailored to each learner’s needs, with a focus on:
Access to Learning: Ensuring every learner can fully participate in lessons through adapted equipment, seating, or classroom strategies.
Daily Living Skills: Supporting practical life skills such as dressing, organisation, and personal care.
Emotional Regulation: Helping learners identify and manage emotions with structure, routines and visual tools.
Motor Skills: Developing fine and gross motor skills through fun, engaging activities.
Sensory Processing and Regulation: Supporting learners who experience sensory challenges with calming tools, movement breaks, and environmental adaptations.
Through guidance, learners gain greater comfort, focus, and independence in all aspects of school life.
Play Therapy
Our Creative Therapy Lead brings warmth and understanding to the role of Play Therapist and Creative Arts Counsellor.
Play is a child’s natural language. In the safety of our therapeutic environment, learners can explore feelings, process experiences, and express themselves – often without needing to find the words.
Sessions may include art, drama, messy play, sand and water play, small-world play, puppetry, storytelling or music. Each session provides a consistent, secure space where learners can heal and grow.
Psychotherapy
Our Therapeutic Counsellor offers learners a calm and confidential space to explore their thoughts and feelings.
Using a blend of creative, mindful and talking approaches including art, guided meditation, and breathing techniques, their role is to support learners in developing self-awareness, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
Their compassionate approach helps young people feel understood and empowered to progress.
Art Therapy
Art Therapy uses art and the creative process to support children and young people as they navigate challenges, change and difficult experiences. Sometimes a picture, colour, shape or piece of artwork can say something that words cannot.
Our Art Therapist works alongside our learners using a variety of materials and techniques, including painting, clay, drawing, textiles, collage and mixed media. The focus is not on creating ‘good’ artwork, but on the experience of making, expressing and reflecting.
Sessions are tailored to each learner, allowing them to work at their own pace and engage with art in a way that feels natural to them.
Our Whole-School Commitment
At Wilds Lodge, therapy isn’t something that happens in a separate room, it is part of our school culture. Our multidisciplinary team works together every day to nurture each learner’s wellbeing, confidence, and potential.
Together, we help our learners grow emotionally, socially, and academically, so they can step into the world feeling ready, resilient and proud of who they are.