Health Team
The Health Team at Portesbery School consists of Nurses, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and their support staff. The team are employed by the NHS and Surrey County Council, but work as an integral part of the school community, working in partnership with pupils, parents, carers and teaching staff. The aim of the team is to ensure that the health needs of the pupils are met so that they may achieve their full potential whilst at school.
Nursing Team
The Nursing Team become involved with a pupil through an initial health assessment, prior to the pupil starting school. Any health needs will be identified and staff training will then take place through a rolling programme, covering generic topics including; epilepsy management, administration of medication, enteral feeding, oxygen use and suctioning, asthma and infection control. The second part of the training involves practical sessions specific to individual pupil’s needs, with ongoing classroom support once the child is attending school.
The Nursing Team regularly liaise with other professionals within the community, including GP’s, Community Nurses, Consultants, Dieticians, Continence Service, and Social Services.
The Nursing Team are supported by 2 visiting Paediatricians, and clinics are held at school on a termly basis. Other clinics include immunisations, growth assessment, audiology and vision screening. The aim is that children will be able to have most of their health care coordinated at school and therefore mimimise their time at appointments and optimise their attendance at school.
You can telephone the Portesbery Nursing Team directly on 01252 832104.
You can access more information about the Special School Nursing Service at the following website:
https://childrenshealthsurrey.nhs.uk/services/school-nursing-specialist-schools
Physiotherapy Team
Physiotherapy is provided at Portesbery School. If your child has been referred, they will be assessed and allocated to a physiotherapist.
The Physiotherapy Team oversee the physical management programmes at school.
The programme is implemented throughout the school day and monitored regularly through liaison with both class staff and parents.
Orthotic, Wheelchair, DMO and CPIP Clinics are held at school and parents are very welcome if they wish to attend with their child.
Should you wish to contact us regarding any aspect of your child’s physiotherapy provision, please feel free to call us either at school, or at the White House (01932 826500). Any problems with wheelchairs please contact them directly on 0330 124 8210.
You can telephone the Portesbery Therapy Team directly on 01252 838646 or email them at physio@portesbery.surrey.sch.uk
Please use the link below if you wish to refer to physiotherapy or to look at the resources/advice on offer.
Physiotherapy :: Children and Family Health Surrey (childrenshealthsurrey.nhs.uk)
Speech and Language Therapy Team
Speech and Language Therapy is provided onsite at Portesbery School and is funded by Surrey County Council. The Speech and Language Therapy team is comprised of two Speech and Language Therapists and two Speech and Language Therapy Assistants. Our primary goal is to support the class teams in establishing a functional means of communication for the students and ensure their opportunities to communicate are maximised.
There is regular input into every class. Our close links with the class teams and being onsite means we are available to problem solve and pick up on changing needs in a timely manner. Input is matched to each student’s identified needs.
Class teams have a good skill mix to implement individualised communication strategies across the whole day. Where needed, we provide general and child specific training and modelling of strategies for school staff which is part of their continuous professional development. We work with the school staff to offer training opportunities to parents and carers.
We also provide input for students with eating and/drinking across the school. Our overall aim is making meal and snack times as safe and pleasurable as possible for all students. For referred students we provide assessment, advice, adaptions and child specific training for key adults to increase the safety of oral eating/drinking.
If you wish to contact us to discuss your child’s communication or eating / drinking skills please feel free to call us at school or send us a message via the home-school book.
You can telephone the Portesbery Therapy Team directly on 01252 838646.
Occupational Therapy Team
The Occupational Therapy Service at Portesbery School is provided through Children and Family Health, Surrey.
Children’s Occupational Therapy is concerned with enabling children to participate more successfully in activities of daily life. Occupational Therapists will spend time finding out about the child’s and family’s typical daily life and what they want, need or are expected to do. They will then work together with the child, family, school staff and other key people to evaluate what helps or hinders their involvement in daily life roles. Together, possible solutions will be developed, such as exploring alternative ways of doing things or making changes to the environment to support participation.
The Occupational Therapy Team at Portesbery School oversees specialist, targeted and universal provision where OT strategies and advice are embedded into the school day. All teaching staff can access support to deliver Occupational Therapy programmes.
In addition, the Occupational Therapy Team, alongside therapies colleagues, run equipment reviews and clinics regularly.
Should you wish to contact us regarding any aspect of your child’s Occupational Therapy provision, please feel free to call us either at school, or at the White House (01932 826500).
You can telephone the Portesbery Therapy Team directly on 01252 838646 or email us at ot@portesbery.surrey.sch.uk
Please use the link below if you wish to refer to Occupational Therapy or to look at the resources/advice on offer.
https://www.childrenshealthsurrey.nhs.uk/services/occupational-therapy