Mapesbury School
BrentTherapy
Therapy is central to learning at Mapesbury School. We know that autistic children thrive when their education supports their emotional, social and physical wellbeing alongside academic progress.
Our in‑house Speech and Language Therapist and Occupational Therapist work as part of the school community, collaborating with teachers and support staff to provide integrated, personalised support.
Therapeutic strategies are woven into daily routines - from classroom learning to transitions, play and structured activities. This helps pupils feel safe, regulated and ready to learn.
We use a range of approaches, including sensory integration, Zones of Regulation and AAC, adapting each to the individual needs and goals outlined in pupils’ EHCPs.
Therapists also up-skill staff through guidance, modelling and training, ensuring consistency across the school. For pupils with more complex needs, we work closely with external professionals and families to provide additional support.
By embedding therapy into every aspect of school life, we help pupils build confidence, independence and the skills to understand themselves and communicate effectively.
Occupational therapy
Occupational Therapy at Mapesbury School supports pupils to develop the practical, sensory, emotional and motor skills they need to engage confidently in learning and everyday school life. Following individual assessment, our therapists gain a detailed understanding of each pupil’s strengths, challenges and sensory needs.
Support is personalised and embedded into the school day. Pupils may take part in one to one sessions, small group work or classroom based strategies focused on fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, sensory regulation and functional routines. Sensory circuits, movement breaks and environmental adaptations are used to help pupils remain calm, focused and ready to learn.
Occupational Therapists work closely with teaching staff, pastoral teams and families to ensure strategies are consistent across school and home. This collaborative approach supports meaningful progress, helping pupils build independence, confidence and overall wellbeing.
Speech and language therapy
Speech and Language Therapy at Mapesbury School supports pupils to develop communication skills that are meaningful, functional and empowering in everyday life. Therapists begin with an individual assessment to understand how each pupil understands language, expresses themselves, uses speech sounds and interacts with others, including their use of non verbal communication.
Support is personalised to each pupil and may take place through one to one sessions, small group work or within the classroom. Sessions are practical and engaging, focusing on areas such as vocabulary development, sentence structure, speech clarity, attention and listening, and social communication skills including turn taking and conversation. A neuroaffirming approach is used, with visual supports, adapted language and alternative communication methods where appropriate.
Speech and Language Therapists work closely with teaching staff, families and other professionals to ensure strategies are used consistently across school and home. This collaborative approach helps pupils develop communication skills that support learning, relationships and overall wellbeing.
Therapy dogs and animals
Mapesbury School has a Therapy dog who visits the school weekly. Pupils can access the service to read to the dog, pet or simply spend some quiet time with him. Our therapy dog comes from Pets As Therapy, and our pupils really enjoy the opportunity to spend some quality time with a calm and cuddly dog.
