Butterflies School Input
It's not unusual for schools to buy in occupational therapy to support their students to engage with the curriculum, provide specialist training to school staff to develop their skills for CPD, increase their local offer, and/or provide outreach work for families / main caregivers.
Butterflies is now working with 6 Yorkshire based schools!!!
We are currently providing input around
-AD-Hoc work for SEN, SEMH, SILC's, and mainstream provisions,
-EHCP recommendations,
-Specialised knowledge to assess the classroom environment,
-Creation of sensory circuits,
-Development of emotional regulation,
-Sensory processing assessment and intervention,
-Mindfulness, and much more!
We work closely with these schools, plus more across Yorkshi
New specialist 'Cocoon and Evolve' training package launched
New training package launched July 2023
As Butterflies evolve we want your team to come out of our training cocoon so that they are skilled and confident to work with the young persons / adults who they work with. This will enhance team working, work satisfaction and enable a healthy work/life balance which will reduce staff turnover and excess costs!
We are in a great position to offer this specialist training package for schools / charities / care homes linked to:
- How to engage with young people / adults with sensory processing difficulties to meet their full potential and their independent goals,
-Identifying patterns of behaviour, and provision of suitable intervention to support that person,
-Building confidence and upskilling staff to complete individualised and group programmes,
Structure of the programme
The training includes a mix of virtual and face to face training which will keep your costs down whilst also embedding what has been learnt with staff.
There will be provision of lots of resources and hands on with equipment.
We can tailor your training by adding on extra sessions as required.
Feedback from Workshop / Training Sessions to schools
"Learnt lots of new information"
"Jenny was very clear, knowledgeable, and charismatic"
"Great content and presentation, particularly the sensory spider"
"I've gained a better understanding of our internal senses"
Occupational Therapist specialist training to schools
Butterflies Occupational Therapy provides specialist training to whole schools or certain class/years/staff around:
-Adaption of the classroom environment to ensure engagement of pupils whilst learning
-The development and use of movement breaks to support pupils to access the curriculum,
-Development of pupils emotional regulation to also enable them to access the curriculum,
-Outreach work to families/main caregivers
-Workshops for families/main caregivers as required.
This can be done as part of an inset day yearly or we can arrange regular occupational therapy input as required.
Sensory Based Motor Difficulties
Praxis is the ability to conceptualise, plan, and organise movements in order to complete unfamiliar motor tasks. •Praxis is not itself a sensory system, but rather it is a higher-level cognitive function that depends on the integration of multiple sensory systems, particularly tactile perception and proprioception in order to function efficiently.
Ideation – Planning – Execution
(Proprioception, vestibular and tactile sensory processing)
Behaviour and regulation is not just linked to sensory modulation, but also to praxis. This may be another reason pupils are dysregulated in a classroom setting.
We can provide assessment and intervention as 1:1 in the studio, and also working with schools.
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Specialist SEMH School Training Testimonial
'Initially I did not think that movement breaks / sensory circuits would work. I was fearful that my already dysregulated class would become even more turbulent, however I was willing to give them a try and I am very glad that I did. I started by implementing a sensory circuit as part of my morning routine. I wanted students to feel calm enough to sit and eat during Nurture Breakfast.
I then began to implement movement breaks straight after social times, as the class was quite heightened when returning from break and lunch.The change in the students both collectively and individually once completing a sensory circuit or movement break was quite significant. My students became much calmer and appeared to be more relaxed and focused. As a result of this the classroom environment became quieter which in turn allowed me to engage each student in a task suited to them without disruption. It has not been easy implementing this routine and I have had bumps along the way and I am still exploring different activities and circuits.
On reflection I have learnt that it is important to change up the sensory circuits and the activities which are given during the movement breaks.I would definitely recommend building movement breaks / sensory circuits into your daily routine. They have had a positive impact on my group. It is important not to give up with these routines and keep on trying them as they can change the entire classroom dynamic'.
Rachel C (School Teacher).
RESULTS: Therapeutic Schools / Classrooms
Individualised Sensory Movement Breaks
Look at this graph, we can clearly see a drop in the amount of student physical incidents. Why and how you ask? Well, these brilliant classroom staff have been implementing regular movement breaks as part of the school day and prior to an activity students find challenging, based on class and individual needs. This was following education around sensory processing and sensory regulation provided by Butterflies OT as part of their school CPD sessions as well as completion of sensory profiles of students within the class.
OT + Schools = Therapeutic classrooms + students meeting their full potential!
Visual Clutter
As part of a therapeutic classroom we want to ensure the students are not distracted by visual supports or clutter in the classroom and always do an environmental assessment of the space and what is working well, and perhaps what isn't based on the student population and individualised sensory profiles of those students.
Individualised Resource Provision
Following assessment of individual students, resources are recommended to support students with their attention, sitting posture, handwriting and feeding skills to ensure their individual needs are being met to access the school curriculum.
RESULTS: Therapeutic Schools / Classrooms
We recently (December 2024) had 3 students from Leeds Beckectt University on their role emerging placement (REP).
They completed their project in a main stream school around developing movement breaks into the school day.
The results speak for themselves and this project has been asked to be turned into a research paper! Great work! Guess what? Movement Breaks work!!
The following information is shared with consent from Nat, Ella and Aimee.
The students have found some recent evidence based research which provides evidence for the benefits of movement breaks.
The group set up a 'Ready, Steady, GO' station outside of the classroom with equipment to compliment
The results show a small initial positive progress of the intervention in all areas
These results should increase after the 12 weeks.
Monday - The pupil's tend to be more alert.
Friday - The pupil's are more under alert.
The pupil's focus, engagement and energy levels vary throughout the week.
The pupil's tend to have lower alertness levels throughout the morning, and higher alertness levels in the afternoon.
These are important facts as they help to plan movement breaks to ensure maximum impact to enable the pupils to access the curriculum to the best of their ability.
Butterflies In Schools
Sensory Exploration Sessions
Sensory Processing Difficulties Assessment
These sessions work well in school in which it is difficult to engage the pupils due to their difficulties.
This approach is blended with environment assessment, classroom observation and standardised assessment tools.
Sensory Processing Difficulties Assessment
Sensory Processing Difficulties Assessment
Sensory Processing Difficulties assessment is completed with the children who can engage with a more formal assessment structure.
Praxis difficulties, emotional regulation and mental health
Praxis difficulties, emotional regulation and mental health
Current research is suggesting that praxis challenges can have a detrimental affect on behaviour. If demands are too high for a student their arousal levels will increase and their behaviour can decrease. This can impact on their ability to access education, self esteem and mental health. We provide specialist input and training to schools and staff to support students with this.