The Redway School provides a holistic environment and key to this is our links with health professionals who support our pupils in achieving their best possible outcomes. This multi-agency approach is important to us, it supports our pupils and our families through collaborative and supportive relationships.
Orthopaedic Clinic
Orthopaedic is a term given to the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. A multi-disciplinary Orthopaedic clinic takes place twice monthly at The Redway School. The Paediatric Orthopaedic Consultant from Milton Keynes University Hospital visits for this clinic and children/young people are assessed jointly by the Consultant and Physiotherapist.
Its really important that parents attend these meetings in addition to other professions such as the teacher. This means the child/young person is assessed in a holistic manner, allowing for improved decision-making regarding surgery, management, or other orthopaedic input.
We believe this is the best approach for the child and the family, it provides a familiar and safe environment allowing the team around the child to be able to work together to ensure the best possible outcomes. Families often tell us that they find this to be a positive experience which removes the stress of hospital visits.
Orthotic clinic
Orthotics is a term given to equipment that supports a pupil’s physical development, typically this could be hand splints or AFO (ankle-foot orthosis), a splint that supports the correct development of the foot and ankle. School physiotherapists support the orthoptist from Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) who assesses children and young people at school. Parents are encouraged to attend appointments that are informative and collaborative.
Dysphagia & SALT
(Speech and Language Therapy)
Dysphagia is a term used to describe difficulties with eating and drinking which might involve difficulty in chewing and swallowing food safely. The Speech and language therapy service support children and young people at The Redway school who have eating and drinking needs that are the result of physical difficulties.
They are able to provide specialist assessment and ongoing support in school for your child. We find this approach to have huge benefits as the therapists can easily observe children in practical, life situations and offer supportive advice to the school team and families. Children with ‘dysphagia’ may need changes to the texture of their food and drink to ensure they maintain a healthy weight and can safely swallow when there is a risk of food or fluid going the wrong way into their lungs, instead of into their tummy.
Vision & Hearing Support
At the Redway School, many of our young people have vision and hearing impairments and many also have difficulties in using their other senses. Our world is an exciting place with lots of wonderful things to see, hear, touch and smell. Our aim is to help and encourage each child and young person to make full use of their available senses in order that they may discover this for themselves.
Our team includes two part time Specialist Teachers for Multi-Sensory Impairment (MQMSI). In addition the team benefits from a Specialist Teaching Assistant who works one day a week supporting children across the school. We work closely with children, their parents/carers and staff. We meet regularly with the audiology and ophthalmology departments at MKUH and routinely liaise with other specialist hospitals such as John Radcliffe and GOSH (Great Ormond Street Hospital). As part of our early years provision we have links with the sensory support services that are involved with children from birth and work closely with our own Home-Link staff.
The Multi-Sensory Impairment Team
The Team works alongside therapists within school (such as Speech and language, physiotherapists and Occupational therapists) and meet regularly for multidisciplinary meetings with them to ensure we offer a fully holistic service with children and their families at the centre.
For discussion or advice please contact the MSI team: msi@theredway.net
Jenny
MSI Team
Lisa
MSI Team
Our Wide Ranging Support Includes:
- One to one support
- Sensory stimulation activities
- Functional vision and hearing assessments
- Assessing for cerebral visual impairment
- Identifying the young person’s specific sensory needs
- Advise on the use of specialist equipment
- Training staff in visual and hearing impairment awareness and provision
- Training staff on touch and story massage
- Develop the use of compensatory skills
- Checking of hearing aids
- Strategies to encourage the wearing of glasses
- Personal routines
The Paediatric Complex Needs Nursing Team
Children and young people attending The Redway School are supported throughout the school day by the Nurses from the Paediatric Complex Needs Nursing Team.
Each day we have a nurse in school who works together with the staff in each class ensure the very best medical care and intervention for all our children and young people as well as completing the administration of medication round each day. The nurses also provide training for school staff on an ongoing basis – all relevant to the medical needs of our children / young people. The nurse is also supported part time by an allocated Specialist Teaching Assistant (STA) from the school.
The Community Paediatric Matron is: Lorna Kennedy.
More information is available at:
Vicky
Care team
Wendy
Care team
Sarah
Care Team