Our SEN Provision
At Aspire Academy, we believe that every child deserves to feel safe, understood and empowered to succeed. As a primary SEMH School, we recognise that children learn best when their social, emotional and mental health needs are met through consistent relationships, predictable routines and a culture of acceptance and belonging.
We are committed to providing a nurturing, trauma‑informed environment where each pupil is valued as an individual and supported to develop the confidence, resilience and skills they need to thrive. Our curriculum is carefully adapted to be accessible, engaging and meaningful for all learners, ensuring that every child can take part, make progress and experience success.
Through a deep understanding of each child’s unique profile—strengths, needs, relationships and emotional world—we work in partnership with families and professionals to create personalised support that enables pupils to grow academically, socially and emotionally. Our aim is for every child to achieve their full potential within a safe, inclusive and aspirational school community.
TIER 1 - UNIVERSAL
- Quality First Teaching
- Meet & Greet with staff and / or Therapy Dog
- Sensory support in all classrooms
- Access to sensory room
- Daily Sensory Circuits / outdoor fitness circuits
- Daily singing/choir practice
- Daily EHCP Activity Time – focusing on social skills, fine and gross motor programmes, listening and Growth Mindset skills.
- The Story Project - class wellbeing intervention
- Dyslexia Screener for all pupils Year 3 and above who can access the KS1 reading curriculum
- Speech and Language Approaches, visual supports and cues
- Occupational Therapist to recommend and provide resources for all classrooms
- Restorative Justice Conversations
- Walk & Talk
- My Happy Mind – Growth Mindset / regulation programme
- My Happy Place – Emotional Regulation Programme
- My Happy Mind Secondary Transfer Programme – for pupils in Year 6
TIER 2 - ENHANCED
- Speech & Language Support Assistant delivering SALT interventions
- Visual Stress Testing – following referral
- Beat Dyslexia 1:1 or group intervention for targeted pupils
- Beat Dyscalculia 1:1 or group intervention for targeted pupils
- Handwriting programme
- Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) Drop In sessions
- Creative Arts Therapist Drop-in sessions
- Lego Therapy Groups
- Girls Group (social skills)
- Learning for Behaviour and Emotions Class intervention led by Speech Therapist
- Physical and Motor Co-Ordination Groups led by Occupational Therapists
- Class Group Draw & Talk
- 1:1 Draw & Talk
- Self-Esteem programme
- Anger Gremlin SEMH Programme
TIER 3 - SPECIALIST
- Creative Arts Therapist – Blocks of 12 sessions - as per provision on EHCP or referral
- Dramatherapy – Block of 12 sessions - as per provision on EHCP or referral
- Speech & language Therapist Caseload – as per provision on EHCP or referral
- Occupational Therapist Caseload – as per provision on EHCP or referral
- Sand Play Therapeutic Intervention
- Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) Sessions – Block of 6 - as per provision on EHCP or referral
- Speech & Language Assessments
- Occupational Therapy Assessments
Our Interventions
Interventions (ID 1138)
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myHappymind
myHappymind
myHappymind is an NHS-backed wellbeing programme that helps children understand how their brains work and build lifelong skills for managing emotions, resilience and positive relationships. Through fun, structured modules, children learn to recognise their strengths, develop confidence and improve their overall wellbeing. The programme is fully inclusive and supports neurodiverse learners, helping create calmer, happier classrooms.
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My Happy Place
My Happy Place
My Happy Place is a nurturing wellbeing programme that helps children feel calm, safe and ready to learn. It focuses on emotional regulation, building social skills and supporting each child as an individual, helping them grow in confidence and thrive throughout the school day.
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LEGO® Therapy
LEGO® Therapy
LEGO® Therapy is a small-group programme that helps children develop communication, teamwork and social skills through collaborative LEGO building. With each child taking on a role—such as Builder, Engineer or Supplier—they practise turn-taking, problem-solving and sharing ideas. Originally created for autistic learners, it benefits any child who needs support with social communication or confidence.
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ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support)
ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support)
ELSA sessions offer children a safe and supportive space to explore and manage their emotions with a trained adult. Through 1:1 or small-group activities, children build confidence, develop friendships skills, manage worries, and learn helpful coping strategies. ELSA helps children feel secure, understood and ready to learn.
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Sensory Circuits
Sensory Circuits
Sensory Circuits is a short daily routine that helps children prepare their minds and bodies for learning. Using a sequence of energising, organising and calming activities, children develop body awareness, emotional regulation and focus, helping them start the school day feeling ready and settled.
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Meet & Greet
Meet & Greet
Our Meet & Greet offers a calm, reassuring start to the school day for children who may feel anxious or struggle with morning transitions. A trusted adult — or our school wellbeing dog — greets children at the gate or classroom door, helping them feel safe, settled and ready to learn.
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Sand Play
Sand Play
Sand Play gives children a gentle, creative way to explore feelings when words are hard to find. Using sand and miniature figures, children can express thoughts, worries or experiences through play in a safe, relaxed environment. This calming activity helps children regulate emotions, build confidence and develop problem-solving skills.
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Comic Strip Conversations
Comic Strip Conversations
Comic Strip Conversations use simple drawings and colours to help children understand social situations, conversations and other people’s thoughts and feelings. They are especially helpful for children with social communication difficulties, supporting them to ‘read between the lines’ and make sense of everyday interactions.
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Social Stories
Social Stories
Social Stories explain everyday situations in a clear, positive and personalised way to help children understand what to expect and how to respond. Written specifically for each child, they build confidence, reduce anxiety and support social understanding.
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Drawing & Talking (1:1 sessions)
Drawing & Talking (1:1 sessions)
Drawing & Talking is a 1:1 programme that helps children process worries or difficult experiences through drawing. With a trusted adult, children use their drawings to express feelings at their own pace. Over time, this gentle approach helps them feel calmer, safer and better able to learn.
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Group Drawing & Talking
Group Drawing & Talking
Group Drawing & Talking sessions give children a creative space to explore emotions, build friendships and express themselves through drawing and storytelling. It strengthens class relationships and supports emotional development in a gentle, non-therapeutic way.
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Outdoor Fitness Circuits
Outdoor Fitness Circuits
Our Outdoor Fitness Circuits offer a movement-based start to the day for children who regulate best through physical activity. Using outdoor gym equipment, drills and calming stations, pupils follow a structured sequence similar to Sensory Circuits, helping them return to class feeling grounded, focused and ready to learn.
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Beat Dyslexia
Beat Dyslexia
Beat Dyslexia is a step-by-step, multi-sensory programme that helps children who find reading, spelling or writing difficult. Using a mixture of visual, verbal and hands-on activities, the programme builds phonics, spelling patterns and literacy skills in small, achievable steps, helping children grow in confidence as readers and writers.
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Beat Dyscalculia
Beat Dyscalculia
Beat Dyscalculia is a practical, multi-sensory maths programme that supports children who find number work challenging. Using objects, games, colour, rhythm and visual models, the programme helps children build strong number foundations, understand place value and grow in confidence with maths.
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Anger Gremlin Programme
Anger Gremlin Programme
The Anger Gremlin programme helps children understand anger and learn healthy ways to manage big feelings. Through stories, puzzles and fun activities, children explore what anger feels like, what triggers it and how to calm their bodies and minds. The programme teaches them to ‘starve the Anger Gremlin’ by using positive strategies instead of angry reactions.
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Self-Esteem Programme
Self-Esteem Programme
Our Self-Esteem Programme helps children recognise what makes them unique, build confidence and develop a positive view of themselves. Through group activities and discussions, children learn to celebrate their strengths, challenge negative thoughts and develop healthy self-belief.
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Dog Mentoring
Dog Mentoring
Our Dog Mentor programme allows children to spend time with Loki, our trained school therapy dog. Interacting with Loki can help reduce anxiety, boost confidence, support emotional wellbeing and improve engagement. Pupils can meet with Loki in class or 1:1 for comfort, calmness and positive encouragement.



