Interventions

Our school day is organised to meet the needs of the young people in our care, and whilst it is structured, we know that flexibility is key for the majority of our pupils.

As part of the Holton offering, we build in various interventions depending on need, to help build confidence, teach regulation and improve communication skills. Our interventions are interlinked with our Self-Cos.

You can read more about our Self-Cos here.

Interventions include, but are not limited to:

• Therapeutic and psychological support provided in-house or via partner agencies.
• Emotional literacy and relational approaches.
• Sensory and physical interventions, including reflection rooms, sensory rooms and movement breaks (or brain breaks).
• Outdoor, creative and experiential learning, including animal assisted therapy.

One of the latest provisions at Holton is Equine Therapy. A small group of students from across our school sites visit a local facility once a week where they care for the horses, grooming, feeding and walking them, in the presence of trained counsellors, to help them grow emotionally, physically, and socially in a safe, fun, and non-judgmental environment. As horses are gentle, sensitive animals, they connect with children in a way that traditional “sit-down” therapy often can’t.

We also have our very own Therapy Dog, Marley, who spends most of his time at our Osbournby site. Marley is a calming, non-judgmental friend for our pupils. He is here to help lower stress and provide a safe, comforting presence. Pupils might spend time petting the dog to help them settle down when they feel anxious, or they might practise reading out loud to the dog to build their confidence without worrying about making mistakes.