hello@ohs.uk
WHAT WE DO And HOW WE DO IT
In 2022, we celebrated our tenth year as 'outstanding' specialists in education and therapy for pupils who have suffered adverse childhood experiences. These are known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that can have negative, lasting effects on physical and emotional health and well-being.ACEs, and include trauma and Children experience toxic stress as a result of strong, frequent, and/or repeated suffering without adequate support from an adult.toxic stress. Our all-qualified team of teachers and therapists 'work as one' with pupils aged 5 to 16 who benefit from a therapeutic curriculum focused on meeting their social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.
- Pupils' safety always comes first. Our systems for keeping pupils safe go 'above and beyond' the requirements for schools. Teaching pupils about safety and healthy relationships is at the core of our curriculum.
- Our unique, all-qualified professional workforce consists of teachers and therapists only. They 'work as one' to provide an innovative therapeutic curriculum.
- Our 'always positive' and 'structured but flexible' approaches improve pupils' behaviour and attitudes over time.
- We are committed to equality for all.
- Our exceptional leaders are held to account by our expert independent governors.
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OUR SPECIALIST CURRICULUM
Our curriculum is ambitious and effective. It focuses sharply on developing pupils socially, emotionally and academically. As well as getting the therapy they need, our all-qualified team of experts teach pupils a broad range of subjects. The curriculum is complemented by an enriching extra-curricular programme, including daily after-school clubs.
OUR MOST RECENT INSPECTIONS
LATEST Ofsted REPORTS: OHS, LONDON LATEST Ofsted REPORTS: OHS, ESSEX INTERNAL EVALUATION: OHS, ESSEX- Octavia House does everything well. From providing pupils with high-quality support, to ensuring the curriculum is carefully designed, the school is highly effective.
- Leaders’ decisions about the curriculum and therapeutic provisions are based on their expert knowledge of how best to support pupils’ needs.
- This is a school that puts pupils front and centre. There are countless ways in which staff help pupils reach their full potential.
- The therapeutic and academic curriculums are woven together seamlessly. The focus on enabling pupils to self-regulate and manage their emotions is highly successful.
- Leaders ensure that safeguarding is at the top of their agenda. They use their considerable expertise to ensure that pupils are kept safe in school and feel safe.
OUR THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
Louisa is our senior lead therapistOur seamless approach to therapy means that therapists and teachers 'work as one' to support pupils' social, emotional, behavioural and educational development.
We hold therapy and a therapeutic approach at the heart of everything we do, understanding that if pupils feel emotionally and mentally well, they are able to play and learn with interest and enthusiasm.
We are proud to provide the following range of therapies... - Art
ART THERAPY
April provides art therapy across our schools. She facilitates child-centred, creative therapy using art as a tool for connection and understanding of the pupils' inner world, their feelings and experiences. Art therapy is used to improve self awareness, self esteem, promote insights and develop emotional regulation. - Canine
Canine Therapy
We have canine therapy across all of our schools.
Some of our dogs are volunteers and some belong to staff members. The dogs help to support pupils' emotional regulation and well-being.
Please see our families portal for a short video exploring the therapeutic benefits of having dogs at school.
- drama
DRAMATHERAPY
Louisa is a drama therapist. Dramatherapy uses creativity and the imagination to support feelings
.It can help pupils to understand different emotions and to build confidence. In these sessions pupils can share their thoughts and experiences in a safe way using role-play, storytelling, sand-play, lots of different objects, art materials, poetry and creative writing.
- EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (EP)
Aysun is our educational psychologist. She provides assessments to further support our pupils in accessing the learning environment. Aysun works alongside both therapists and teachers in order to assess our pupils' needs and to develop strategies to help them. She will also meet with families to discuss what they see at home and to offer additional support where needed. - Family Support
Family Support
Our lead therapists (Louisa at Vauxhall and Walworth; Ben at Kennington; Charlotte at Great Baddow) provide our families with therapeutic support, tailored to meet the needs of the individual family - whether flexible and ad-hoc or weekly, online or face-to-face, individually or with their child. We work in an integrated way, using a variety of therapeutic tools that support families for meaningful and transformative change. - Integrative
INTEGRATIVE THERAPY
Integrative therapy is flexible, child-led and adapted to meet pupils' complex needs. Pupils can choose different ways to share their thoughts and feelings. These may include play, drama, music or art. Our therapists work with pupils in the classroom as well as offering therapy sessions in the therapy room. - Music
Music Therapy
Ben is our music therapist. He uses music and song writing to help pupils share their feelings and experiences. Aims of therapy include relieving stress, problem-solving, understanding emotions, increasing levels of self-confidence and improving relationships. In music therapy pupils can play a range of instruments, make recordings and share music by their favourite artists. - OCCUPATIONAL
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT)
Lenez and Martha are our occupational therapists. Occupational therapy can help pupils with various needs including the need to
move around or difficulty sitting still. This, in turn, can help to build confidence, self-esteem and improve access to learning. Lenez and Martha create plans to support the development of key skills needed for pupils to learn and complete everyday tasks. They work with pupils both in the classroom and in specialist therapy spaces. - PLAY
PLAY THERAPY
Charlotte is our play therapist. Play therapy uses different ways of playing to help pupils develop confidence in talking to others.
Play therapy sessions may include using sand, arts and crafts and a range of toys. Play therapy is a place where you can think about how you are feeling and share different experiences in a safe way.
- SPEECH AND LANGUAGE
SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPY (SaLT)
Bethan is our speech and language therapist. She assesses pupils to help us understand whether there are additional speech and language needs that can be better supported in school. If additional needs are identified a pupil may then be offered group therapy, one-to-one speech and language therapy and/or indirect therapeutic support, both in the classroom or in a therapy room.
KEEPING OUR PUPILS SAFE
Joanne is our designated safeguarding lead Pupils' safety always comes first, and is everybody's responsibility. Joanne leads on keeping everybody safe. She is responsible for all aspects of child protection, safeguarding and health & safety.
We pay regard to statutory guidance, including the latest version of 'Keeping Children Safe in Education'.
Our key safeguarding documents are available here:
Our Schools
To refer a pupil with an EHC plan for their SEMH needs, please email referrals@ohs.uk
Please note that our schools do not cater for pupils with autism. We do not facilitate visits to our schools without a formal consultation from a prospective pupil's local authority.
For any other help, please email hello@ohs.uk
Please note that we do not accommodate student/trainee placements or make use of volunteers.
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Octavia House School Vauxhall, London
Key Stages 1 & 2
Vauxhall Street, London SE11 5LG
020 3651 4396 (option 1)
Assistant principal
Ms Ross -
Octavia House School Walworth, London
Key Stage 3
Larcom Street, London SE17 1RT
020 3651 4396 (option 2)
Assistant principal
Mr Dickens -
Octavia House School Kennington, London
Key Stage 4
214b Kennington Road, London SE11 6AU
020 3651 4396 (option 3)
Assistant principal
Ms Knight -
OCTAVIA HOUSE SCHOOLGreat Baddow, Essex
Key Stages 1 & 2
High Street, Great Baddow CM2 7HH
020 3651 4396 (option 4)
Assistant principal
Ms Aboukhshem
The executive principal is Patrik Foster.
The CEO is James Waite.
The proprietor body for both Octavia House Schools, London and Octavia House Schools, Essex is Octavia House Schools Limited (08047473), registered at 37 Warren Street, London W1T 6AD.
Richard Leonard chairs the proprietor and governing bodies of both schools. He is contactable in writing at the Kennington address above or by telephone via the main switchboard.
The governing body comprises an expert group of highly-experienced inspectors, leaders and therapists.
Our external governors are: Emily Barlow, Lesley Cox, Barney Payne and John Seal.