Anne-Marie is a MBACP and APT, she completed the following accredited courses: BA degree in Psychology at Oakwood University USA 1988. Master of Art degree in Psychodynamic Counselling 2006 at Reading University. STOP-targeted at parents of children and young people with antisocial behaviour. Human Givens Diploma Midfield College. She is a Triple P Positive Parenting Trained Practitioner from The University of Queensland 2009 (Group Triple P; Group Teens Triple P; Pathways Triple P & Enhanced Triple P) A Postgraduate Diploma in CBT and other Evidence Based Intervention for Children and Young People 2013 UCL. DBT which resulted in her becoming a qualified Dialectal Behaviour Therapist with the Association of Psychological Therapies 2022. Anne-Marie has completed a range of Mental health training courses, including Understanding depression, low mood, self-harm, suicidal thoughts Reading University, She has undertaken others training courses in Neurodivergent ASD and ADHD Kent University. She has completed a range of management training including Middle Leadership, Developing Management Skills, Mentorship.

Anne-Marie has worked for over 35 years with complex children, young and families from a practitioner level to manager with strategical lead. She comes with a background of working and managing multidisciplinary teams. Anne-Marie has worked with local Authorities Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea as an Education Welfare Officer and then Reading Borough Council when she moved into the role of management as Exclusion and Reintegration Manager, Behaviour Support Manager and a Clinical Manager for a multi-disciplinary team. She has experience working in a strategical role closely with Headteachers and other senior leadership teams to creatively support the inclusion agenda for SEN/Pupils of risk of exclusions / Teenage Pregnancy and BME children. In her Clinical role she worked closely with schools to understand children experiencing mental health challenges; she set up the counselling provisions in schools by introducing No5 and other interventions to support children who were disaffected or battling with mental health issues. She provided counselling to adults, children and young people and completed clinical assessments. Anne-Marie believes every child/ young person's behaviour is a means of communicating their distress or challenges.

As therapeutic team we have a duty to work with every child who meets our clinical threshold and seeks and wants support. We work without judgement or bias to help them understand how their emotions and thoughts impact on their behaviour and to ultimately help them to acquire skills to enable then to live more fulfilling lives rather than being disabled by their past.

Item The Learning Support Department at High Close School is headed by Tanya Trafford, who has been with the school for almost 10 years. She has a Masters in SEND with specific interest in ASD and ADHD. She is registered by the British Psychological Society as a Specialist academic and cognitive assessor; Educational Therapist, and experienced Specialist SEN Teacher. She also has an SpLN diploma in Dyslexia.

Tanya provides 1:1 learning supporting numeracy and literacy for those who have struggled to assimilate the required levels to access the National Curriculum. In addition, she is able to assess all the Year 9s and above to provide them with the appropriate concessions and reasonable adjustments for their National Exam access arrangements. She is also able to provide a comprehensive set of diagnostic assessments to highlight areas of need both in terms of cognition and academic attainment. description

Octavia is a qualified Speech and Language Therapist who is a member of both the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health Care Professionals Council.

Octavia graduated with an honours degree in Speech and Language Therapy from the University of Reading. She has experience in working with a wide range of children and young people with various conditions and diagnosis. These include Autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Language Disorder, Verbal Dyspraxia and Social Communication difficulties. She is also trained in delivering Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills training.

Octavia believes in providing bespoke therapy and support to children and young people to ensure they have the communication skills to fulfil their academic potential, maximise their access to other therapies, and form and maintain meaningful relationships with both adults and peers.

Melisia graduated with a BA degree in Communication from the University of Johannesburg in 1988. She has worked at High Close School as a Speech and Language Therapy assistant since 2018 where she delivers 1:1 SALT therapy as well as run group aimed at improving social and emotional communications. She does ongoing accredited training and is qualified to deliver Colourful Semantics, Social Stories, Self –Esteem work and DBT groups. She has also introduced and run a weekly chess club at school where opponents of all abilities are welcome.

Sarah qualified as an Occupational Therapist from the University of Southampton in 2005. Following this, Sarah gained experience as an Occupational Therapist at Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey, where she completed 6-month rotations in Elderly Care, Acute Mental Health and Stroke. She also covered the A&E discharged service on an as and when basis over weekend until 2015.

Sarah took up her first role as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist in 2007, working for Berkshire East PCT (now Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) where she progressed to become a Senior Therapist and Clinical Lead for Triage. Sarah joined High Close School in 2018.

During her career as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, Sarah has worked with children and families from a wide variety of backgrounds. She has worked in mainstream schools, special schools and in child development clinics with children from pre-school age through to Secondary School. Sarah has Post Graduate training in Sensory Integration (Level 2, SI Network), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Sensory Attachment Intervention (foundation).

Sarah is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and is Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Jamie has worked at High Close since 2015, starting as and Learning support assistant in the classroom. Jamie does unit shifts in the evenings supporting young people with independence and LifeSkills. During 2016 an opportunity to be a part time OT assistant came up. Over time this role developed into a full-time role. Jamie completed his Higher National certificate in Occupational therapy support (2021). Jamie is now at Northampton University studying his BSC Hons in Occupational Therapy on the apprenticeship route. Jamie is an apprentice member of RCOT (Royal College of Occupational Therapists).