A Case Study
Meet Oscar. When Oscar (not his real name) joined MacIntyre School he was very anxious, meaning he regularly left the classroom; found it hard being around other children, and found it difficult to regulate and stay calm. Oscar also struggled with eating and drinking and regularly injured himself when getting ready for school.
When we met Oscar we knew he needed a safe space to retreat to when overwhelmed so we ensured his classroom included a side room which helped him feel safe and adjust to his new environment.
Working closely with Oscar's family, MacIntyre’s specialist teams and staff teams ensured a consistent approach to his support.
Since being at MacIntyre School, Oscar’s confidence has grown significantly. He gets involved with group activities and engages in various tasks and sensory activities both inside and outside the classroom; he is really taking it all in his stride.
He is interacting with his peers, and enjoys shared activities with a particular friend. His anxiety has reduced and his social skills have grown, he started eating lunch at the group table with others, which shows how far he has come. And, although unconventional, he drinks regularly using his watering can, which he finds comfortable and fun, and doubles up well for water play.
Oscar doesn’t use speech to communicate so he started using an electronic Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ACC) device. With the combined support of the class team, his family, and the speech and language therapy team, he has expanded his vocabulary and improved his communication skills and now uses a voice output communication aid (VOCA), giving him a voice.
At MacIntyre School, we believe every child can achieve ‘above and beyond’. We’re all really proud to witness what Oscar has achieved in his first three years at MacIntyre and are excited about what the future holds for him.
