School Observation & Consultation in Singapore
- Home
- Our Services
SCHOOL OBSERVATION & CONSULTATION
Understand what is happening where it happens
Our School Observation & Consultation is the school-based version of our Initial Consultation. It is most useful when the behaviour or concern you are worried about is happening mainly at school.
Rather than trying to recreate the situation in a clinic, one of our clinicians observes the student in their usual school environment so we can understand what is happening around the behaviour, how the student responds to everyday demands, and what may be helping or getting in the way.
The consultation includes an unobtrusive 1.5-hour school observation, a 30-minute interview with the teacher, and a written report with our findings, recommendations and suggested next steps.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SETTING
When is a school observation the better starting point?
The best consultation setting is usually the one that gives us the clearest view of the concern. If the difficulty happens mainly in class, during transitions, around peers or within school routines, observing it in context can be more useful than trying to reproduce it elsewhere.
Usually more useful when concerns occur across settings, when we need direct interaction or structured probes, or when the main question is broader than school functioning.
Usually more useful when the concern is specific to school, such as classroom participation, attention, task refusal, transitions, regulation, peer interaction or reliance on adult support.
WHAT HAPPENS
What happens during the 2-hour School Observation & Consultation?
We observe the student in their usual school environment with as little disruption as possible. The aim is to see the normal routines, demands and interactions surrounding the concern.
We speak with the teacher to understand what they have noticed, when the difficulty tends to occur, what has already been tried, and what successful participation looks like in that classroom.
You receive a written report summarising our observations, findings, recommendations and suggested next steps.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
The behaviour makes more sense when we can see the context
We are not simply counting how often a behaviour happens. We are trying to understand the pattern around it: what tends to happen before, what the student does, what happens afterwards, and what the environment may be asking of them.
The goal is not to audit the classroom or judge the student or teacher. We are there to understand the interaction between the student, the task and the environment so that recommendations are practical for the setting.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Leave with a clearer picture of what may help at school
The purpose of the consultation is clarity. The observation should help explain what may be contributing to the difficulty and what the most useful next step could be.
There is no automatic requirement to begin ongoing support with Tesserae after the consultation.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Start with a Discovery Call
All new enquiries begin with a complimentary Discovery Call. Tell us what the school has noticed, where the concern tends to happen and what you would like help understanding.
We will advise whether a centre-based Initial Consultation or a School Observation & Consultation is likely to give us the clearest starting point.
If school observation is recommended, the school will need to approve the visit. We can provide the relevant information needed to help coordinate the observation.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What do parents and schools usually ask?
Do I need the school's permission?
Yes. Because the observation takes place on school premises, the school will need to approve the visit. We can provide information about the purpose and scope of the observation to support coordination.
Will the observation disrupt the class?
We aim to keep the observation as unobtrusive as possible so that we can see the student’s usual classroom routines and interactions. The exact arrangement will depend on the school’s requirements and the setting being observed.
Is this the same as school shadowing?
No. A School Observation & Consultation is a time-limited assessment and consultation used to understand what is happening and recommend next steps. School shadowing or in-school Behaviour Support involves direct, ongoing support during the school day. Learn about our in-school support →
What if the concerns also happen outside school?
That may mean a centre-based Initial Consultation is a better starting point, or that school observation is still useful if the school context is where the main difficulty is most visible. We can help you decide during the Discovery Call.
Not sure whether we should observe at school or meet at the centre?
Start with a complimentary Discovery Call. Tell us where the concerns are showing up and we will recommend the consultation format that is likely to give us the clearest picture.