Last Updated - October 25, 2023
Below are summary details of the projects that were successful in improving inclusion within mainstream via the Accessibility Funding in 2018-19. Where supplied by schools, there are also comments from the successful schools with images of the work completed.
Creation of sensory area within the Reception Unit – safe, calming and sensory stimulating room within the Reception Unit to allow SEN children to develop and engage in sensory experiences without feeling frightened or overwhelmed. Resourced with lights, projections, cushions, tactile toys, calming music, soft play equipment and safety items e.g. plug covers etc.
“The money we received to go towards setting up the sensory room had provided the children of Torre Academy C of E with a fully equipped indoor sensory room with strobes, sensory mats, soft areas and plenty of resources to meet the needs of several children. In our outdoor area, we were able to develop it with a range of outdoor equipment to enhance their learning. The impact this has on our SEN children is evident for all that visit to see. Our children with sensory needs often self-regulate using this room and it has become a fantastic safe space to allow them to meet sensory seeking needs”
The provision of blinds to improve access to the learning environment for those with visual impairment.
Creation of a sensory room for children to access, to include specialist sensory walls, flooring, lighting, projectors, bubble tubes, seating, bean bags, sounds and textures. All children benefit from having a secure and safe space to relax and engage emotional thinking to help promote learning, but naturally, for children with additional needs and disabilities it can play a crucial part in their development and progress.
“The children absolutely love the new sensory room, we have found that all of them are benefitting from the holistic, calming atmosphere it is providing, it is particularly helpful for our 1:1 children too. Thank you so much for the funding, we couldn’t have achieved this without it!”
Conversion of a functional room into a calm, sensory room with soft chairs, weighted blankets, lowered ceiling, soft lighting with carpet and calming wall coverings. Provision of a safe and calming room will accelerate the process of helping young persons to re-engage with school life and their learning It is hoped that the room will play a significant role in helping to reduce school and/or lesson absence due to anxiety and that the room will enable the school to work towards significantly improved life chances for their most vulnerable students.
“The old storage/nurses room now has a much lower ceiling, making it feel a much cosier room. The colour on the wall and the dimmable lighting has helped create a soothing space and removing the large sink and shelves give much more sitting space. The new smaller sink placed in the toilet makes the toilet still useable. In the mornings before school and during breaks and lunches up to 3 students at any one time use the room. Most of these are EHCP students but other highly anxious autistic students also use the room on a daily basis. The room is also used frequently during the day for students to spend time regulating themselves, or during their dropped lessons to complete work. We keep some lego, puzzles and calming items in the room so that it much more of the student’s room, rather than a multi-use meeting room and they feel very much that it is their space. They have named it the ‘chill out room’ and created a sign for the door. At present the walls are bare to create a calm space with no distractions, but we will liaise with the key students to discuss if they would like anything else in there. It has been a much needed addition to enable us to cater for our higher needs students who require 1:1 TAs at all times, particularly for 2 of our new yr 7 EHCP students and a highly anxious yr 9 student who has recently been diagnosed with autism.”
Creation of a level path with suitable surface, wide enough for an electric wheelchair. The outcome would be increased inclusivity in PE and sports for wheelchair users.
“The camber on this entrance meant that our child who uses a wheelchair felt very unsafe accessing the playing field. The child now gets down there in safety and, weather permitting, plays on the field and joins in with sporting events with the other children”.
Alterations required to accommodate two students moving from the Waterleat Road Site to the Borough Road Site. To include altered access on site for powered wheelchairs. Improve physical access to classrooms and specialist equipment.
Works to extend current pastoral room to create a large, more open and dedicated area for all social, emotional and mental health interventions. The space will be redecorated and equipped with calming resources and comfortable seating.
The conversion of an internal filing space in the Sixth form student study area into a calm sensory room with soft chairs, weighted blankets, soft lighting with carpet and calming wall coverings.
The room is next to the Sixth form office and allows for easy access by pastoral staff to the students who will be using the room. Installation of good quality recessed speakers and a wifi audio unit to enable acoustic isolation of the room from outside distractions. CFGS experience significant success with pastoral and SEND services post 16, but are very short of the appropriate space necessary to support their most vulnerable students. The premium on space is often felt at free association times and it is these times that can be the most challenging for students who have particular needs around anxiety and social interaction.
Creation of a forest school area to allow specific children to develop and manage their SEMH in a different environment beyond the classroom.
Building a wooden bridge to gain access
Site a storage shed for equipment
Purchase equipment
Development of nurture provision. This provision will provide an additional learning, calming and sensory space for children who are struggling to access the curriculum in a classroom environment. It will provide a calming, free environment that will allow adults to meet children’s sensory, emotional and social needs as well as allowing them to access the curriculum in a style that is more appropriate to their needs.
Quote from Hannah Dillon – Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCo) – “This year we have had a higher number of children with more complex needs join the school. Our new nurture provision has provided many more inclusive opportunities for these children that allows them to access additional resources, a calming space to learn, explore and share experiences with others. It has also been a wonderful resource for children within the school that would benefit from sensory activities, messy play and quiet time to explore and understand their emotions. The new provision has been a fantastic addition to the school and we are very thankful for the capital bid funding we received”.
