Celebrating Young Entrepreneurs: Primary School Enterprise Challenge 2024 Awards Ceremony

Melissa Holling • Jul 09, 2024

Last week Ambispace managing director Kevin Wheatley had the great pleasure of joining the judging panel as The Barnsley Metrodome buzzed with excitement as young minds gathered for the Primary School Enterprise Challenge 2024. This annual event provides a platform for primary school students to showcase their entrepreneurial skills and compete against each other to win trophies, and this year a very special prize for the school of the overall winner. 

The Challenge

Working in teams, these budding entrepreneurs tackled a real-life business challenge to design a range of imaginative sensory spaces that would support SEND and wellbeing in their school. Through this experience, they honed essential skills such as:


Creativity: working as a team to produce innovative solutions.


Problem-Solving: Addressing practical business issues including costing their proposals.


Leadership: Guiding their teams toward success.


Presentation: Communicating their ideas effectively through use of storyboards and descriptive language in front of a Dragon’s Den style judging panel. 

The hall of contestants at the Primary School Enterprise Challenge 2024 Awards Ceremony.
The Winners

Among the standout schools were:


Edlington Victoria Academy: Their creative approach earned them recognition.


Willow Primary School: Not only did they win two awards, but they also impressed with their teamwork.


Carr Lodge Academy: Crowned the overall winner, Carr Lodge demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial spirit.

The recognition award presented by Kevin Wheatley
The Prize

Ambispace ltd have a passion for encouraging and enabling young people to raise their life aspirations and maximise their individual potential through education. It was a very proud moment when Kevin was invited by the event organiser Paul Robson to join the judging panel and add his specialist sensory knowledge to the selection of the exceptional winning entries. To show this appreciation and to encourage more schools and children to take part in future enterprise challenges, Carr Lodge Academy not only took the title and trophy of overall winners, but a wonderful new Sensory Nook that will be installed in their school by the Ambispace team for the start of the new academic year. 

Interested in joining the winners in having your very own Sensory Nook? Check out the Sensory Nook website below.

Sensory Nook✨

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Celebrating Young Entrepreneurs: Primary School Enterprise Challenge 2024 Awards Ceremony

By Melissa Holling • 09 Jul, 2024
Last week Ambispace managing director Kevin Wheatley had the great pleasure of joining the judging panel as The Barnsley Metrodome buzzed with excitement as young minds gathered for the Primary School Enterprise Challenge 2024. This annual event provides a platform for primary school students to showcase their entrepreneurial skills and compete against each other to win trophies, and this year a very special prize for the school of the overall winner.

Innovative Fibre Optic Star Wars Mat Helps Cody

By Kevin Wheatley • 11 Jan, 2024
With AmbiSpace’s new fibre optic manufacturing facility in place, we have been working hard over the last few months to create and innovate new fibre optic products to be utilised to help neurodiverse children. This month, AmbiSpace supplied a fantastic Star Wars sensory fibre optic carpet to Cody Hepple’s son, Logan. Logan has several different neurodiverse issues that can cause sensory overload, the main one being hypersensitivity. Fibre optic products have been proven to have a naturally calming effect and provide visual stimulation for people who are neurodiverse and suffer from sensory overload. Cody was thrilled with the new play mat for her son Logan and sent us a lovely comment. “The sensory fibre optic carpet is a brilliant addition that my son loves, it's easy to clean and move around and safe to touch. Logan has a multitude of problems, one being hypersensitivity. When he lays down on the rug it seems to have a calming effect on him, and he can really relax and enjoy the amazing colours while he listens to his favourite music.” Contact us to find out how we can make your favourite themed carpet come alive with the skilful integration of twinkling fibre optics

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Purpose

By Kevin Wheatley • 11 Jan, 2024
Having a clear purpose from the outset of what you want a sensory facility to do for you will help narrow down your search and avoid investing in something that doesn’t deliver as intended. Key points to decide upon are:

AmbiSpace Becomes UK Manufacturer of Specialist Fibre Optic Lighting Products

By Kevin Wheatley • 11 Jan, 2024
AmbiSpace Ltd is delighted to announce that they are expanding the company with the acquisition of machinery, equipment and materials following the closure of Flexion Optical Fibre ltd. This exciting expansion ensures AmbiSpace continue to lead the way in the industry as Sensory Specialists with the capability for production and extrusion of fibre optic lighting products. AmbiSpace Ltd is now one of only two companies in the UK producing fibre optic lighting products and the only sensory specialist company with in-house fibre optic production capabilities. Moving to a new unit near Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire, AmbiSpace is thrilled to welcome three new members to the AmbiSpace team. Steve Lewis - Head of Fibre Optics, Cheryl Wrenn – Fibre Optics Technician Supervisor and Jenny Alexander – Senior Fibre Optics Technician. Formerly of Flexion Optical Fibre Ltd, they bring over 75 years of specialist experience, knowledge, and expertise in the field of fibre optics for sensory industrial, medical, and commercial product development, manufacture, and supply.

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - A Quick Guide

By Kevin Wheatley • 11 Jan, 2024
So, you have been tasked with creating a proactive space within your school to support pupils with SEND and to help manage the mental health, social anxiety and wellbeing of pupils and students returning after lockdown. You know of and may have seen sensory rooms and products being used in specialist schools but your expertise in working with SEND pupils does not really extend into the sensory area. A quick internet search pops up numerous suppliers and a plethora of dazzling products that look amazing, but how can you narrow it down to make sure you get the most out of your budget and provide the best support for your students? Having worked with young people with special needs myself, and as a multi award winning designer of countless sensory rooms and products over the last 12 years I would like to share these focus points to help you in your quest.

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Immersive Classroom for Inclusive Learning

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Sensory Rooms - Essential Tools or White Elephant?

By Kevin Wheatley • 11 Jan, 2024
"Multi-sensory therapy is an activity which usually takes place in a dedicated room where patients experience a range of unpatterned visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile stimuli. These rooms are designed to create a feeling of comfort and safety, where the individual can relax, explore and enjoy the surroundings". (Baker et al, 1997). Sensory rooms first appeared in the Netherlands in 1970 as a safe calming space in which neurologists could observe mental health patients while they explored their surroundings using their senses. From this start the idea of a relaxing space capable of delivering multi and specific sensory stimulus evolved and expanded beyond healthcare and in to special needs education. This evolution over the next 30 years came from a very narrow base and although it spread quickly there was limited innovation of products and design as suppliers largely grew in number by existing companies splitting and replicating what had been done before. Sometimes they did this very well and sometimes not so well. I personally have visited many sensory rooms up and down the country, usually as a result of them reaching the end of their productive life and in need of updating. I have seen very good examples and some that left me with a sense of despair. What I have gained from all the places I have visited is the insight that a well designed sensory room is an extremely valuable resource for the people who use them on a daily basis.
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