Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Purpose
Kevin Wheatley • January 11, 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:
1. Is it to support a specific individual or for wider use?
Specific means it will be closely tailored to meet a narrow set of needs and behaviours. Wider use will require greater flexibility and adaptation within the space.
Specific
Tailored to the individual, focusing on the specific needs and behaviours of the user
Wider Use
Greater flexibility for multiple users and adaptation of the space
2. Is it a refuge area to manage crisis situations and meltdowns?
These areas need to be extra resilient and very safe when put under extremes of pressure. They should be actively calming and not simply padded rooms.
3. Is it for sensory calming or controlled stimulation?
Calming spaces may need room to lie down and relax, whilst stimulation may need interactive equipment and room to move about to release excess energy. Multisensory facilities meet a range of different needs, are more flexible in how you can use them and ensure you get maximum usage out of your investment.
4. Is it for educational purposes, to map into curriculum or support learning delivery?
- Experiential learning is a powerful tool. As is being able to deliver your best performance supported by subtly supportive sensory add ins to an otherwise traditional classroom environment.
- One to one work spaces do not need to isolate individuals but provide a protective bubble within a larger space.
Check back next week as we delve into the next article exploring the topic of “Place” when developing your own sensory space.
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The Nook Stop is coming on 3rd April 2025!
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.
In a ground-breaking initiative, Pentonville Prison has unveiled its new neurodiversity unit, complete with a state-of-the-art sensory room designed and installed by sensory specialists, AmbiSpace Ltd . This innovative rehabilitation room aims to enhance the well-being and self-regulation of inmates with neurodiverse conditions that in prison frequently leads to challenging behaviour and self harm.
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
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.
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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"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.