sensory-nook

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - A Quick Guide

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:03:08 GMT

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.

PURPOSE

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.

We will be exploring “Purpose” more in the next part of our guide.

PLACE

Why “place” you might wonder, and not space or room size? The answer is because space can be controlled and size is not a major factor in creating an effective sensory area, depending of course on how many people you wish to fit in to it at one time.

We will be exploring “Place” more in the third part of our guide.

CONTROL

This is the most important factor in creating a successful sensory facility. There are two main elements to consider – Environmental and Interactive.

We will be exploring “Control” more in the fourth part of our guide.

EQUIPMENT

We will be exploring “Equipment” more in the fifth part of our guide.

QUALITY & SAFETY

Sensory facilities are frequently used by vulnerable people in society and that usage can often be quite robust. It is important therefore that the Sensory equipment, designs and installation are all of a high standard.

We will be exploring “Quality & Safety” more in the sixth part of our guide.

Sensory Nook A Winner At EDspaces Innovation Awards

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:02:40 GMT

We’re proud and excited for the recognition of the Sensory Nook as an Award Winner at this year’s EDspaces Innovation Awards .

Recognising innovative product design for learning environments, EDspaces and Learning By Design partnered to recognise design excellence across a variety of categories. Products were evaluated on the different components of their positive impact on future learning spaces.

Comments from judges on the Sensory Nook included:

“FINALLY a product that is Innovative! I am very impressed with this product.”

“This concept of a study pod … that is designed for kids with special needs is new to me.”

“Clearly there was a lot of thought into every detail of this product and it shows.”

“I really appreciate the sustainability story with the product and its design.”

“ Awesome job!”

Sensory Nooks are a mobile, plug and play solution to help neurodiverse people cope with challenging environments.

They create an encapsulated environment to positively influence mood, reduce challenging behavior & anxiety levels before reaching meltdown and in so doing prevent challenging behavior. The result of this is less exclusion and much greater opportunity to access experiences most people take for granted.

Sensory Nooks are a highly inclusive adaptable space particularly effective for neurodiversity including Autism, ADHD & Dyslexia, providing a calming refuge for social & emotional challenges. It is a practical way to reduce exclusion in the workspace, classroom and in public.

Sensory Nook’s mobile and open design allow for the user to not be removed from the environment, but instead improve socialization by remaining connected to their surroundings.

The EDspaces win adds to the extensive recognition Nook Wellness Pods has received this year for knowledge leadership and effectiveness in support of wellness and support for the neurodiverse, including approval by the IBBCES as a Certified Autism Resource.

BBC Radio Humberside Sensory Nook Feature

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:59:43 GMT

During Covid lockdown we found ourselves with several Sensory Nooks that would normally be going out to support people with special needs at events and exhibitions, sat gathering dust in storage. This seemed to us a waste of a great resource especially at a time of such pressure on people’s wellbeing.

So we got in touch with the Health tree Foundation for North Lincolnshire who work within the NHS to provide additional support for patients to help their recovery beyond medical procedures. We asked if they would like to use the Sensory Nooks to provide calming and controlled stimulation for their patients.

They said yes and Sensory Nooks have been located in the Children’s Unit at the Diana Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and the Neuro Rehabilitation Unit in Goole and District Hospital. Here is an interview from Humberside Radio with Emma from the HealthTree Foundation, where she describes how successfully the Sensory Nooks are working out for patients and staff.

BBC Radio Humberside - Health Tree Foundation

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Purpose

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:45:58 GMT

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 is 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 the curriculum or support learning directly?

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.

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Place

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:32:37 GMT

Why “place” you might wonder, and not space or room size?

The answer is because space can be controlled and size is not a major factor in creating an effective sensory area, depending of course on how many people you wish to fit in to it at one time.

The place is more important because it needs to be accessible to be effective. If you have one sensory facility, and it is on the far side of school it is not going to be of great help when a pupil in your classroom is starting to display signs of rising anxiety. By the time you reach it with them they are likely to be close to a crisis state and it is going to take a lot longer for them to be able to self-regulate and re-join the class.

The closer the sensory provision is to the need, the more effective it is going to be in supporting your pupils and students. Ideally every classroom would have a Sensory Nook inside or nearby where pupils who need support can cycle in and out throughout the day to help them keep an even balance, deliver their best performance and maximise their wellbeing.

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Control

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:26:27 GMT

This is the most important factor in creating a successful sensory facility. There are two main elements to consider:

Environmental

It is true that a change is as good as a rest. Being able to step out of the current environment and into an adaptive less challenging one, even for just a short break, allows people to self-regulate, lower anxiety and recharge their endurance.

Noise is the number one barrier to Autistic people being able to tolerate everyday situations. It is painful, frustrating and exhausting for them to endure for prolonged periods. Reducing external input or masking with white noise provides significant relief and extends the time they are able to manage their day

Lighting affects the mood of everyone, including visually impaired people as light is absorbed through the skin. Colour lighting makes us feel different emotions. It can also impact upon the abilities of neurodiverse students to be able to function effectively and deliver to their full potential.

Interactive

Thanks for reading. Looking for the other parts to the Sensory for Mainstream Schools guide? We’ve got you covered below:

Want to know more or have a question of your own? Please feel free to get in touch.

info@sensorynook.co.uk

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Quality & Safety

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:12:08 GMT

Does the supplier have a positive track record in the industry sector, do they understand the special needs you are working to support?

Do they have references from clients whose needs were similar to your own?

Does the equipment have CE or British Standards marks? Not all imported items are produced to the same standard as UK manufactured products. Plastics should always be phthalate free and under no circumstances should glass fibres be present in fibre optic products.

Does the supplier have any professional recognition such as IBCCES Certified Autism Resource or CHAS accreditation? This demonstrates they have been independently assessed for quality, suitability, and safety.

Do they have qualified installation teams who can provide you with appropriate risk and method statements?

Do they offer genuine guarantees, warranties and after sales support? Ask for references for this to give you piece of mind that your investment will be well looked after now and in the future.

Thanks for reading. Looking for the other parts to the Sensory for Mainstream Schools guide? We’ve got you covered below:

If you would like to know more about the wonderful world of sensory, need expert advise or have a project to discuss contact:

info@sensorynook.co.uk

01724 712378

Sensory For Mainstream Schools - Equipment

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:12:01 GMT

Each element of equipment within a sensory space should serve a purpose and offer something different to ensure you have optimum opportunity to meet individual needs and preferences. Whilst sensory equipment is deliberately bold and attractive it should be balanced to prevent sensory overload. Look for equipment that is strongly made, easy to clean and simple to use. Products that use water can look amazing, but they are high maintenance to keep clean, functional and safe. There are modern alternatives available using programmed light effects that add more functionality and require no maintenance.

A few sensory effects to be considered would include:

Enclosure for emotional security and comfort.

Mood influencing lighting.

Visual focal points of different sizes and brightness for calming distraction and concentration.

Moving and interactive light effects for visual tracking and engagement.

Tactile elements such as fibre optic strands for fidgeting and weighting.

Interactive cause and effect activities for focus and engagement.

Sounds or music for calming and stimulation.

Scent for memory stimulation and recall.

Thanks for reading. Looking for the other parts to the Sensory for Mainstream Schools guide? We’ve got you covered below:

If you would like to know more about the wonderful world of sensory, need expert advise or have a project to discuss contact:

info@sensorynook.co.uk

01724 712378