New £740m Fund To Support SEND Students In Mainstream Schools

The UK government has just announced £740 million in funding to increase support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools. This funding, part of a larger £6.7 billion education budget, will be used to help make school buildings more accessible.

In addition to structural adaptations, it’s been suggested that sensory rooms will also play a crucial role in supporting pupils with SEND. These specialist rooms are designed as a safe and supportive space for students to rebalance their senses and self-regulate their moods and emotions.

Benefits of Sensory Rooms in Schools

• Reduces sensory overload: Helps students manage overwhelming stimuli.
• Provides a calming environment: A safe space for students to de-escalate during stressful moments.
• Improves emotional regulation: Helps students maintain better emotional control.
• Enhances focus and concentration: A peaceful environment aids in better engagement with learning.
• Supports sensory processing: Allows children to explore sensory experiences at their own pace.
• Promotes inclusion: Provides a supportive environment for students with diverse sensory needs.

How Do Sensory Rooms Transform Learning?

Here at Rhino UK, we specialise in designing and installing bespoke sensory rooms for special and mainstream school environments. Our sensory rooms are specially designed to support the needs and abilities of the pupils who will be using the space. They’re typically equipped with inclusive and accessible resources like interactive bubble tubes, calming fibre optics, and soft, safe padding.

Discover more about the transformative power of sensory rooms with our video case study at Miriam Lord Primary:

After installing an inclusive sensory room at the school, Head Teacher Bryan Harrison was really impressed with the transformative effects the space had on the behaviour of his most dysregulated students.

“There’s a young student at our school with a very, very high level of need. She came into school one morning severely dysregulated. We brought her into the sensory room, and within 10 seconds, without exaggeration, she calmed instantly.

I turned to my colleague and just said, that was worth the money alone, wasn’t it? That moment gives you an idea of what a sensory room can offer in the right situation” – Bryan Harrison, Executive Headteacher, Miriam Lord Primary School.

Were really impressed that the government seem to be taking an interest in supporting the needs of children with SEND, autism and disabilities. We hope that the proposed £740m investment makes a real difference to the learning and development of SEND children in mainstream education.