Schools across Islington are getting quieter classrooms, sensory spaces and better outdoor learning areas through a £9.5 million programme to make mainstream education more inclusive for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Islington Council said its SEND Capital Investment Programme is funding improvements at 39 schools across the borough, supporting children with a range of needs to learn, play and thrive in mainstream education. The council announced the progress update on Wednesday 4 November.
One of the first projects to be completed has delivered acoustic improvements in 10 schools, tackling noise and sensory overload in busy spaces such as dining halls and classrooms. At Robert Blair School, acoustic treatment installed over the summer has already transformed the dining hall experience for pupils. Executive Headteacher Lisa Horton said it had made a really positive difference to the experience and inclusion of pupils, reducing sensory and noise overload and providing a more positive, less institutional lunch experience.
Alongside acoustic upgrades, schools are creating sensory rooms, quiet spaces, movement rooms, sensory gardens and improved access to outdoor learning areas. Some projects include wayfinding improvements to help pupils navigate school environments confidently.
At Moreland Primary School, new sensory breakout spaces and play areas have already had a positive impact on pupils. Headteacher Catherine Lawrence said the improvements have made a huge difference for children who need additional support and flexibility, adding that every day looks different for these pupils and the school needs to be able to adapt. They have already had a positive impact on attendance rates. Ruqia, a parent at Moreland, said the playground’s new sensory equipment and segregated layout have given her son Ali the space to use his energy, and that it has got him back in school: she now only has to say “terrace” and he is happy to come in.
The programme also places children at the heart of the design process. At St John’s Upper Holloway CE Primary School, pupils recently worked with architects to help shape plans for a new sensory garden, sharing ideas for calming spaces, wildlife habitats, water features, planting and areas for quiet reflection.
The programme is funded through the Department for Education’s High Needs Provision Capital Allocation, with additional community infrastructure and developer funding supporting some projects. Councillor Sheila Chapman, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Families, said every child deserves to learn in an environment where they feel comfortable, supported and able to succeed, and that the investment is helping schools create spaces that reduce barriers to learning and support children and young people with SEND to thrive alongside their peers.
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