“I think it works really well after lunchtime when they are overstimulated. They are coming in and it is giving them a space to calm down before they actually start on work. It is solving a lot of issues that would have been in place beforehand.”

“I know for a fact that there is a huge impact on wellbeing- just for the fact they are in the classrooms! Parents gave feedback on the children’s transitions recently, they are saying the kids can’t wait to come to school! Before they were not accessing any learning. But they are all sat around the table doing phonics, So, we are all excited! I can’t thank you enough! It has been incredible. I am so glad I called you. I have no before and after evidence but I do have a huge amount of experience in the field and have opened other provisions before, even with small classrooms and it hasn’t been like this!

It has been such a privilege to do this with you. they are all going full-time – these kids have not done a full day in years. They are all saying I can’t wait to come back.

The room definitely has a really calm feel about it and in my opinion (although still early days) this is having an effect on the children. The table setup has had a positive impact on communication activities – the children are far more cohesive and work collaboratively. Initially, I had concerns about the children not having trays for their belongings, but having given each table a basket, the children now have collective responsibility for looking after their belongings, and we no longer have letters stuffed in trays (never to make it home!).

We love the classroom and we are so glad that we had the refurbishment. It is very much a focal point of the school – visitors love it, the younger children enjoy popping in to see it, and it has become the staff meeting room of choice!

We had such an overwhelmingly positive reaction from pupils, parents and staff that we then decided to refurbish our KS2 classrooms in this manner. Our children say that the refurbished classrooms are comfortable and enable them to concentrate more. Staff say they have more connection with the children as those at the back are seated at higher tables so have direct eye contact with the teacher and are not obscured by pupils in front. The children say the rooms have a ‘family’ feel and they can concentrate better.
They enjoy the flexible seating approach and often choose to lie on the floor or sit on the floor with a lap tray in front of them at which they work. Others stand or sit at the high tables. There is a noticeable improvement in concentration on work activities for children with ADHD. It can look very strange and different when visitors are in school but they all remark on how quiet and focused the children are.
Throughout school, we have seen a vast improvement in behaviour and relationships between pupils and they take more responsibility for looking after resources and keeping school tidy. We are so convinced of the positive benefits on children’s wellbeing that the changes to the environment have had that we are now about to refurbish the KS1 classrooms to create therapeutic style classrooms for our 5 – 7 year olds.

“I have never seen the children this calm”

“The impact is really hard to put into words. We have happy children who love coming to school and who want to learn. We have children who no longer attack staff, kick in walls and trash rooms!”

“We have seen the benefits of this room in such a short space of time. Children who were previously reluctant to come in, are now here on time, ready to learn. Children with additional needs are able to self-regulate and we have even experienced a child taking a nap on the couch for 10 minutes and then returning to their learning more refreshed!

I would never have imagined it having such a positive effect on our children, but it does – it works!”

“For children who have complex trauma backgrounds and children who are anxious the space feels safe and somewhere where they will be supported and allowed to make mistakes. The space tells them that the staff and the school care about them. However, the classroom does not only support children with attachment and trauma needs. All our children feel that learning in this space is easier because they feel calm and have space to think.The rooms have had a positive impact on staff wellbeing and now all our meetings are held there because they are the best places in the school to work and think creatively.”