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The sensory school: working with teachers, parents and pupils to create good sensory conditions

Nicola Martin (Department of Education, London South Bank University, London, UK)
Damian Elgin Maclean Milton (Department of Education, London South Bank University, London, UK)
Joanna Krupa (Department of Education, London South Bank University, London, UK)
Sally Brett (London South Bank University, London, UK)
Kim Bulman (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)
Danielle Callow (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)
Fiona Copeland (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)
Laura Cunningham (London South Bank University, London, UK)
Wendy Ellis (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)
Tina Harvey (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)
Monika Moranska (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)
Rebecca Roach (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)
Seanne Wilmot (Merton Special Teaching Alliance, London, UK)

Advances in Autism

ISSN: 2056-3868

Article publication date: 9 April 2019

Issue publication date: 16 April 2019

1311

Abstract

Purpose

An alliance of schools and researchers formed a collaborative community of practice in order to understand and improve the sensory school environment for pupils on the autistic spectrum, and incorporate the findings into school improvement planning. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Representatives of special and mainstream schools in South London and a team of researchers formed the project team, including an autistic researcher. The researchers and a named staff member from each of the schools met regularly over the course of 18 months in order to work on an iterative process to improve the sensory experience pupils had of the school environment. Each school completed sensory audits and observations, and was visited by members of the research team. Parents were involved via meetings with the research team and two conferences were organised to share findings.

Findings

Useful outcomes included: developing and sharing of good practice between schools; opportunities for parents of autistic pupils to discuss their concerns, particularly with someone with insider perspective; and exploration of creative ways to achieve pupil involvement and the idea that good autism practice has the potential to benefit all pupils. A resource pack was produced for the schools to access. Plans are in place to revisit the initiative in 12 months’ time in order to ascertain whether there have been long-term benefits.

Originality/value

Projects building communities of practice involving autistic people as core team members are rare, yet feedback from those involved in the project showed this to be a key aspect of shared learning.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The Alliance funded the research.

Citation

Martin, N., Milton, D.E.M., Krupa, J., Brett, S., Bulman, K., Callow, D., Copeland, F., Cunningham, L., Ellis, W., Harvey, T., Moranska, M., Roach, R. and Wilmot, S. (2019), "The sensory school: working with teachers, parents and pupils to create good sensory conditions", Advances in Autism, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 131-140. https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-09-2018-0034

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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