A school in Dalton is fundraising to finance their sensory room project, which will allow them to help and support all students.

The headteacher of Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School,  Scott Macmillan said he has noticed an increase in the number of children with special needs, especially sensory issues.

Sensory issues relate to the processing of information from the senses, such as sight and sound, and is often noticed in children who are diagnosed with autism. Children with sensory issues often get overwhelmed by things like light, noise and touch which can cause them to act out. This can be quite distracting in a classroom, so adding a safe space will make a big difference.

After Mr Macmillan joined the school 18 months ago, there was a changing and reordering of the classroom layout which left space for a sensory room.

Mr Macmillan shared his vision for the school’s new sensory room, which will include Fiber Optic LEDs, a UV floor, movement sensors, black out windows and infinity tunnels.

He said the room will function both as a place for children to enjoy and as a safe space to be used for de-escalation if a student becomes overwhelmed in lessons. The space will be dedicated to sensory play and function as a calm area for pupils, to help them return to lessons quicker.

The school needs to raise between £10,000 and £15,000 to make their sensory room a reality.

They have received the support of many local businesses who have donated ‘amazing’ prizes such as Kendal Calling tickets and Lake District Spa vouchers.

Last week, they welcomed a £200 donation from Rotary Barrow-in-Furness. Club President, Bill Joughin wished them every success with the fund raising.

So far, they have raised over £2000 from donations, non-uniform days, a Christmas fair, raffles and a family bingo.

Mr Macmillan said there is no specially adapted school to care for children with special needs in the area so it falls to the local schools to provide for these pupils. He said: “It’s important to us that we provide for all of our pupils, we need to improve the resources we can offer to the kids who need a bit extra.”