TVF has pledged a grant of £8,750 towards a news sensory room
The grant will help to create a dedicated sensory room at Strathmore SEND School at Grey Court School, Petersham. The pupils at Strathmore have a wide range of special educational needs, and many experience high levels of anxiety, sensory processing difficulties, or require structured opportunities for regulation and relaxation.
The purpose-built sensory space will provide a safe and calming environment where learners can access multi-sensory experiences that both stimulate and soothe, supporting their emotional wellbeing, engagement, and readiness to learn.
The sensory room will include soft play equipment, bespoke padding, interactive wall panels, music and resonance features, and a state-of-the-art Omi Vista+ interactive projection system. These resources have been carefully selected to offer therapeutic benefits such as improving focus and communication, supporting physical development, and providing pupils with personalised opportunities for sensory regulation.
A well-designed sensory environment is so much more than simply another room – it will provide a vital space to regulate, engage, relax and learn - helping youngsters with complex needs to reach their potential.
TVF is looking forward to the new sensory room being ready in the Spring 2027 and for the pupils with complex needs to greatly benefit from this new specialist sensory space for many years to come.
SENSORY SPACES – BUILDING BRIGHTER FUTURES - PLEASE GET INVOLVED
The Victoria Foundation has plans to support an ambitious capital programme to transform spaces across three special school sites in the Borough of Richmond into exceptional, specialist sensory and therapeutic environments for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The project centred on children and young people with SEND will benefit current pupils, future cohorts and the wider SEND community - please get in touch if you would like to get involved as together, we can help to create additional sensory spaces which will transform lives. Contact Lorna Votier, Chief Executive, The Victoria Foundation l.votier@thevictoriafoundation.org.uk
Each phase can be delivered independently, with clearly defined outcomes and measurable impact. Together, they will create a lasting legacy that will benefit generations of children and young people. 100% of your donation will directly benefit those we support, with no administration costs deducted.
The difference we can make with your support …
“For our daughter Emily, who has severe and complex learning difficulties, is non-verbal and has poor mobility, the world can sometimes feel like a place she is observing rather than fully participating in. She can become lost in her own little world, with limited ways to communicate, explore or interact with those around her. A sensory room at school opens up a completely different world for her. The immersive experience of light, colour, sound, movement and touch captures her attention, sparks her curiosity and encourages her to reach out, explore and engage with her surroundings. We see her become more alert, responsive and expressive, communicating through her eyes, facial expressions, smiles and movements. It gives her opportunities to make choices, discover new sensations and connect with her teachers in ways that a traditional classroom cannot always offer. As a parent, there is something incredibly special about watching Emily come out of her own little world and connect with ours. A sensory room doesn't just stimulate her senses - it opens up a world of possibilities that might otherwise remain beyond her reach.” Parent of Emily