The project overview
Project type: Multi-sensory room
Location: Nottingham, United Kingdom
Client: Sutherland House School
Sector: Specialist education
Primary users: Pupils with autism and complex communication needs
Introduction
Sutherland House School is a specialist school in Nottingham supporting pupils with autism and complex communication needs. Creating environments that help pupils regulate sensory input is an important part of the school’s educational approach.
To support pupils’ wellbeing and engagement, the school introduced a dedicated multi-sensory room. The environment provides a controlled space where pupils can explore sensory experiences, relax and participate in structured learning activities.
The installation demonstrates how sensory environments can support both education and emotional regulation within specialist schools.
The challenge
Many pupils at Sutherland House School experience sensory processing differences that can affect attention, behaviour and emotional regulation.
The school wanted to create a sensory environment that could support pupils who benefit from calming visual experiences and structured sensory activities.
The challenge was to design a room that could provide both calming sensory experiences and interactive engagement while remaining flexible enough to support different pupils and learning activities.
Sutherland House School based in Nottingham, is one of the specialist services provided by Autism East Midlands. It is a non-maintained special school for 94 students with autism aged 3-19 years. Autism East Midlands have provided a specialist education for children and young people with autism since 1968.
The Specialist School is supported by multi-disciplinary teams including Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Psychologists. These teams all work closely with experienced teachers and teaching assistants to create a personalised pathway that caters for the needs of the individual student.
The pupils who attend have a wide range of complex needs, many of which can impact on their learning. These encompass challenges including mild to severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning needs, complex needs including autistic spectrum condition, associated behavioural issues, sensory impairment, social difficulties, and speech and language disorders.
Sensory Room Official Open Day with special appearance from Actor James Alexandrou. From Left: Peter Saunders, MD, Experia; James Alexandrou; Jane Howson, CEO, Autism East Midlands; Marie Brown, Regional Development Executive, Lord's Taverners
Autism East Midlands applied for a grant from Experia’s charity partner Lord’s Taverners who in turn received support from BT. These grants provide funding for young people to develop their skills with organised sports days and fundraising activities. With a generous £25,000 grant, the staff at Sutherland House School were able to invest in a state-of-the-art sensory facility developed by our in-house team to meet the complex and diverse needs of pupils at the school.
Students and staff enjoy interacting with equipment in new MILE room
Client perspective
“Autism East Midlands and Sutherland House School have benefited from working closely with Experia over the last 9 years to create and develop our sensory learning resources in both our children’s and adults services. The team at Experia are a pleasure to work with and have a good understanding of how to work with schools and services to create appropriate, exciting and engaging sensory learning experiences for individuals with autism. Always professional and creative with limited budgets. Following the opening of our new school building, Experia designed and installed our sensory M.I.L.E, our Sensory integration room and our portable interactive floor. The training team provided support and training and were sensitive to all our requests and questions! All the students enjoy access to their sensory learning spaces, and we have had very positive feedback from parents/carers. Many of our students have sensory processing difficulties, and are sensory learners. The opportunity to access the resources like the M.I.L.E room cannot be underestimated, as it enables learning in a range of ways. Some children use the M.I.L.E to access a range of social and academic learning activities, other children use the room to ‘get ready’ for learning. The equipment and technology enables many skills such as choice-making and requesting and children find the environment both stimulating and motivating. Many children are more able to improve their communication when their sensory needs are met, and our sensory environments have a positive impact on this.”
Louise Pennington, Speech and Language Therapy Team Leader at Autism East Midlands
Experia design approach
Experia worked with the school to design a multi-sensory environment that supports pupils with a wide range of sensory needs.
The design focused on creating a calm and welcoming space that encourages exploration while allowing pupils to regulate sensory input.
Key design considerations included:
• creating a relaxing sensory environment
• selecting equipment that encourages interaction and engagement
• ensuring the room supports both individual and small group sessions
• providing a space that staff can easily adapt for different activities
The result is a flexible sensory environment that supports both therapeutic and educational use.
Key sensory features
The sensory room includes a range of elements designed to provide calming visual stimulation and interactive sensory experiences.
Features include:
• bubble tube lighting providing gentle visual movement
• fibre optic lighting encouraging exploration and interaction
• interactive sensory equipment supporting engagement
• comfortable soft seating areas
Together these features create a multi-sensory environment that supports relaxation, exploration and learning.
Before and after transformation
Before the installation, the school did not have a dedicated sensory environment where pupils could experience structured sensory activities.
The new sensory room provides a purpose-designed space where pupils can relax, regulate sensory input and participate in sensory learning sessions.
The transformation highlights how well-designed sensory environments can enhance specialist educational settings.
How the space is used
Pupils use the sensory room in a variety of ways including:
• calming sessions to regulate sensory input
• structured sensory learning activities
• individual support sessions
• small group engagement activities
The flexibility of the environment allows staff to adapt the room to meet different pupils’ needs.
The outcome
The sensory room has become a valuable resource within Sutherland House School.
Pupils benefit from a calm and engaging environment where they can explore sensory experiences and regulate sensory input. Staff are also able to use the room to support learning, relaxation and emotional regulation.
The project demonstrates how sensory environments can play an important role in specialist education.
Experia perspective
“Specialist schools require environments that support a wide range of sensory needs. A well-designed sensory room provides a safe and engaging space where pupils can explore sensory experiences and regulate sensory input.”
Gareth Jones, Founder & CEO, Experia
How the project was funded
This project was made possible through the support of Lord's Taverners, Experia’s charity partner, with additional backing from BT. The funding forms part of a wider initiative to help young people develop key skills through inclusive activities such as organised sports and community fundraising. By combining charitable expertise with corporate support, these grants enable meaningful investment in specialist resources. In this case, a £25,000 award provided the funding needed to create a state-of-the-art sensory facility, highlighting how collaborative funding partnerships can deliver lasting impact for individuals with complex and diverse needs.
Planning a sensory environment?
Experia designs and installs sensory environments for schools, healthcare organisations and public venues around the world.
If you are planning a sensory environment and would like expert advice, our team would be happy to help.
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Learn more about sensory environments
What Is a Sensory Room
Sensory Room Design Guide
Sensory Room Equipment Guide
Sensory Room Planning Guide
Sensory Room Cost Guide
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Sector
Specialist Education
Autism Education
Inclusive Learning Environments