Overview
Maple View School, part of SENAD Group, is a specialist school on the outskirts of Derby that specialises in education for 6-16 year olds with moderate to severe learning difficulties. The school invests in clear care plans for the children to ensure their needs are met, with a passion for enhancing all aspects of their life.
The school had been using an outdated sensory room, previously installed by ourselves over 15 years ago. Although they had made some additions over the years, it no longer met the needs of their current pupils and lacked the atmosphere and design they had envisioned. Determined to provide the best for their children and enhance the curriculum, they returned to us to help bring their vision of an interactive sensory room to life.
Client Brief
The school had a well-defined vision for what they wanted to create for the children. A key goal was for the room and products to be as possible for the children with easy activation for the staff, wherever they were in the room. Due to the complex needs of some of the children, they needed to focus on all types of interaction, including momentary, latched and timed. They needed a flexible approach with a wide range of products to ensure there was something for everyone.
Interactive Sensory Room Design
To make the most of the school’s budget, we refurbished and retained a few existing products, bringing them back to like-new condition. The remainder of the old sensory system was removed entirely to allow for a fresh start.
Certain well-loved elements were reintroduced, but this time with enhanced interactivity to better engage the pupils. For example, the original large ball pool that the children loved was replaced with an interactive ball pool with LED lights, that children could alter the colour with using switches on the back wall. To achieve a calming feel, we tried our first pastel interactive lighting in the pool and which proved very effective. With their dark purple backdrop, the lights really stood out!
To enhance the experience, the school requested interactive sounds that the children could activate as they moved into the ball pool. Three sounds were incorporated into the side pillar which could be activated by pressing down – aiding in cause and effect learning, and adding to the relaxing atmosphere. A USB stick is used for the sounds so the school can change and update them whenever they wish to keep things interesting.
Check out some of the other sensory equipment and features installed throughout the room:
LED Infinity Panel – facilitating sound to light interaction through dancing light sequences that move in reaction to sound; perfect for their speech and language therapy sessions.
Fibre Optic Corner – installed to give the children a cosy hideaway where they could feel secure, while still being immersed in the full sensory experience. The fibre optics offered engaging textures, complemented by the reused sequin panels from the school, which fit perfectly in this setting.
Circular UV Tactile Activity Panel – A variety of textures and finger mazes for pupils to explore, enhanced by captivating lighting effects. UV lighting amplifies the visual impact, making both the panel and any UV-reactive elements, like the tactile kit used throughout the room, even more sensory stimulating.
Projectors & Visual Effects – A number of projectors and fantastic visual effects were included throughout including our Mirror Ball, LED Pinspot, Kaleido Effect and Water Project. Each has been fitted with interactive switching to enhance the visual experience and provide additional range for users.
Bespoke iPad App – To achieve the specific requirements that the school had for users, we worked together to create custom features within our iPad control app. The children have full interactivity of the products in the room via the app where they can turn everything on/off or have the additional learning features of momentary, latched and timed learning. From the push of one ‘switch’, they can make such a huge change in the room! No matter where the supervisors are in the room, they can activate any feature as well, making the system as user friendly as it could possibly be.
The school invested a great deal of thought and care into achieving the calming zen atmosphere they envisioned for the children – even commissioning a bespoke cabinet from a local joiner, custom-painted to match the vinyl tones. The result is a truly impressive space, and we’re proud to have played a part in bringing the school’s vision to life, creating a fantastic and interactive sensory experience for the pupils.
Interactive Sensory Room Installation
Our engineers began work on this local school efficiently and with minimal disruption, completing the installation during term time to bring the new system to life as quickly as possible. The school took proactive steps by removing all existing equipment and fully refurbishing the room, even taking out a large radiator to maximise usable space. Before we could proceed with the padding survey, the cupboard frame needed to be in place — a task the school’s joiner completed promptly to keep the project on schedule.
The app we developed for the school was highly bespoke, with our software engineer working closely alongside Susan to ensure its design met the specific needs of the children at Maple View. Susan was keen to make sure the pupils could clearly understand what they were activating through the app’s imagery, and that the on/off controls were intuitive to support their learning. With a graphic designer in the family, she enlisted her daughter to create custom images for each product, tailored exactly to her vision—these were then seamlessly integrated into the app. We love incorporating client ideas into our products, as it’s the most effective way to expand our range while ensuring it meets the real-world needs of those who use it most.
Interactive Sensory Room Training
Upon completion of the interactive sensory room, our engineers guided the staff through each product, ensuring they understood how to activate and fully explore all the features. Given the high level of interactivity—through wireless switches, fixed wall pad switches, and the iPad app—the engineers thoroughly tested the entire space before handover. The Borealis tube, a waterless alternative for easier maintenance, along with all other products, features energy-efficient LED technology.
Conclusion
It was a pleasure to revisit the project and see the finished space— the system and effects are truly impressive! The new interactive sensory room offers complete flexibility: from simply using the mood lighting and music to create a calming atmosphere in the ball pool, to activating all features for a fully stimulating session. A highly inclusive and accessible environment, tailored to meet the unique needs of every individual.
We thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Maple View School and learning from their insights to develop new interactive features for the sensory room. The finished space is a truly fantastic transformation, showcasing the very best in sensory design and interactivity!
“Having been provided with detailed computer generated room plans prior to the installation our expectations for the project were high, however, the final install and level of finish of the room has exceeded those expectations. The process from initial consultation to final installation was seamless, all sensory technology staff were knowledgeable, personable and accommodating to my many design tweaks! The final room looks amazing and all the equipment works as expected.”
