VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
How one school created a leading SEND support provision
designated spaces for circle time which help children regulate their emotions; Widgit visuals to develop communication skills; and gentle lighting for a calm space. One room also has themes throughout the week across colours, smells, and textures which encourages the children to explore, whilst also establishing a reassuring sense of routine.
We’ve also recently added an outdoor space, The Orchard Garden, which is a sensory green space which uses learning tools such as water and sand trays, and a range of biodiverse plants to stimulate all five senses. This helps support emotional regulation and independence through nature-based learning. To achieve this, we renovated an outdoor space into a turf- covered area which provides a peaceful space to encourage pupil engagement and independent learning.
More than simply physical spaces, The Orchard E
ducation Today speaks with Gavin Hamilton, Headteacher at Shipley CE Primary School, part of Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT).
Tell us about your school.
Shipley CE Primary School is a small town primary school near Bradford that serves 200 children and is part of the Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) family. Underpinning all we do is our commitment to learn together in love, working to celebrate and support our diverse community so that every child can achieve their full potential. Like many schools across the country, we’ve seen firsthand an increase in the number of children identified as having additional needs. 23 per cent of our own pupils are now on the special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) register and 6.5 per cent have Education and Health Care Plans. Both numbers are above the national averages, and both are set to rise further. As such, we have taken a proactive approach to adapting and enhancing our provision to best support these evolving needs.
What is ‘The Orchard’?
The Orchard has been developed as our bespoke approach to inclusive provision for some of our children with SEND. It is a nurturing, sensory- aware learning space designed specifically for pupils whose needs cannot be fully met in the mainstream classroom, but still thrive in our school community. It represents our determination to create a leading inclusive provision, despite ongoing funding and recruitment challenges across the sector. The Orchard consists of two distinct rooms, each tailored to age groups and needs - one with a hands-on, play-based environment, and another with a more structured setup. Both of these are unique in their sensory aware and calmer design. As an example, they include
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www.education-today.co.uk May 2025
and The Orchard Garden represent our ambition for all our pupils – creating spaces where every child is met where they are, supported in how they learn, and celebrated for who they are.
What made you want to create a dedicated space for pupils with SEND?
The decision was driven by our vision to create a framework that can truly cater to the varied learning and development needs of all our pupils. Across the country, we are seeing an increase in the number of children identified as having additional needs. However, establishing an effective SEND provision is a complex process, with various budgeting, resourcing, and staffing challenges, and we knew we needed to do something innovative to help meet our children’s needs. As such, our decision was made out of both ambition and necessity.
While we had strong inclusive practices in place
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