A new soft play area and sensory room has been completed at Knowsley Central School in Huyton, in time to welcome new pupils when the school reopen next month.
Just over £468,000 has been invested (funded from the High Needs Provision Capital Allocation and the council’s School Condition Allocation Grant) to transform a vacant space into a modern and fully accessible facility to support pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Cllr Jayne Lonergan, Cabinet Member for Resources, said “A key priority for us is to ensure that there are more school places for children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities, but also that they have enriching modern learning environments too. This is a great addition to Knowsley Central School and I’m sure that the pupils will enjoy their new space.”
The new space provides a range of specialist facilities designed to provide a safe, engaging and adaptable environment that meets the diverse needs of pupils and supports both educational and therapeutic activities.
A key feature of the development is a purpose-built soft play area incorporating a bespoke sea-themed play frame. The installation includes a slide, climbing elements and ball pit, providing opportunities for physical activity, sensory development and structured play within a controlled and secure environment. The space has also been equipped with multi-functional lighting systems to create flexible sensory experiences and can be adapted to suit individual user requirements.
Cllr Sean Donnelly, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said “It’s really important that our children and young people get the best start in life and their education journey plays a key role in shaping their future. Providing modern learning facilities that will support our children and young people to learn, develop and thrive is a key priority for us. I was delighted to visit Knowsley Central School and take a look around the new play and sensory area which is now ready to welcome pupils.”
To provide further flexibility with the space, a movable partition wall has also been installed which enables the space to be configured either as a combined play environment or separated to provide a dedicated sensory room. This flexibility allows staff to tailor the accommodation to support a variety of learning, behavioural and sensory needs.
Ensuring this is a fully accessible space has been a key priority throughout this project and works have included the creation of a widened circulation corridor to facilitate pupils with significant mobility requirements, including wheelchair users. External access has been improved through the installation of an access ramp.
The refurbishment also includes a specialist changing facility equipped with a height-adjustable changing bed and accessible toilet provision.
Daryl McConnell, Head Teacher at Knowsley Central School, said “I’m delighted with the outcome of this project, as it will significantly enhance our specialist provision for pupils. I’d like to thank Knowsley Council, particularly its officers and councillors, whose vision, support and commitment have helped make this outstanding new facility a reality. This investment will have a lasting positive impact for children and families across the borough, ensuring more pupils can access the specialist support they need in a modern, inclusive and adaptable environment. I’m really looking forward to welcoming pupils back to school in September and seeing the difference this fantastic new facility will make, both now and into the future.”