Enabling Environments & Biophillic Design

Enabling Environments

The classrooms including displays take into consideration of the correct learning environment for Autistic learners includes careful choice of the colour scheme (white/grey walls, muted colours, natural coloured flooring and furnishing), consistency and repetition of furnishings across the school, access to toilets with handbasins, but no hand-driers.   Within the school setting the pupils have constant access to sensory equipment e.g. trampettes, gym balls, body socks, chewlry which are available for the children to use as part of their development of self-regulation. Pupils also have access to alternative seating (in the form of gym balls) within classrooms. This increases vestibular input, allowing constant movement for the children who need to move, and promotes good core control and stability.

In addition to the classroom learning environment, pupils also have access to the outdoor spaces which includes outside learning resources.  Pupils are encouraged to access these resources alongside peers, providing further opportunity to engage in physical activity which contributes to gross and fine motor development as well as sensory regulation. These less structured activities also provide further opportunity for continued development of social skills, social communication and social imagination as well as relationship building with peers.

Our recently developed sensory garden also provides an opportunity for pupils to enter an outdoor space to help with their self regulation.

Biophillic Design

At Coppice we are at the beginning of our journey into creating natural environments through a biophillic theme.  We firmly believe this is the best decision for the wellbeing of our pupils due to the benefits of Biophillic Design.

Both the Libraries in upper and Lower school have recently been redesigned to reflect the Biophiliic ethos, we were fortunate enough to have donations of artificial living wall from 'Blooming Artificial' and faux plants and naturally made resources from Ikea.

We are currently in the process of creating more aesthetically pleasing flooring throughout our classrooms and in the very near future will be overhauling our outdoor provision to reflect our Biophillic theme...the journey continues!