Senso Cube at Hillcroft School

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Introduction

As a growing specialist school supporting children and young people with severe learning difficulties, Hillcroft School continually seeks innovative ways to meet the diverse sensory and emotional regulation needs of its pupils. Faced with increasing demand for sensory spaces and limited available room within the building, the school installed a Senso Cube modular sensory room within an existing corridor space, creating an accessible and highly effective sensory environment without the need for major building works.

Background

Hillcroft School supports pupils aged 5 to 19 with severe learning difficulties. With pupil numbers increasing year on year, the school has experienced growing pressure on its existing sensory facilities.

Emma Patton, a teacher with 14 years of experience at the school, explained:

"We have a few spaces to provide children with sensory input, but with the nature of the school and how big and quickly it's growing, the spaces just aren't suitable for the amount of children that we have."

The school needed an additional sensory environment that could support a wide range of learner needs while fitting within the limitations of the existing building.

The Challenge

The school faced several key challenges:

• Increasing pupil numbers creating greater demand for sensory provision.
• Existing sensory spaces being heavily used and unable to accommodate all pupils who would benefit.
• Limited space available for expansion.
• No opportunity to build a dedicated sensory room extension.
• The need for a solution that could support pupils with varying sensory profiles, from those requiring calming and regulation to those needing alerting sensory experiences.

Staff also required a sensory environment that was simple to operate and easily accessible throughout the school day.

Solution

The Senso Cube provided the ideal answer.

Installed within a corridor area, the modular sensory room transformed previously unused space into a fully immersive sensory environment.

Emma described the installation as:

"The Senso Cube was a perfect option for us. It was small, compact, it fitted within a corridor where we don't have the space to build and add an extra room on. It really was the perfect solution for us."

The flexibility of the environment allows staff to tailor sessions to individual pupil needs, whether they require sensory stimulation, emotional regulation, relaxation, or focused sensory exploration.

Daily Use & Impact

The Senso Cube quickly became an integral part of the school's daily routine.

Pupils use the space every day, often at consistent times to support routine and predictability. For many learners, regular access to the sensory room helps them manage feelings of overstimulation and anxiety before returning to learning activities.

One pupil described arriving at the Senso Cube feeling:

"Overstimulated and hyper."

After spending time in the sensory environment, they simply described feeling:

"Chilled."

Staff have observed significant improvements in emotional regulation, concentration, and classroom engagement following sensory sessions.

Emma explained:

"We see a different version of this boy when we get back to the classroom. He sits well at the table, engages with all his activities and is a lot more regulated."

Staff Feedback

The school has been particularly impressed by the versatility of the Senso Cube and its ability to meet the needs of a wide range of learners.

Emma noted:

"Some of our children have different profiles, which means they have different needs. Some will come in and need alerting, and there's space for that. Some just need regulation, and there's space for that too. It meets the needs of all of our learners here in school."

Staff also praised the simplicity of operation:

"The Senso Cube is fantastic because it's so easy to use. Many teachers struggle with switches, lamps and technology, but it's very easy and straightforward. All ages can use it."

Results

Since installation, Hillcroft School has seen a number of positive outcomes:

Increased Access to Sensory Support

The school now has an additional sensory environment without requiring new building works or sacrificing valuable classroom space.

Improved Emotional Regulation

Pupils use the space to self-regulate, reduce feelings of overstimulation, and manage heightened emotions.

Better Engagement in Learning

Teachers report that pupils return to the classroom calmer, happier, and more ready to participate in learning activities.

Support for Diverse Needs

The flexible design allows the sensory room to support a wide range of sensory preferences and regulation strategies.

Consistent Daily Provision

The accessibility of the Senso Cube enables regular daily use, helping pupils establish positive routines and predictable sensory breaks.

Conclusion

The Senso Cube has become an invaluable addition to Hillcroft School's sensory provision. By transforming an underused corridor into a dedicated sensory environment, the school has successfully expanded support for its growing pupil population while overcoming significant space constraints.

As Emma concluded:

"It has just been wonderful for us. It's been such an amazing addition to our school."

For Hillcroft School, the Senso Cube has delivered a practical, space-efficient solution that helps pupils feel calmer, more regulated, and ready to learn every day.

Start Your Sensory Journey

If your school is exploring ways to support regulation, wellbeing, and inclusive learning through sensory spaces, we’re here to help. Whether it’s a corridor transformation or a complete sensory room, our team will work with you from concept to completion.

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