A HELENSBURGH school dedicated to supporting children with complex special educational needs has been boosted by the near-£22,000 refurbishment of its sensory room.

Parklands School, in Charlotte Street, received grant funding from the charity Spifox, which works to raise funds for disadvantaged children and young people in Scotland, enabling the purchase of equipment and the provision of facilities for better care and support.

The upgraded sensory room combines an interactive floor mat with fibre optic lights and offers children enhanced learning opportunities as well as fun games and activities.

Head teacher Gwen Gilmour said: “To say the pupils love it is an understatement!

“The modern, high-tech equipment will provide our pupils with an outstanding experience.

“The old vibrating bubble tube is now replaced with a new low maintenance interactive Borealis Tube that can be controlled through Bluetooth switches.

“The fibre optics now hang like a waterfall to allow pupils to sit under and behind them.

“However, the star of the show has been the installation of the interactive floor mat, which is completely accessible to all pupils regardless of mobility and ability.”

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Pupils are now able to explore their musical ability through the drums and keyboard in the room, while they can develop their numeracy skills, general knowledge and gross motor control through quizzes and programmes.

Gwen added: “The sensory room may be a place of fun for our pupils but staff see it as another context for learning.

“The curricular content can be modified in line with areas being covered in each class and the room also provides an area where we can develop the sensory experience for our pupils as many are affected by sensory processing difficulties.

“The sound and lighting system throughout the room allows it to be a place of calm and tranquillity or a place to stimulate all senses.

“We as a school are absolutely over the moon with our new sensory room and the educational opportunities it now provides are fabulous.

“We cannot thank Spifox enough for this opportunity, as a small school we would have struggled to replace all the equipment.”