๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฏ๐ผ๐ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ผ๐บ, at ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น is an amazing facility doing amazing things for amazing children. It is an honour to be able to provide this outside storage and play space to enhance the facilities available for their education. Press release below:
Auxesia is delighted to have funded the provision and construction of two storage sheds and sheltered gazebos for the Rainbow Room, a Specialist Provision Centre (SPC) at Ballacottier School.
Ballacottier is committed to ensuring that pupilsโ needs are met through additional support using a variety of strategies, and a supportive yet challenging atmosphere in which the achievements of pupils are recognised and valued. Crucially, this includes children with complex additional educational needs (AEN) in the Rainbow Room; one of the largest SPCs on the island.
There's a prevailing recognition among educators, therapists, and researchers of the value that outdoor activities offer to AEN children. These activities are integral to fostering a holistic development in children with AEN. They enhance physical health and movement, develop social skills, improve emotional well-being, enable sensory integration, and promote cognitive benefits. As such, incorporating outdoor activities into the daily routine of AEN pupils is regarded as best practice, enhancing their overall development and well-being.
The funding means that outdoor equipment can be safely stored, and there is space for further equipment. The gazebos, which adjoin each of the sheds, create additional useable outdoor space, as well as giving some shelter.
Head Teacher, Riss Forrester said, โWe are incredibly grateful to Auxesia for their kind and generous donation. This gives the teaching team so much more scope to deliver fun and exciting lessons for the children outdoors. The sheds provide much needed storage and the covered gazebos mean that we can be outside learning in all weathers.โ
Manager, Cathy Holland, said, โThe children are already enjoying using the new spaces and love learning outdoors with their friends. We have started making plans to use the gazebos for lots of learning opportunities including art, music and role play. The sheds allow us to store all of our equipment so that it can be easily accessible for each new learning experienceโ.
Founder & MD of Auxesia, Stuart Colligon, added: โThe Rainbow Room is an extraordinary facility where remarkable staff teach, take care of, and create fantastic opportunities for the incredible children. The rest of the school benefits enormously from the presence of the Rainbow Room too, with pupils gaining a first-hand understanding of different needs, and learning about compassion, inclusion, and other emotionally enriching concepts. It is a privilege to be able to help. I know the children and the staff will enjoy using these new facilities.โ
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