TG Escapes Blog
The Different Types of SEND Classrooms We’ve Designed and Built
At TG Escapes, we believe that every child deserves a space designed with them in mind. Our team has years of experience delivering bespoke, eco-friendly buildings to schools across the UK, with a focus on SEND and SEMH facilities. Whether supporting pupils with physical disabilities, emotional and behavioural needs, sensory processing challenges or cognitive impairments, our team have completed a huge range of SEND buildings.
Creating inclusive SEND classrooms
The classroom is at the heart of the school experience and for pupils with SEND, it must be more than just a place to learn. It needs to be a safe, calming environment where everyone feels supported and able to engage.
Meeting all needs with flexible layouts
Our SEND hub at Woking High School was outfitted with high-performance acoustic insulation
Every SEND pupil will have different needs, so classrooms must be built to encompass a wide range of possible students. This can involve adaptable layouts to help reconfigure the space, alongside height-adjustable furniture. We also frequently include breakout spaces attached to our SEND classrooms to allow for a space to decompress or for a 1 to 1 intervention.
For pupils with sensory issues, soft lighting, careful colour choice and an avoidance of overwhelming classroom displays will also be helpful. Another crucial design choice is high levels of acoustic insulation.
Acoustic insulation
Students with sensory issues can be troubled by levels of background noise that would be acceptable within a mainstream classroom. High-strength acoustic insulation is a crucial tool for achieving noise reduction, which is what we used within our SEND Hub at Woking School.
Biophilic design for SEND classrooms
One of the key elements in our approach to designing and building SEND classrooms is the use of biophilic design principles. Research has shown that access to daylight, natural materials, and views of greenery can significantly reduce anxiety and improve focus, benefits that are especially valuable for neurodivergent learners or those with emotional or sensory needs. Our timber-frame buildings embrace this philosophy, creating warm, tactile, and comfortable environments.
Music and performing arts rooms
Our music studio for autistic pupils at Swalcliffe Park School
Music and performance provide powerful outlets for self-expression, emotional regulation, and confidence-building for all students, including those with specialist needs. But to fully support participation, the spaces where these activities take place must be carefully designed, particularly for pupils who may have sensory sensitivities or physical disabilities.
Swalcliffe Park School
Our project at Swalcliffe Park School in Oxfordshire, a specialist school for boys with autism, is a prime example of how performance spaces can be adapted to meet the needs of SEND learners. The performing arts studio was designed in close consultation with the school to ensure it was welcoming and non-threatening, while still equipped to support a wide range of activities from drama and dance to music and movement therapy.
Teaching practical skills within SEND workshops
We built specialist classrooms at St Joseph's Specialist Trust designed to double as workshops for SEND students
For many students with SEND, especially those preparing for life beyond school, hands-on education can be an empowering path forward. Whether it’s developing vocational skills, exploring creative trades, or building self-esteem through practical achievement, fully equipped workshops create the perfect environment.
St Joseph’s Specialist Trust
Our Work Skills and Enterprise Centre project at St. Joseph’s Specialist Trust shows how tailored workshop spaces encourage skill development and independence. Designed for a specialist setting, the centre supports students in developing real-world skills through practical learning in a safe, accessible environment.
Calming and sensory rooms
We created a sensory room at Pengwern College
For many SEND pupils, especially those with sensory difficulties, the school day can be overwhelming. Sensory rooms or calming rooms are dedicated spaces that provide pupils with the opportunity to reset in a safe setting. These rooms can be outfitted to offer a tailored sensory experience for pupils, with furniture, lighting, and more adjusted based on immediate needs.
Pengwern College
Our SEND eco-building at Pengwern College, a specialist residential college for young people with complex learning difficulties, includes a sensory room that promotes emotional regulation and supports each individual’s development.
Bespoke, multipurpose SEND spaces
Our DfE Compliant Inclusive Learning Hub
SEND pupils often require a diverse range of spaces throughout the school day, from tailored classrooms to quiet rooms and outdoor learning areas. This is why our SEND buildings are often designed to bring multiple functions together under one roof, creating flexible hubs tailored to the needs of the whole school community.
Our DfE compliant inclusive learning hub is a great example of this. Designed as an addition to mainstream schools, it features a range of indoor and outdoor areas intended to aid learning and offer therapy and sensory support. Intended for 16 or 32 pupils, our inclusive learning hubs will help mainstream schools offer a fantastic experience for their SEND pupils.
Dedicated SEMH spaces
Our SEMH focused classrooms at Mountfield Heath School
For pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, the right learning environment can make a profound difference. These young people may struggle with anxiety, trauma, or emotional regulation, and conventional school buildings can often exacerbate those challenges. We design SEMH-specific spaces that help students feel safe and comfortable.
Mountfield Heath School
Our eco-classrooms at Mountfield Heath School, a specialist setting for pupils with SEMH needs, provide a flexible, nurturing space that supports a range of educational and therapeutic activities, including a sensory room and two therapeutic intervention spaces.
A natural pathway to engagement through outdoor learning
Outdoor learning offers SEND pupils a sense of freedom, calm, and connection that traditional classroom environments may not always provide. Biophilic design, which incorporates views of access to outdoor spaces has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, with massive benefits for autistic pupils.
We incorporate outdoor areas into our SEND buildings, including open-air classrooms and gardens. Whether for learning, exercise, or relaxation, it’s crucial to have regular access to nature within the school environment.
Our award-winning SEND buildings
We have a proven track record of delivering high-quality SEND facilities across the UK. We partner with mainstream and specialist schools to create multi-functional and sustainable spaces. From classrooms to therapy rooms, sensory zones, and outdoor learning areas, we’ll work with you on a design that completely meets your needs.
We utilise a panelised modular system that allows our in-house design team to create truly bespoke spaces while offering fast turnarounds and cost-effective all-inclusive prices. Our buildings are attractive, durable, and sustainable, achieving net zero in operation as standard.
Every building we create starts with a complimentary design process and an upfront quote for our turnkey design and build service. Get in touch today to explore your options with our expert design team.
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