(UK) Primary school gets new $13K (US) sensory room; it will provide "a haven of calm"

July 18, 2018, Thurrock Gazette: Primary unveils sensory room thanks to National Lottery boost http://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/news/16362902.primary-unveils-sensory-room-thanks-to-national-lottery-boost/ A PRIMARY school has unveiled a brand new sensory room, which was installed thanks to a huge donation from the National Lottery. Stanford-le-Hope Primary School, on Copland Road, recently converted a small office into a fantastic sensory room. The Big Lottery Fund provided £10,000, [$13K US] allowing the school to transform a small, little used office space into a high tech sensory room, full of incredible equipment such as mirrors, bean bags, mats, lights and tactile toys. The new sensory room, which has been in the works since 2015, aims to provide a unique and stimulating learning environment that will enable the school’s pupils to thrive. Joanne Bray, headteacher at the school, praised the new facilities as a great addition to the school site. … A sensory room is a special room designed to develop a person’s senses, usually through special lighting, music, and objects. They can be used as a therapy tool for children with limited communication skills. The school is now looking into buying more sensory toys for the room to make the experience even more special for the children who use the room…. It will provide both a haven of calm for some children and a stimulating, exciting environment for others in which to explore all of their different senses. …