Why every school needs a Sensory Space (and the confidence to use it well)
Walk into any classroom and you’ll see it.
The child who suddenly shouts.
The one chewing their pencil.
The pupil walking around the classroom, or fidgeting on their chair.
The child who sits quietly in their chair and hopes no one will ask them a question.
For many schools, these behaviours can feel confusing, challenging and exhausting. But what if we reframed the question?
What if the behaviour isn’t the problem – the nervous system is?
That’s what our Sensory Space Training hopes to help teachers and teaching assistants understand and address. Funded by the South Gloucestershire Early Help Network, we have run three training sessions to support teaching staff to better understand the purpose, impact and practical implementation of sensory spaces within their educational settings. We have another session booked at the end of April.
A reminder of things we know but maybe have forgotten, and it’s great to hear new ideas. Looking forward to using the lending library.
– feedback from training participant February 2026
Looking beneath the behaviour
Our training sessions explored which behaviours could be explained by the pupil’s nervous system and their way of communicating that they are struggling. We took some very common situations teachers come across during the school day and, with the help of our young people, reframed them to show what is actually happening.
- I notice everything – sometimes too much.
Lights, sounds, smells and textures can overwhelm me and make it hard for me to focus.
- Sometimes I can’t control my body or words.
Moving, fidgeting, shouting or outbursts are my way of coping with strong feelings.
We discussed how shouting, leaving the classroom, hiding, refusing, people-pleasing or shutting down are often not “poor choices”, but protective responses. When a child feels overwhelmed, unsafe or overstimulated, their body reacts long before their thinking brain has a chance to step in. Commonly know as: Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn.
We also spent some time discussing how some pupils mask at school: they work incredibly hard to hold everything in during the school day, only to collapse emotionally later. These are often the children who are described as ‘fine at school’, but are completely depleted by the time they get home.
This whole topic resonated with all the teachers and teaching assistants and led to many conversations about behaviours they had seen and experienced.
Creating space – literally and emotionally
A key focus of our training was the true purpose and importance of a sensory space. A sensory space is not:
- A reward room
- A consequence
- A place to send ‘difficult’ pupils
It is a regulation space. A well-designed sensory area can provide:
- A chance to release energy before a test
- Support to regulate after lunch or break times
- A calm retreat when overwhelm starts to build
- A boost in alertness when energy levels are low
- A proactive tool rather than a reactive measure
We explored how these spaces can support both calming and alerting needs – because regulation is not always about slowing down. Sometimes it’s about helping a brain wake up and focus.
Sensory Spaces can be set up anywhere there is space. For example, at the recent South Gloucestershire Youth Awards, young people from JIGSAW Thornbury decided which items they could bring to set up a temporary comfort area in the unfamiliar location. In schools, where children and young people spend so much of their time, Sensory Spaces are even more important.
From theory to practical action
During these sessions, school staff were able to see, touch and experience a wide range of sensory equipment themselves from our SENsory Lending Library. This hands-on approach helps teachers understand what different sensory inputs actually feel like and why they matter. Nearly every teacher saw a piece of equipment and immediately thought of a pupil it could help. In addition, the direct connection to the SENsory Lending Library meant that schools can borrow items to try what works for them, or swap things in and out to keep their Sensory Spaces feeling fresh.
I’m so pleased that JIGSAW is supporting SEND practitioners in schools with their lending library. At a time when school budgets are tight, this gives my daughter access to support items that will really benefit her sensory and tactile needs. I know how deeply JIGSAW care and how in depth their knowledge is so I know that anything chosen from the library for my daughter will be researched and evidenced and will offer her a way to meet her needs and help her continue to learn and thrive in her classroom.
– comment from a parent of a child attending a school where we have delivered Sensory Space training.
But we didn’t stop at equipment. We shared practical strategies schools could implement immediately, including:
- Introducing sensory circuits first thing in the morning
- Using regulation activities after break or lunch
- Embedding movement breaks proactively
- Adjusting environments to reduce unnecessary overwhelm
We also discussed the sensory audits we have previously completed in schools. These audits often reveal something incredibly powerful: schools are already doing many things well.
An audit doesn’t just highlight areas for development, it celebrates strengths. It also provides realistic, affordable recommendations. Many of the most effective changes we’ve seen have been low-cost or no-cost adjustments that significantly improved pupils’ ability to regulate and engage. Please contact us if you are interested in a Inclusive School Audit.
A safe space for staff too
One of the most powerful aspects of the training was something less tangible. Teachers were given a safe, supportive space to share their experiences, frustrations and successes.
Very welcoming – makes you feel you can talk openly and freely. Thank you.
– feedback from training participant February 2026
Because supporting regulation in schools isn’t just about pupils – it’s about empowering staff with understanding, confidence and practical tools. When staff feel equipped, children feel safer.
The impact
When schools understand regulation:
- Behaviour incidents reduce
- Pupils return to learning more quickly
- Staff feel more confident in de-escalation
- Children develop lifelong self-regulation skills
- The whole school culture shifts towards compassion and understanding
A sensory space is not just a room. It’s a statement. It says: ‘We understand that learning is not possible without regulation.’
Ready to transform regulation in your school?
If your school is:
- Struggling with dysregulated behaviour
- Considering creating a sensory space
- Unsure how to use an existing space effectively
- Wanting practical, affordable strategies
- Looking to build staff confidence in de-escalation
We combine neuroscience, lived classroom experience and hands-on learning to help schools move from reactive behaviour management to proactive regulation support.
Because when we understand the nervous system, everything changes.
If you think your school, or your child’s school could benefit from this specialised training, please contact us at training@jigsawthornbury.org.uk.