Aim

We are raising money to purchase a fully equipped sensory trolley, bringing the benefits of sensory therapy to our less mobile pupils.

WE ARE THE FRIENDS OF OAK GROVE COLLEGE AND WE ARE RAISING FUNDS TO PURCHASE A FULLY EQUIPPED SENSORY TROLLEY: ESSENTIALLY A PORTABLE SESNORY ROOM.

Who we are... 

The Friends of Oak Grove is a charitable group whose aim is to advance the education and enhance the lives of the children who attend Oak Grove College, a community generic special college maintained by West Sussex County Council, providing special education for students with learning difficulties. We do this by raising funds to provide resources, facilities and equipment.

 Oak Grove College is a secondary and sixth form education establishment for pupils with special educational needs in Worthing, West Sussex.  We cater for pupils with moderate, severe or profound learning needs many of whom have associated sensory, motor and communication difficulties including Autistic Spectrum Conditions. We have an above average number of students eligible for pupil premium, meaning they come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our pupils come to us from both the local area and further afield.

Our Vision

The college has a team of excellent staff, who are dedicated to providing the best in terms of education, care and support for all.  We seek to develop the ‘whole’ individual within an environment where the self-esteem of our students is nurtured so that they can develop and flourish.  This includes opportunities to develop curricular knowledge and skills but equally important, the personal and social skills to learn and work with others.  We believe in a partnership approach to all aspects of College life and we welcome and encourage full involvement from families, outside agencies and research and training providers to ensure the best for everyone.  Oak Grove College seeks to be at the heart of the community we serve and we wish the experience of every student here to be one where: “Everyone matters, every day counts”. 

We are crowdfunding towards the purchase of a fully equipped sensory trolley; essentially a portable sensory room for our pupils who are less mobile.

Why?

The college currently benefits from a sensory room and one sensory trolley. However, the sensory room is not easily accessed by all pupils, particularly those with limited mobility, meaning these students can only benefit from sensory therapy through the sensory trolley. Due to the layout of the college, transporting our existing sensory trolley from one classroom to another is not ideal and potentially risks damaging the equipment on the trolley. As such, some of our pupils remain unable to access sensory therapy. The purchase of an additional sensory trolley will mean that all of our reduced mobility pupils will be able to access sensory therapy through a sensory trolley, without having to transport the trolley across the College. 

What difference will your support make?

Sensory therapy can be utilised for individuals with a variety of disabilities and developmental challenges in the area of communication, movement and balance and social skills, including but not limited to: Autistic Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome.

Sensory spaces in schools have been shown to decrease negative behaviours and improve student engagement; with benefits transferrable to their lives and relationships at home and in the community.

A sensory trolley will help create a calm, low-stress, fun environment in which pupils can work through their emotions and reactions to certain stimuli as well as regain control of their emotions; developing coping mechanisms that will serve them well in the world beyond their sensory space. 

The trolley will be purchased as soon as all of the necessary funds have been secured and the benefits will be enjoyed by both current and future generations of students. Some funds have already been secured towards the cost of the sensory trolley and any additional funds raised above and beyond our target will be used to refurbish some of the equipment in our sensory room and sensory garden.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our project and for any support you choose to give, it really does mean the World to us. 

This project successfully funded on 21st September 2021