Providing a calm & quiet space for students

A sensory room for students at Bundarra Primary School that is providing safe, quiet, and calm space for both neurodiverse and neurotypical students is proving to be invaluable.

The sensory room, called the Bundarra Sensory Space, is particularly important for the majority of students who have experienced trauma in their lifetime and require a supportive environment to help them settle and cope with their emotions.

According to the school’s student wellbeing officer Skye Roche (pictured) the space is being utilised by students who are supervised by staff members for small snapshots of time.

“Using sensory materials in a dark, quiet space helps deescalate,” Ms Roche said. “A majority of our student cohort have experienced trauma and we acknowledge the impact this has on learning and emotional regulation.”

Thanks to the grant from United Way Glenelg, the school was able to purchase sensory objects and furniture to transform an empty classroom into the Bundarra Sensory Space.

“The space is used exactly as it was intended – to allow children to settle and regulate their emotions using tools and peace and quiet,” Ms Roche said. “The sensory room provides staff with a quiet and relaxing environment to take students when they are feeling escalated, angry, sad or unsafe.”

All 112 students at Bundarra Primary School have the opportunity to benefit from the space, as well as the 21 staff who can utilise the space when supporting students.

United Way Glenelg executive officer Nicole Carr said the grant had allowed the school to provide a much-needed resource for its students.

“I had the opportunity to witness the Bundarra Sensory Space in action with one of the students, and it was truly remarkable,” Ms Carr said.

“This safe and calming environment allowed the student to regulate their emotions and return to the classroom ready to learn. It’s amazing to see how this sensory room is positively impacting the emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes of the students.”

Ms Roche said the school was extremely grateful to United Way Glenelg for their support. “The Bundarra Sensory Space has made a real difference to our students, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will continue to have in the future,” she said.

Bundarra Primary School received a grant from the United Way Glenelg Community Fund. These funds were made available through the Workplace Giving Program, which is supported by local employees. For more information about United Way Glenelg and its Community Fund, please visit their website at www. unitedwayglenelg.com.au