Modular buildings are a neat solution for supporting autistic pupils, writes Darren Brooks.
Schools in England are facing increasing pressure to better accommodate the needs of autistic pupils. As the number of pupils with special educational needs in England rises and the proportion of autistic pupils attending mainstream schools remains high, schools are eagerly looking for ways to introduce and reinforce facilities that meet their pupils’ needs.
One means of accomplishing this is through modular building—a reliable, controlled form of construction that provides sustainable, purpose-built facilities with limited disruption to site occupants. Hyposensitivity and hypersensitivity to stimuli in the surrounding environment are particularly common among autistic children and adults and can lead to sensory overload or deprivation when students struggle to process sensory information.
Flexible and adaptable space can be tailored to suit specific needs, for example by segmenting areas into zones for different purposes. A room could be darkened by black-out blinds on windows and doors, complete with removable, soft finishes to walls and an open area for movement therapy on padded surfaces for managing sensory overload. It could also contain an area to be used as a therapy room or individual intervention space, as well as a space for physical therapy if required. The creation of such multifunctional space can be easily accommodated with modular solutions, with modules able to be reconfigured after installation, as and when a school, or its pupils, need change.
Acoustics are a particularly important consideration when designing spaces for autistic pupils. Auditory sensitivity is common among autistic people, which is a response to the inability to filter out certain noises that can leave students feeling stressed or anxious. Controlling the performance and quality of sound inside a building can help to prevent hypersensitivity to sound through the use of materials such as fibreglass or stone wool insulation that act as an absorptive blanket, reducing the amount of external noise.
The durability and resilience of materials is equally important when creating supportive environments for autistic pupils. Classrooms and facilities need to be able to withstand frequent, long-term use and should have a life span that meets these demands and requirements. Implementing pattressing—a supportive board used to secure equipment—into the walls of a building can help in this regard, reinforcing the robustness of a facility and facilitating flexible use of a space should the school wish to introduce specialist equipment or storage in future.
Building or refurbishing facilities creates disruption for pupils. Offsite building solutions, such as modular construction, can provide new facilities in a matter of weeks. Building components are produced in a controlled manufacturing environment and can be installed on site in a number of days or weeks, often timed to take place during the school holidays.
Author: Darren Brooks
Darren Brooks
Darren Brooks is the head of technical and design at Premier Modular.
Website: premiermodular.co.uk
