Over the summer holidays, while students enjoyed a well-deserved break, an amazing team of tradespeople worked tirelessly to transform the ground floor of the sixth form accommodation into a stunning, bright and airy living space. Thoughtfully designed with accessibility in mind, this new space will better support the needs of students with a vision impairment and help them apply the skills they have learned in school, fostering a sense of confidence and empowerment. 

The layout of the existing ground floor accommodation has been thoughtfully reconfigured to create a spacious three-bay kitchen area. This inviting space allows students to cook meals and fosters their independence. Designed to mirror the familiar setup of the ILS department, the kitchens provide a seamless transition for students, empowering them to hone their culinary skills and build confidence in a supportive environment. The ILS Department collaborated and consulted with designers to ensure accessibility for all. Each kitchen bay is different and they vary in colour, flooring, worktops, sinks and cabinet hardware. This to make sure each student has what they require to meet their sensory and functional acuity skills. The dining tables encourage students to gather, share meals and catch up on their day, promoting connections and a sense of community. The ceilings in both the kitchen and lounge are sound absorbing, meaning that the sound in the room is ambient and not distracting or over powering.   

What was the “school laundry” has been relocated to another part of the school. This has allowed students a Games Room with a popular pool table. This is a lively room, where students can relax, socialise and spent time with friends.  

The main living area now features six comfortable sofas, mood lighting and is a bright, airy space where students can often be found deep in conversation. 

The ground floor bedrooms have also had a huge makeover and the students are very proud  of them. The purpose built furniture, bright upholstery, ample charge points and lighting has been a huge success – almost as much as the shiny white new en-suites!   

This is the first phase of the refurbishment and more works will be scheduled in due course.    

We are excited to announce that there will be a grand re-opening of the accommodation in February where we will be able to thank the people that made this possible by supporting the college and standing with us in our mission to empower young blind people.