Synergies between children’s sensory needs and environmental factors in primary schools

The relationship between architectural design and occupants' needs, particularly in educational buildings, is crucial for optimising comfort, learning and energy usage. Educational facilities significantly impact learning outcomes and individuals' well-being, prompting extensive research into environmental factors such as lighting, acoustics, temperature, and air quality. However, there is a dearth of research exploring how the built environment aligns with children's sensory needs, highlighting a critical gap in understanding. This paper presents the main factors of the physical environment impacting children’s wellbeing. In addition, it reports on a consultation with seven school leaders and discussions with three members of the local educational council to: (1) Map out how educators use the available space in school; (2) Understand what key challenges they encounter when responding to children’s sensory needs; (3) Co-construct an interview schedule to gather children’s views on their sensory needs. The consultation resulted in the creation of an interview schedule which is ready to be piloted in the next phase of the project. By gathering insights from consultations, the research characterised the microsystem influencing children’s learning and captured the local policy framework affecting children's support services. Understanding the synergies between environmental factors and sensory needs, along with considering children's perspectives is essential for adapting the physical environment to support their well-being effectively.