Our school intends to transform a space within its premises into a gateway for reading made fun, whilst at the same time adhering to the intentions of an education for sustainable development. By re-cycling waste, including some hazardous waste, the school intends to design and create a space where all students feel safe, welcome and encouraged to read. By integrating spaces and activities which involve sensory stimulation, we intend to create a detoxifying reading hub which will encourage learners to engage, explore, connect and learn.

During the summer months new interactive whiteboards were installed leaving the school with around thirty-five large cardboard boxes to dispose of. Instead of disposing of high grade packaging material we intend to reuse the thick cardboard in a project which outreaches to and involves parents, educators and young students.

The thick cardboard will be reused to create all the sensory walls and book cases. Throughout the EWWR we also intend to involve the school community by encouraging parents and educators to bring any paint cans which were going to be thrown away and use them to decorate the cardboard furniture and walls. We also intend to furnish the room with cushions made from used material. We will also recycle bits of left over cloths, buttons, zips, wool and other textured materials to set up the sensory walls.

The design of the detoxifying reading hub involved consultations with professionals such as occupational therapists and inclusion coordinators who work with children who would especially benefit from such a sensory input.

Throughout the week all stakeholders will take part in the project – educators and students will help with the artistic creation of the murals and decorations, parent volunteers and neighbours from the community work on the sensory walls, furniture and soft furnishings.