Rumworth School – Acheeva Learning Station

1 x Acheeva Learning Station

Rumworth is a school for students with complex needs and severe and moderate learning difficulties and/or disabilities. It caters for children aged 11-19 from across Bolton. There are currently 136 children attending the school, and 16 of them have profound physical disabilities which limit their movement. These children are unable to move themselves into different positions, and so must be moved frequently to avoid pressure sores and to aid breathing and digestion.

The Occupational Therapy team in Bolton is responsible for the physical care of the children at the school. They have asked us to provide an Acheeva Learning Station to help the most severely disabled children take an active part in lessons alongside their peers. The Acheeva Learning Station is a specialist item which provides positioning with full support to the child. The Acheeva is compact and easily moveable within the classroom, so the child can be more included in class activities.  The height and angle can be adjusted to allow children to make eye contact and to communicate.  Being at a raised height ensures that they can easily see what is being shown to other pupils, and they are on a level with staff and their classmates who are in wheelchairs.

The priority for next term will be given to a 16-year-old student who is currently studying her GCSEs. She has Cerebral Palsy affecting all four limbs, and sits most of the day in an attendant-pushed wheelchair. She wants to be more independent and take a more active part in class activities. She gets very uncomfortable sitting in the same position for a long time, and her teachers feel not only her health, but also her education would benefit from her having use of the learning station. There are other children coming through the school who will benefit from this equipment as they grow, and reach a stage of their education where they need to be in lessons for longer.

Total: £3,240, we have pledged £1,120 towards the item.

UPDATE: This project was funded by NewLife Charity in 2010