Boy with autism calls for classroom sensory areas

An 11-year-old primary school student has started a petition calling on the government to ensure there is a sensory area in every classroom for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Monty from north Dorset said: "Loads of autistic people struggle at school and it will make loads of families happier if we make more sensory areas."

His mum Emily added those spaces would help children having "a difficult time" to not be seen as "different" or miss out on the classes.

The Department for Education has been contacted for a comment.

Because of Monty's struggle with sensory needs, he writes on his petition page that it is "hard to focus or feel comfortable in traditional learning environments that aren't designed to cater to children like me".

There are days when he does not go into school or has to do his work outside of the classroom.

"But more sensory support can change that, not just for me, but also for loads of other children who, like me, might feel out of place," his petition states.

Speaking to BBC Radio Dorset, Monty described the sensory areas as "somewhere where you can just sit down and have a break from your classroom" with features such as dimmed lights and curtains.

A previous BBC report on a similar space lists other features such as colourful lights, projections and bubble tubes to help children "find a calm space".

According to the National Autistic Society, autistic people "can be much more or less sensitive to sensory experiences than non-autistic people" and may seek out, avoid or become overwhelmed by sounds, lights, smells, tastes and textures, or face challenges with other senses.

The charity says there are at least 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, based on research about the true figure, which "is likely to be higher".

Monty is the youngest of four siblings who have autism and Emily said had all struggled at school.

She said sometimes her son did not "necessarily want to be seen as different and you don't want to miss out" by having to leave the classroom.

"If we could change the schools to help them, I think everything would be a lot better and families wouldn't be in crisis," she said.

Monty said his message to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was that "loads of autistic people struggle at school or people that have ADHD like me will struggle at school".

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