Reinventing Classrooms - Shahana Knight, Childhood Trauma Specialist, TPC Therapy

Classroom environments are outdated and do not consider the emotional and mental health of children. The current standard classroom can actually create barriers to learning, especially those who are suffering from adverse life experiences. In this presentation we will look at why classrooms need to change and how this links to mental health. We will begin by looking at the developing brain of a child and how trauma, stress and insecure attachment can impact children's ability to learn in school. We will then explore how classrooms can trigger a child to disengage from learning. Finally we will look at how rooms can be reinvented to ensure they are trauma informed and attachment aware and meet the mental health needs of the children. This session is innovative and forward thinking and is underpinned by work Shahana Knight is doing in schools in the UK. She has recently worked alongside a primary school in wigan to create the ultimate therapeutic classroom which has been featured in national Head Teachers Magazine. Snippets of her documentary will be shown as part of this presentation.

St Helen’s College - David Judge, Space Zero, Rav Garcha, CFO, St Helens College & Harry Hoodless, Studio Hoodless

St. Helens College are consolidating their campus embracing a new approach. Along with the Architectural master strategy they have developed an internal “Experience Strategy”. The ambition is to achieve a much greater level of “belonging” for the students and staff. In this session the CFO, Architects and Designers will explain their reasons and the outcomes they are aiming to achieve. 

Exploring the future of HE workspaces: mental health, wellbeing, and performance in a post Covid-19 academic environment - Marié Nevin, Architect at Stride Treglown, Amy Bendall – Research Assistant at Psychological Evaluation and Research Consultancy Hub (PERCH), University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Yolanda Rendón-Guerrero – Research Innovation Fellow at the Assistive Technologies Innovation Centre (ATiC), University of Wales Trinity Saint David

The turmoil caused by Covid-19 saw academics in HE institutions across the UK, and worldwide, facing the sudden and unplanned move to online or blended delivery, leaving pre-pandemic operational models in need of evolving.

At this session we present the WellSPACE project, which brings together architects Stride Treglown and researchers at the Assistive Technologies Innovation Centre (ATIC) and the Psychological Evaluation and Research Consultancy Hub (PERCH). The project investigates the impact of returning to post-pandemic academic environments on health, wellbeing and performance at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and explores the implications for future HE workspaces.