KEY STATS

Number of students that will benefit: 120

Age of students: 4-19

Percentage eligible for free school meals: 28%

OUR PROJECT

Introduction to our School

The Mendip school is a specialist school for children from Somerset with additional needs. We are a modern and forward thinking school that incorporates technology to benefit and challenge our children on a daily basis. Our pupils needs range from social communication difficulties to severe learning difficulties, including children who are on the autistic spectrum.

What do we want?

As a minimum, we would like to purchase a HTC Vive Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Display unit. With this we will also need to purchase a VR ready laptop for use with the HTC unit, enabling us and the children to make full use of the headset and a wide variety of VR software.

Who is this for?

For every child to use across EYFS, primary, secondary and Post-16.

Why do we want it?

The Mendip School recently worked with Dr Nigel Newbutt from The University of West England to examine the use and potential of Virtual reality (VR) on children on the autistic spectrum. Autistic groups typically find that VR is a helpful way to have interactions with spaces and people without real-world consequences. We found that the pupils really enjoyed using VR and teachers saw potential ways to bring it into the curriculum and classroom.

Therefore this fundraising project, and money raised, will support:

Integration of VR in the school

Software tools to support and target social and communication skills

Provide a means for pupils to experience real life environments in VR before visiting / experiencing them in real life, helping to reduce anxiety and stress

Give all pupils the opportunity to try VR and experience programmes that could help reduce anxiety and develop social skills.

This equipment will enable teachers to bring virtual reality to the classroom, to the benefit of all the students. Dr Newbutt can also continue to monitor the impact of VR on autistic pupils, generating recommendations that can benefit many more people, both teachers and people with autism.

Where your money goes

With the funds raised we would like to purchase the following:

HTC vive VR kit, £499 @ https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-home-entertainment/gaming/virtual-reality/htc-vive-10144056-pdt.html

Laptop, £749 @ http://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/cty/pdp/spd/inspiron-15-7577-laptop/cn57701

Delivery: Free

Total = £1,248 (incl. VAT & delivery)

HELP US REACH OUR TARGET!

Please donate to help our specialist school improve the outcomes for our pupils and help them become their true potential as adults. We are proud to be, and want to stay, at the forefront of special educational innovation, but if you can't donate right now you can help us in other ways!

Share this project with anyone you think would support us. Share the link at the top of the page on Twitter, Facebook, email, your website, blog, mention us in a phone call or even just a chat over the fence! Please support us and help make a difference to our students.

Thank you so much for your support.