Boston Endeavour Academy, a newly built school in Lincolnshire for children with learning difficulties and disabilities, sought to include a hydrotherapy pool in their state-of-the-art facilities. The £13.2 million school, which opened in September 2021, aimed to provide continuous access to hydrotherapy for its students, enhancing their physical and emotional wellbeing.
Innova Care Concepts was chosen to design and install the hydrotherapy pool, meeting the academy’s needs for a space-efficient and hygienic solution. The installation featured a 6m x 4m 316-grade stainless steel pool with Venturi bubble jets, a color-changing light system, and an automated cover, all housed in a compact plant room. This setup supports various therapeutic benefits, from improving mobility and muscle tone to facilitating sensory stimulation and rehabilitation.
The pool has become an integral part of the school’s therapeutic offerings, benefiting students through enhanced physical therapy and sensory experiences. Kayleigh Tooby, the Moving and Handling Coordinator, highlighted the positive impact of the pool on students’ mobility and overall wellbeing, expressing gratitude for the new facility that supports both educational and personal development.
“The hydrotherapy Pool has been an amazing addition to our new school, Boston Endeavour Academy. It is used throughout the week by various individuals providing different opportunities to them.
A small group have daily access, first thing every morning to allow for self-regulation before their school day begins.
Our PMLD children, who are wheelchair users, enjoy the sensory environment we have created. The buoyancy and the warmth of the water is helping to reduce the weight bearing stress on their bodies, which allows for freedom of movement and more mobility of some limbs that would usually be painful on land.
Some pupils are using the pool for rehabilitation exercises and muscle strengthening post-surgery. Using the pool also provides a positional change for all our wheelchair users, which has allowed one pupil the ability to walk around the pool, simply using a float in each hand.
The pool has also allowed some students to develop their water confidence, as well as provide opportunities for Intensive Interaction on a 1:1 basis. We are also fortunate to be able to offer some parents/carers into school to support their child during their Hydro sessions, continuing to develop parental rapports with the school, and provide them with a relaxed environment to interact with their child.
We are extremely grateful to have a hydrotherapy pool on-site and have greatly enjoyed the experience and reactions we have witnessed from staff, pupils, parents, and carers.”
Kayleigh Tooby, Moving and Handling Coordinator at Boston Endeavour Academy