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“What works for a few children usually works for all. Why have special seats for special children when we can have a range of seats for everyone?”

In this inspiring episode of the Therapod Podcast, host Carolyn Gelenter sits down with Heba Al-Jayoosi, the SENCO and Assistant Head at Mayflower Primary School in East London. Heba shares the journey of their "Flexible Seating Revolution"—a radical shift in classroom design that replaces rigid rows with a menu of choices, including rocking chairs, standing desks, and wobble stools.

In this episode, we explore:

Inclusion by Design: How Mayflower moved away from stigmatizing "special adaptations" to a Universal Design for Learning approach where every child can choose the seating that meets their sensory needs.

The Chair Committee: How the project was co-produced with the children themselves, involving a "mammoth" survey of 357 pupils to ensure their voices led the change.

Movement as a Tool for Learning: Challenging the myth that choice leads to "silliness," Heba explains how movement actually improves concentration, peer collaboration, and motivation.

Normalizing Sensory Support: From "normalized" ear defenders available to all children to a "no rules" approach to seating, learn how removing stigma creates a sense of belonging.

Rigor vs. Relationships: How Mayflower became the highest attaining primary school in the UK in 2023 not through rigid control, but by prioritizing emotional safety and the "relational" side of teaching.

Whether you are an educator or a parent, this conversation is a powerful reminder that fairness isn't about everyone having the same—it’s about everyone having what they need to thrive.

#InclusiveEducation #FlexibleSeating #Neurodiversity #UDL #TherapodPodcast #MayflowerPrimary #SensorySupport #DLD #AutismAwareness #EducationInnovation