Sunshine Coach creates equal opportunities for SEND students

Schools across the UK are under growing pressure to provide opportunities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Budgets are shrinking, while demand for support rises. Enrichment trips are vital for SEND students yet are often the first things squeezed when funding is tight.

At Shaftesbury High School, Deborah Stone, Community Engagement Manager, knows how essential these experiences beyond the classroom are.

“Teaching these young people life skills isn’t all about maths, English and science,” Deborah says. “It’s about enrichment, getting them out there into the big wide world because sooner or later, they’re going to leave us and they need to feel confident.”

Children with disabilities need extra support to access the world around them, or they risk missing out on opportunities many children take for granted.

“Many of our students are from vulnerable families, may have socio-economic challenges,” Deborah explains. “When it comes to weekends and vacations, some of our students spend time stuck at home in their bedrooms or just don’t go out.”

“When it comes to weekends, some of our students spend time stuck at home or just don’t go out.”

Shaftesbury struggled to provide outings for their students as their old bus became unusable and accessible options were scarce.

“In the past we struggled because we have students with wheelchairs and we couldn’t get them on buses that didn’t have a tailgate. We’ve had students with wheelchairs who’ve said, ‘It’s not fair, I can’t go.’”

It’s very, very important for those with SEND to feel that they’re equal with their peers, that they’re not discriminated against.”

The arrival of a Sunshine Coach from Variety, the Children’s Charity, with funding from The Inflexion Foundation in November 2025 marked a turning point.

“When you get a coach like this, it means that we can add to our enrichment, we can give everybody equal access, equal opportunities. Now we have the Variety Sunshine Coach with the tailgate, it means that we can take everybody out on any trip at any time.”

Year 10 student, Khaliya, whose wish is ‘that we could travel a bit more…and see the world for ourselves” says the Sunshine Coach “helps us to provide support for people who have wheelchairs. It’s important because they need to explore what the world is like for them.”

Sixth form student Malakai adds, “It helps us a lot…We can take everyone everywhere we need to go. It’s all inclusive, fair on everyone.”

It’s all inclusive, fair on everyone.”

Inclusion now no longer depends on transport. Every student can take part and share the same experiences as their peers.

“Any school trip’s special. For young people with SEND, it’s 100% more special… how many times have I heard the words, ‘That was the best trip ever,’” Deborah recalls.

Student, Mikey, 13, loves that the Sunshine Coach enables him to play in football tournaments, “The best time I had on the coach was going to football, I’m goalkeeper. It made me really happy.”

Mikey adds, “Sometimes in summer, it’s good to go outside school, have a bit of fun, come back and be ready to learn again.”

For Malakai, learning outside the classroom is important because “education never stops.” Deborah has seen an improvement in attendance and behaviour during trips too.

These excursions illuminate a world that many of Shaftesbury’s students have never experienced. Deborah remembers one visit to London, “We went over one of the bridges and they looked at the Thames and I heard this child shouting about Big Ben. When we got to the Globe Theatre and the students suddenly realised where they were, the look on their faces, that was my favourite.”

From Shakespeare’s Globe to the supermarket, every trip builds confidence and independence and offers learning moments, not just for the students but for the community too.

“Going to a supermarket is a life skill for a young person with SEND who may have autism or a sensory need, so the feel, the touch, the smell can be a challenge.”

Khaliya adds, “It can help us to teach other people what we are learning. I think that’s really nice.”

These opportunities also have a wider effect on families. Deborah explains, “Parents love it because they know we’re teaching their son or daughter how to manage themselves when they’re older…It’s very tiring for parents. It’s extremely hard for them to take them out, so when we’re able to do that, it’s incredibly helpful and supportive.”

Research shows that students with SEND, the more you get them out in a comfortable, safe environment, they get a lot out of it.”

“By going out, young people are developing life skills that they’ll need when they reach adulthood. All research shows that students with SEND, the more you get them out in a comfortable, safe environment, they get a lot out of it.”

The Sunshine Coach also supports the sixth form. “We offer experiences with the workplace, where we’ll take a group of students out on the coach. They also have college experiences once a week and we use the coach for that,” Deborah says.

Malakai comments, “It’s nice. You get a view of how the college works and what you might expect when you go there. The environment is completely different.”

With reliable transport, opportunities have increased significantly for children across the school. “This term every student’s been out on at least one trip, and many on two, three or four,” Deborah says. “It’s so important for them.”

Mikey is excited for his upcoming adventures, “My teacher is trying to arrange a trip to Legoland and we’re going to Whipsnade Zoo. I’m really excited.”

It’s not just the giving of a coach, a bit of machinery with four wheels. It’s what it does. It’s life-changing for young people with SEND.”

For Deborah, the value of the Sunshine Coach cannot be overstated. “It’s not just the giving of a coach, a bit of machinery with four wheels. It’s what it does. It’s life-changing for young people with SEND. We thank Inflexion really from the bottom of our hearts and encourage others to donate because of what it means to the young people.”

Malakai adds, “Massive thank you, top of my lungs quite literally. Thank you so much.”

With further Sunshine Coaches, more SEND schools can provide essential enrichment experiences that help disabled children and young people explore the world and prepare for their future.