At InFocus, we offer a wide range of specialist facilities to ensure that all our young people have access to the best possible learning environment and comprehensive education. Each facility accommodates the needs of students with vision impairment and other complex needs.
Offering both fun and educational activities, our facilities are designed to be a safe and enjoyable environment. Our vision impaired specific activities are tailored to the individual’s needs, including use of tactile play, listening activities, reading braille and using technology.
Here is a quick rundown of our facilities:
- 25m heated swimming pool (used for leisure as well as hydrotherapy)
- Separate hydrotherapy pool
- Well-equipped sensory room
- Mechanical therapy horse
- Trampolines for rebound therapy
- Specialist communication and mobility aids and equipment available to meet a wide range of needs
- Extensive outdoor sensory learning areas, including a discovery garden
- Onsite radio station and music room
- Indoor and outdoor gym equipment
Bradbury Water Therapy Centre
Swimming Pool
The 25 metre swimming pool is accessible for wheelchair users and is heated to 32 degrees. Large, adapted changing rooms have space for changing beds and wheelchairs. We also have a ceiling-track hoist system to all swimmers can be assisted directly into the water.
There is also a large tactile mural wall for our young people to explore whilst out of the water!
Hydrotherapy Pool
The hydrotherapy pool is for therapeutic use such as physiotherapy. We heat it to 34 degrees and have a hoist chair for wheelchair users to easily enter pool. The changing rooms are also accessible for wheelchairs.
Sensory Room
The dedicated sensory room can provide a quiet (or noisy!) environment for our young people. The equipment in the room can be adapted for each individual’s own communication needs and vision impairment. It includes bubble tubes, tactile panels, interactive floor project, soft play, and lots of interactive equipment.
For some it is a safe place to learn about cause and effect and choice making.
Others enjoy the multi-sensory stimulation that can help:
- Increase concentration and focus attention
- Develop of reactivate sense of hearing, sight , smell, touch and taste
- Improve coordination and motor development
- Promote cognitive development by increased brain function
VI Radio
About the station
VI Radio stands for Visual Impairment Radio. The station has been broadcasting from our main site in Exeter since 2003. All of the programs are presented and produced by young people in our college and adult services.
We have a fantastic studio with excellent facilities which allows young people at our charity to independently produce their own shows.
Students use a touch-screen PC to produce their broadcasts. It has a large display with high-contrast colour scheme, magnifier and screen reading software in order to support a wide range of vision impairments.
Some of the students who have their own shows are studying the NCFE Radio Production, Podcasting or Music Technology courses.
When can I listen?
VI Radio only broadcasts at certain times of the day. We’re working to bring you a schedule so you can find out when the station is live, as well as a selection of podcasts and pre-recorded shows.
Why not see if we’re on air now?
Discovery Garden
Horticulture Project
The Discovery Garden is an outside area used by our young people as a learning and social space. Some students have outdoor stories and music lessons, others plant flowers and build bug homes to learn about wildlife.
Others help to grow fruit and vegetables. They then use the produce grown in our gardens in living skills and cookery lessons. They learn to prepare their own meals and create new recipes based on the food they’ve grown. The entire seed to plate process is covered, from planting the seeds, to harvesting the produce, to cooking it, and then even putting the leftovers on the compost heap.
The Discovery Garden gives our young people the chance to experience nature up close in a safe environment. They have access to sensory and therapeutic experiences, as well as educational opportunities and a place to be social with their friends.
“The key to the garden is versatility and variety. I want to create small areas of different things so there is always something interesting for every individual to do and get involved in. It’s also a social space that acts as the back garden for the residential accommodation, so it’s important that our young people can use it as a place to relax and spend time with friends.”
Dylan Cheshire
InFocus Horticulture Project Manager
Trampolines
We have two trampolines which are used regularly for Rebound therapy. One has the benefit of a hoist system to allow more young people to access the trampoline. There is also a small wheelchair-accessible trampoline outdoors.
Outdoor equipment
We have a large number of adapted bikes and trikes that can be used around the campus and on our central track. Young people can also chose to use outdoor gym equipment independently.
