North Lindsey College Joinery Students Make a Difference for SEND Pupils

Joinery students at North Lindsey College have put their skills to good use by creating bespoke wooden props for pupils at local SEND primary school, St Luke's Primary School.

The project was made possible through a connection between St Luke's staff member Jayne and her daughter Martha, who is studying Carpentry and Joinery at the College. Working from a live client brief, the students designed and crafted a new set of miniature wooden furniture to support speech therapy sessions at the school.

The handcrafted props, which include tables, chairs and cots, are used alongside dolls, teddy bears and other learning aids to help pupils develop communication skills and better understand different scenarios. After years of regular use, the school's original props had become worn and needed replacing.

The students carefully created a new set of durable, child-friendly props, ensuring each piece was practical, safe and built to withstand everyday use. Design features such as rounded corners were incorporated to make them suitable for young children.

Martha said: "It was really nice to be involved in a project that helped children in the local community while also giving us valuable hands-on experience.

"Working on a real project for a client made us think about more than just making the props look good. We also had to make sure they were safe and practical for the children to use, so it was a great learning experience for all of us."

Martha was recently recognised at the College's annual Student Celebration Awards, receiving the Community Award for her contribution to the project, alongside her exceptional dedication and positive impact within the community. Her nomination highlighted her caring nature, commitment to helping others and selfless community work, including regularly volunteering at local food banks.

Kay Chappell, Communication Lead at St Luke's Primary School, said: "Thank you so much from all the children at St Luke's. We can use them to learn prepositions, actions, and much more."

The project demonstrates North Lindsey College's commitment to supporting the local community while giving students valuable real-world experience, enabling them to apply their skills to a meaningful project that will make a lasting difference for local children.