Efficient Transfers for Future- Ready ASN School

Innovative hoisting solutions helped Woodland View School transform daily care and maximise essential classroom time

Client Woodland View School

Location East Dunbartonshire

Architect NORR

Contractor East Dunbartonshire Council

Sector

Specialist Education

The Challenge

East Dunbartonshire Council set out to create a new, fully inclusive ASN school to replace two existing provisions with a single, future-ready learning environment for up to 200 pupils with mild to complex needs. Designed by NORR, the two-storey building required seamless accessibility across multiple levels, with safe and dignified support for pupils with significant mobility and personal care needs. A key challenge was enabling efficient transfers between classrooms and hygiene spaces without disrupting learning time or increasing manual handling risks for staff.

Approach

Working collaboratively with NORR and the wider project team, Innova provided specialist expertise in ceiling track hoisting and hygiene room equipment within complex SEN environments. Our focus was on ensuring that accessibility was embedded into the daily flow of the school — enabling discreet, safe transfers that supported both independence and efficiency, while aligning with the building’s inclusive design vision.

Implementation

Innova supplied and installed a network of ceiling track hoisting systems throughout the school, including direct room-to-room connections between classrooms and adjacent hygiene facilities. This was complemented by the provision of specialist shower trolleys to support safe, comfortable personal care. The integrated design allows pupils to be transferred smoothly without the need for multiple manual handling stages or equipment changes, supporting consistent care across the school day.

Results

The completed installation has significantly improved both pupil experience and staff workflows. Previously, personal care routines could take around 20 minutes per pupil due to multiple transfers between spaces. With the new integrated hoisting system, this has reduced to an average of just 6 minutes. The school estimates this equates to an additional 354 hours per year, per pupil, spent in the classroom rather than in transit for personal care.

The result is a more efficient, dignified and inclusive environment where pupils can spend more time learning and staff can deliver care more safely and effectively, fully supporting the school’s vision for accessible, continuous education.

“It’s been fantastic to see the impact of the hoisting systems at Woodland View since the school opened. By connecting classrooms directly to hygiene rooms, transfers that once took around 20 minutes are now taking just 6. That’s had a huge effect on daily care routines and means pupils are spending significantly more time in the classroom. Hearing how positively staff speak about the system really shows how thoughtful, integrated design can make a genuine difference to both learning and care.”

Jennifer Freeman – Associate, Inclusive Design Lead, NORR