Chailey Heritage School

Wheelchair Guidance System
Children and young adults with physical disabilities want to drive wheelchairs and become more independent but this can be difficult due to their disabilities and complex needs. Helpers need to continually guide and control the wheelchairs in order to avoid collisions and to steer the occupant to destinations.

Research undertaken at Chailey Heritage School created systems to assist wheelchair users and provide them with a realistic driving opportunity. Throughout the creation of the guidance system the child or young adult was involved at all stages, starting with a simple single line from their classroom leading to the toilet. The method of user control was a prime consideration. The track lines incorporate junctions to enable drivers to start choosing their own destinations. This necessitates the inclusion of route selection methods in addition to start and stop controls.

Chailey Heritage School now has a network of track routes that cover the major parts of the school complex including the residential areas. Tracked guidance systems have also been incorporated to technologically assisted adventure play environments and under floor systems for the new Primary building.

The track routes around Chailey Heritage have grown over the years and we now have in total over 1Km covering inside and outside destinations. All age groups can have access to guided mobility and we have several track guided wheelchairs. Young people can drive to and from their residential bungalows using a single switch control. 

We have introduced a Wheelchair Proficiency Award Scheme to encourage pupils to improve their driving skills and to increase their confidence.

"Pupils do a great deal to help themselves. For instance, they work hard in swimming and succeed in achieving wheelchair proficiency awards. They make exceptional progress in learning about how to stay safe and healthy as well as the everyday routines of cutting up their own food, cleaning their teeth and tasting new foods." (Ofsted Report - September 2009)

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