{"id":13417,"date":"2026-06-03T01:15:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T08:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/?p=13417"},"modified":"2026-06-03T05:04:52","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T12:04:52","slug":"breaking-the-ceiling-of-learning-how-cedar-lodge-special-school-uses-thinglink-to-support-pupils-and-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/breaking-the-ceiling-of-learning-how-cedar-lodge-special-school-uses-thinglink-to-support-pupils-and-families\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking the Ceiling of Learning: How Cedar Lodge Special School Uses ThingLink to Support Pupils and Families"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">At Cedar Lodge School, Principal Chris Murphy and his team are using ThingLink and other digital tools to create learning experiences that \u201cbreak the ceiling of learning.\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cedar Lodge School is a Special School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They provide education for pupils from Nursery to Year 12 on their Main Site, and from Year 13 to Year 15 on their Senior Site. Pupils have a range of special educational needs, including:&nbsp;Severe Learning Difficulties; Social, Behavioural, Emotional and Wellbeing Difficulties; Speech, Language and Communication Needs; Sensory Needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The school is divided into five departments: Early Years, Junior, Middle and Senior School, and post-16, where pupils have the opportunity to enrol in accredited courses, gaining qualifications that will enable them to continue their education or transition into the workforce upon leaving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cedar Lodge is an Apple Distinguished School and Apple Regional Training Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The school first explored ThingLink during an Erasmus Plus collaboration in 2015\u20132016 involving seven schools across Europe. The project left a lasting impression about the potential of immersive digital environments in special education. Earlier this year, the school decided to rebuild the school\u2019s immersive learning approach using the platform\u2019s latest capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"tl-cta-block\"><h3>Book a free consultation<\/h3><p>If you\u2019d like to learn more about how your school can create accessible experiences for all your learners, contact our K-12 Education Specialist today.<\/p><button class=\"tl-button tl-button--white tl-button--small tl-cta-block__button\" data-link=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/troy-thinglink\/30min\">Book a free consultation<\/button><\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The challenge was clear: to create accessible, flexible and sensory-aware digital experiences that could support a highly diverse student population while also strengthening engagement with families and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional virtual tours and static images were not enough. Cedar Lodge needed digital resources that could:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Support varying levels of sensory engagement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Work across laptops, tablets, phones and VR headsets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Help parents and carers feel connected to the school community<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allow new students to see, hear, and become familiar with staff and locations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enable differentiated social stories for students with additional needs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allow staff collaboration across evolving projects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integrate into existing digital workflows and platforms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Specific Challenge: A \u201cDigital School Gate\u201d Experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With 90% of students transported to school rather than arriving through a traditional \u201cschool gate\u201d community, families often had limited opportunities to experience the school environment firsthand. The school wanted to bridge that gap in a meaningful, and highly accessible way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solution: Immersive Learning with ThingLink<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.Virtual Tour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Using ThingLink, Cedar Lodge transformed an existing flat, two-dimensional digital tour into a layered, 360\u00b0 immersive environment designed specifically for accessibility and flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/mediacard\/\/2100974661545231013\" type=\"text\/html\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"\" mozallowfullscreen=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>The virtual tour is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cedarlodgeschool.co.uk\/useful-information-1\/360-school-tour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">available on their external website<\/a>, and allows parents and carers to explore classrooms, facilities and staff interactions in a far more engaging way than static photography. Included in some of the interactive tags are \u201cLiving Lessons\u201d &#8211; sample lessons recorded in situ in the classroom. In the PE hall, for example, viewers can see and interact with 360\u00b0 imagery featuring the school\u2019s PE teacher, helping families become familiar with both the spaces, and the staff, before arriving in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"401\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Gym-1024x401.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Gym-1024x401.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Gym-300x117.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Gym-768x300.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Gym-576x225.png 576w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Gym.png 1084w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A visit to the gym on the virtual tour<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than forcing a single level of immersion, the school adopted a graduated approach. Students and families can explore the content through standard devices such as laptops, tablets and phones, with the option to progress toward fully immersive VR experiences when appropriate. This flexibility is particularly important for learners with sensory sensitivities, where even wearing a headset can become a barrier to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"949\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Balance-Bikes.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Balance-Bikes.png 949w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Balance-Bikes-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Balance-Bikes-768x388.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Balance-Bikes-576x291.png 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 949px) 100vw, 949px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of the embedded videos within the gym on the virtual tour<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Social Stories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ThingLink also became central to Cedar Lodge\u2019s growing library of differentiated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cedarlodgeschool.co.uk\/useful-information-1\/social-stories\">Social Stories<\/a>, created with Gemini Storybook. These resources support students across a range of scenarios, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Travelling on education authority buses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visiting the cinema<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brushing teeth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transitioning between school campuses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigating unfamiliar environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The school is now combining AI-generated storytelling tools with ThingLink\u2019s immersive environments to expand these social stories into interactive 360\u00b0 experiences. GoPro footage captured between the school\u2019s two campuses will create a virtual walking tour between the two sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Benefits and Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Greater Accessibility for Students and Staff<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The school found that immersive environments support not only student learning, but also staff accessibility and professional development. For example, visual operational tools &#8211; for staff as well as learners &#8211; include the use of AI-generated visual concepts to support workplace tasks for employees with autism spectrum disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"948\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Tour-Learning.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Tour-Learning.png 948w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Tour-Learning-300x147.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Tour-Learning-768x376.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cedar-Lodge-Tour-Learning-576x282.png 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 948px) 100vw, 948px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An example 360 scene from the virtual tour<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The layered accessibility of ThingLink also created unexpected benefits for teacher development. Staff unfamiliar with certain environments or learning contexts could use virtual spaces to scaffold their own understanding before delivering lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Stronger Family and Community Engagement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The immersive tours have helped families feel more connected to the school environment, especially important in a community where most students are transported directly to school. Parents and carers can now explore facilities, meet staff virtually and better understand the learning environments their children experience each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The school also introduced feedback mechanisms allowing families to request additional social stories tailored to needs at home, extending the impact of the project beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Recognition for Excellence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cedar Lodge\u2019s work has received recognition through the Capita ICT Excellence Awards, where the project was acknowledged for its innovative approach to \u201cbreaking the ceiling of learning.\u201d Meanwhile, the initiative continues to evolve through collaboration with digital leaders, the school council and wider staff teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Flexible, Cross-Platform Integration and Instant Updates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For Cedar Lodge, it\u2019s important that any tools integrate naturally into existing workflows rather than operating as isolated systems. ThingLink\u2019s ability to embed within platforms such as Trello \u2014 and potentially connect with learning journals like Seesaw \u2014 has helped teachers and classroom assistants see immediate practical relevance in their daily work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Importantly, the cloud-based nature of the platform means that any projects that the school creates in ThingLink exist as an evolving \u201cliving baseline\u201d rather than a finished product. Staff can continuously update, refine and expand the content over time. The virtual tour is already live on the Cedar Lodge website, but can instantly be updated at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The collaborative nature of ThingLink has also been essential. Multiple staff members can work on the same virtual environment simultaneously, allowing the platform to function like a shared design workspace across departments and initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Model for Future Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Open, creative platforms like ThingLink empower educators to innovate in ways that genuinely support their pupils and families, especially when combined with complementary tools such as digital storytelling applications. For Cedar Lodge, immersive technology is not simply about virtual reality \u2014 it is about creating inclusive, adaptable learning experiences that remove barriers and expand opportunities for every learner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"tl-cta-block\"><h3>Book a free consultation<\/h3><p>If you\u2019d like to learn more about how your school can create accessible experiences for all your learners, contact our K-12 Education Specialist today.<\/p><button class=\"tl-button tl-button--white tl-button--small tl-cta-block__button\" data-link=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/troy-thinglink\/30min\">Book a free consultation<\/button><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Cedar Lodge School, Principal Chris Murphy and his team are using ThingLink and other digital tools to create learning experiences that \u201cbreak the ceiling &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":13431,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[477,568],"tags":[515,529,216],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13417"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13417"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13417\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13430,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13417\/revisions\/13430"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}