Andover
Working alongside families and communities in Andover
Date: 29 October 2026 Author: Bethany Brown
Two pre-schools in Andover have taken part in Sensory Circuits training, helping young children move more, regulate their bodies and feel ready to learn.
Knights Enham and Shepards Spring schools are working with Energise Me to introduce sensory circuits, supporting early years gross motor development, sensory regulation and attention.
Sensory Circuits are short, structured sessions of fun physical activities that help children reach the right level of alertness for learning. They are designed to support sensory processing and regulation, helping children feel calm, focused and ready to take part in the classroom. Circuits usually last around 10–20 minutes and follow three stages.
First, children take part in alerting activities such as jumping, skipping or bouncing, helping them wake up their bodies and get energised.
Next come organising activities, including balance tasks, obstacle paths and motor-planning challenges, which support coordination, strength and spatial awareness.
Finally, calming activities such as stretching, breathing exercises or deep pressure help children settle.
The order is necessary – children start with movement that wakes up the body and brain, move into activities that challenge balance and coordination, and finish with activities that calm them.
Gross Motor Skills are recognised as fundamental building blocks for children’s learning, participation and readiness for school. Whilst better than the national average, currently over a quarter of young children in Hampshire don’t meet the expected level of development by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Introducing physical activity in early years can play a particularly important role in supporting good levels of development. Movement supports strength, balance and mobility, as well as coordination, confidence, communication and social skills.
The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidance for under-fives recommends at least 180 minutes per day and highlights that active children are healthier, happier, more school-ready and sleep better. That is why it is so important that opportunities to move are built into the places where our youngest children spend their time.
We are really excited to introduce Sensory Circuits to our nursery. We believe it will have a great impact on our children's physical development and support their self-regulation so they can access the learning environment in a more focussed way. We have set up a dedicated space which we know the children will be very keen to access.
Knights Enham teacher, Tori Woodward
Before the session, schools told us that finding the time, space and equipment for more movement was not always easy. They hoped the training would help them support children’s development, help children regulate their emotions, and give staff the confidence to lead sensory circuits in their own settings.
Staff from all levels at Shepards Spring took part in the training, including teachers, nursery practitioners, SENCOs and LSAs. This mattered because the more confident staff are, the easier it is for movement breaks to become a normal part of the day, with colleagues able to support each other to lead sessions.
The training session began by looking at how different types of movement can support children’s physical and mental development. For example, big movements like dancing, jumping or kicking a ball can build balance, coordination and body awareness, while smaller hand movements support fine motor skills for everyday tasks like using cutlery, drawing or getting dressed.
After learning about the ‘science’ behind Sensory Circuits, staff then got to try the equipment themselves! There was a lot of laughter echoing in the hall during this time, as staff threw balls, spun on spinning chairs and played with spray goop.
Our work in Andover is a great example of how we can support schools in specific communities while keeping children’s needs at the center. By helping staff build practical, playful movement into the school day, we can give more children the chance to feel settled, confident and ready to learn.
The work is part of Energise Me’s place work in Andover and hopes to expand to other eligible pre-schools in the area.
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