THE ADAPTIVE CLASSROOM’S IMPACT ENABLED BY INNOVATION & COLLABORATION

Every meaningful innovation has a moment when it moves beyond a good idea and begins to take real shape, and for the Adaptive Classroom, that shift was driven by the commitment of its founders, the support of the wider community, and the momentum provided by the 2025 Innovation Challenge.

The Adaptive Classroom is a fundamental rethinking of education. It challenges not children, but the environments we ask them to learn in. Developed through collaboration with communities both on the Isle of Man and internationally, it is an evolving movement grounded in a simple belief: classrooms should support safety, regulation and genuine enjoyment of learning.

As traditional classrooms increasingly struggle to meet the sensory, emotional and cognitive needs of today’s diverse learners, more children are removed from spaces that were never designed for them in the first place. Teachers feel stretched, parents feel frustrated, and children quietly absorb the message that they are the problem.

The Adaptive Classroom reframes this reality. There is no “child problem” to fix, there is an environment that needs to evolve. By integrating trauma-informed design with restorative practice as equal and inseparable elements, the Adaptive Classroom offers a truly holistic approach. One where culture supports connection, design supports regulation, and learning spaces are built around the child, not the other way around.

The goal is simple but powerful: to set a new standard for education, one grounded in humanity, belonging and environments where children are not just managed, but allowed to thrive.

Where it all started

While the vision had been forming for years, the Adaptive Classroom truly began when four individuals, Chloe Roberts, Michelle Morgan, Paul Murphy and Catherine Barber-Brown, discovered the power of combining their expertise after meeting at an event. Each had been working independently to improve the lives of young people but quickly recognised that their approaches were stronger together.

Chloe contributes research-led design grounded in neuroarchitecture and healing environments; Michelle provides the restorative, relational foundation shaped by neuroscience, education and motherhood; Paul anchors the physical space with adaptive, ergonomic furniture designed around how children actually learn; and Catherine ensures the work remains strategically sound, family-focused and rooted in real-world experience. Together, they formed the Adaptive Classroom.

Competing in the 2025 Isle of Man Innovation Challenge

The Innovation Challenge provided the structure, momentum, and collaborative environment needed to turn a shared belief into a working, research-backed pilot.

For the Adaptive Classroom, the Innovation Challenge acted as a catalyst rather than a competition. From the outset, it created space for conversation, iteration, and honest questioning. The process, from filming the application video to refining the final presentation, helped the team crystallise their thinking.

What began as four aligned, but separate strands of work were quickly woven into a single, coherent model. As their Challenge mentor observed, “the progress wasn’t subtle, it was palpable.”

One of the clearest takeaways was how uniquely positioned the Isle of Man is for innovation. Its size, connectivity, and collaborative culture allow ideas to move from concept to implementation far more quickly than in larger systems. Instead of innovation getting stuck in committees, conversations turned into introductions, and introductions turned into action. The Challenge opened doors to schools, departments and community partners, enabling rapid testing in a real-world setting.

Crucially, it helped move the concept from “this feels right” to “this can be measured” - a shift that matters deeply in education, health and public services, where evidence is everything.

From idea pitch to pilot launch

One of the most tangible outcomes of the Innovation Challenge for the Adaptive Classroom was the opportunity to contact all primary schools on the island and invite them to take part in the pilot phase.

From this process, Scoill yn Jubilee Junior School was selected as the pilot site, marking the transition from vision to reality.

"Applying to host the Adaptive Classroom as part of the Isle of Man Innovation Challenge was a natural choice for us, as our core values of inclusion and well-being align so perfectly with the Adaptive Classroom team's vision. We are already seeing a huge impact; the integration of trauma-informed design and adaptive furniture has fundamentally changed how our pupils engage with their learning environment. It is a space that prioritises belonging and regulation, and having seen the immediate benefits in our pilot space, I would love for this approach to be rolled out in all of our classrooms. We haven’t even started implementing the learning from our restorative training yet! I can’t wait to see the impact of all of the team’s expertise combined.” - Emily Hicks, Head of School (Junior Site)

The Adaptive Classroom was installed during the October 2025 half-term and is now running across three full terms. It is not a showcase space, but a working classroom, shaped with and by the children and staff who use it every day.

The classroom has been fully redesigned with flexible furniture, regulation tools, and research-based displays, while pupils actively participate through weekly workbooks and design modules that encourage reflection and co-creation. Since launching at the Innovation Challenge in June 2025, the team has delivered the full classroom redesign, developed bespoke resources and staff training, gathered baseline and ongoing feedback, raised community support and delivered restorative conferencing training across the island, using termly data to continuously refine and strengthen the model. The Adaptive Classroom also recently launched their brand new website where you, as the community can find out more about joining their movement.

The road ahead

The Adaptive Classroom pilot will conclude in summer 2026, with early findings expected later that year.

Looking ahead, the ambition for the Adaptive Classroom reaches far beyond a single pilot or place. The team are keen to involve Secondary Schools and tech companies on the Island to further expand the pilot. Their long term goal is to show what can be done when every learning environment is built around the child.

By aligning culture that prioritises safety and connection with design that supports regulation and wellbeing, the movement recognises a simple truth: with the right combination of physical and cultural environment, children and young people can flourish in classrooms that are designed for difference; built for belonging. 

 
Learn more about how to get involved with the Adaptive Classroom here.
Learn more about the 2026 Innovation Challenge, focused on Health and Social Care here.

This article has been created by a third party and is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or approval by Digital Isle of Man. 

While we strive to ensure the accuracy, relevance, and reliability of third-party content, we do not warrant or guarantee its completeness, timeliness, or fitness for any particular purpose. Any reliance you place on such content is strictly at your own risk.