Arts Access provides: 1. Term-long drama projects in special educational needs (SEN) schools, followed by supported visits to the theatre for children with sensory impairments and children on the autism spectrum. 2. Supported visits for groups of children with special educational needs with a pre-show visit to the school, after-show talk and a tailored post-show workshop. Teachers have told us that the power of participation in drama cannot be underestimated for children and young people with special needs. Through the gentle and creative exploration provided by drama workshops and the opportunity to see live theatre children’s imaginations are sparked and positive reactions are inspired. Polka’s workshops and productions engage all the senses. Multi-sensory work is a particularly beneficial way of involving children with special needs, as communication through lights, sounds and textures can be more appropriate and effective. It enables children to engage with the drama in their own way whatever their ability. The multi-sensory approach is taken during all Arts Access workshops to convey the sense of the story; for example, for our recent production of Flat Stanley, pupils held ribbons to represent the part of the story when Flat Stanley becomes a kite and the workshop leaders gently brushed leaves over their faces to represent that they were moving through trees. At the end of the workshop the pupils had hot chocolate to drink since that was Flat Stanley’s favourite drink. This helped them to relate to the story in a real way. The children may not understand all the aspects of the story but by appealing across the senses they have an opportunity to find their own points of contact.