Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Oxfordshire are set to benefit from a £90,000 investment in adaptive musical instruments.

The funding, provided by Oxfordshire County Council, will introduce a variety of innovative instruments designed to cater to the unique needs of SEND pupils.

Among these is a ‘joystick’, which can be used to perform and compose music and is ideal for pupils in wheelchairs or those with limited motion.

Other instruments light up when played, and there are balls that create sounds as they bounce. The full range of instruments will be arriving over the next couple of months.

The initiative, supported by the council’s music service, will give SEND children the opportunity to explore and enjoy the latest music technology and acoustic instruments from around the world throughout the academic year.

Lisa Lyons, director of children services for the county council, said: "All children and young people should be able to enjoy enriching and exciting musical experiences, and we look forward to changing the landscape and bringing these instruments to schools and community settings.

"Some children with limited verbal communication skills use music to help them make friends and express their emotions.

"Instruments that require limited amounts of verbal explanation and eye contact – such as the rav drum, which makes a therapeutic sound – work wonders in calming children who experience excessive anxiety.

"Shruti boxes are from India and create a long therapeutic droning sound. They’re fabulous for young people with limited physical ability and can be played with two fingers.

"They’re also very tactile and can be used by pupils who like sensory stimulation or enjoy the feel of the air across their face."

The funding has been made possible through investment from Arts Council England and will be delivered by Oxfordshire County Council.

Councillor John Howson, the council’s cabinet member for children, education, and young people’s services, said: "These adaptive instruments and the latest music technology will enhance our ability to unlock the potential of children who may not have had an opportunity to express themselves through music before.

"We believe every young person should have a chance to access musical learning and we’re excited to be able to expand our programme, responding to requests from the young people themselves, their families and education professionals who work with them."

The county council's music service provides a range of lessons for children in schools across Oxfordshire.

It offers young people access to instrumental, vocal, and performing arts, as well as orchestras through its Central Music School.