We cater for children with a mild to severe intellectual disability from Years 7 to13, and some children also have physical disability. Students may attend through a local placement process, when it is deemed to be the best placement for the child, despite not meeting regular placement criteria. All of our students are at educational risk with all requiring substantial or extensive adjustments to the teaching and learning program and learning environment. Some students may have more severe intellectual disability or physical disabilities and a significant number of students have been diagnosed with autism. We are the only secondary education support centre in the region and attract students from as far afield as Kojonup and Jerramungup with many students travelling by bus daily from Denmark and Mount Barker.
We embrace Independent Public School flexibilities to improve student outcomes
Enjoy greater flexibility enabling us to be more proactive and responsive to student need, in particular with reference to our staffing profile, resources and facilities. We purchase increased time for both the school chaplain and school psychologist and contract therapists as required. We maintain a 1:1 iPad to student ratio, a school van and a school bus to support student community access and participation. In addition, we have embarked upon a substantial building program to upgrade our physical facilities for students. The targeted use of specialist staff and our commitment to continuous improvement enables us to be confident in providing the best possible outcomes for all students.
Developing Independence
An important focus is increasing student independence and ability to actively engage with and contribute to their community. We are an ASDAN school enabling us to deliver accredited programs making learning relevant and transferable; develop skills for learning, skills for employment and skills for life and celebrates the diversity of our students. We enhance the learning experience with programs such as Community Work Crew, Workplace Learning and Bush Rangers which all assist our students in developing their skills for independence, gaining recognition for their achievements and preparing for the world beyond school. Our partnerships with TAFE and local businesses complement our vocational programs enabling students to complete certificate qualifications.