Support Unit
Our school has three classes for students with Special Needs, including Mild and Moderate Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Each class has a Specialist Teacher and a full time School Learning Support Officer.
Students have individual Education Plans which cover all curriculum areas and are developed in consultation with teachers, families and outside agencies such as Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapists and Counsellors. Our Support Unit team strive for a holistic approach to the care and education of our students.
What are support unit classes?
Support classes provide specialist and intensive support for students with a diagnosed intellectual or physical disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, mental health condition, sensory processing disorder or behaviour disorder. These classes are available in select NSW public schools, including some mainstream schools like ours.
Class Sizes
Class sizes in support classes are usually smaller than in mainstream classes because of the students’ higher needs. Class sizes will depend on the class type and, in some cases, the students' additional learning and support needs.
Teaching Staff
Every support class has a teacher and a school learning support officer (SLSO), and every student will have planning undertaken for their personalised learning and support that captures their needs and goals.
The class teachers are responsible for planning personalised learning and support for each student, in consultation with parents and carers and allied health professionals where it is appropriate.
Opportunities
Students in support classes at VEPS are part of our whole-school community. They will have access to:
- school-wide events such as assemblies, excursions, incursions and sport
- their mainstream peers for selected learning activities where appropriate
- support teachers transition
- the same specialist provisions as those available to students in mainstream classes, including disability provisions from the NESA for practical support in examinations
- transport assistance under the Assisted School Travel Program, if they are eligible.
- They will also be able to apply for access to itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision).
How can my child be placed in a support class?
You can’t enrol your child directly into a support class but your local school can help you with this process. The first step is to speak to your child’s school.
The school will work with you to determine if your child is eligible and if this type of support will meet their needs.
This option is available when:
- Your child has significant support needs and meets the department's disability criteria.
- This type of specialist support will meet their educational needs.
- An application is completed in collaboration with you. This is usually arranged by the learning and support team at the school your child is enrolled in.
A local support class panel considers the application and decides an outcome. This application is called an ‘access request’.
Student opportunities and activities
Discover the opportunities our students have at our school.
Learning
Find out about our approach to learning and supporting students to progress