Department of Education Victoria – Banksia NSW

1d ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Waratah SDS provides educational programs for approximately 80 students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Many students also have an ASD diagnosis, physical or sensory impairments or complex medical needs. The school community encompasses a wide range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Almost 60% students come from non-English speaking backgrounds and our Student Family Occupation index is 0.69. Interpreters are used frequently to assist communication with families.

One of the goals in our strategic plan is toform effective partnerships between home and school to improve student independence. The school uses an app to communicate with families and employs a welfare officer one day per week to provide support to families, facilitate home school communication and assist families to access other services. Our NDIS Navigator assists families in understanding the NDIS system and relevant services. Support is also provided to parents in the form of morning teas, parent support groups, information sessions and family social activities

Waratah SDS is located in Banksia St, Bellfield in purpose-built facilities which includes twelve classrooms; specialist areas for art, physical education, home crafts, music and therapy work spaces. The school has large grounds and the external learning areas include two in-ground trampolines, play equipment, swings, sensory areas, outdoor gym, cubby house and a kitchen garden.



A master plan for the external environment has been created and these spaces will continue to be developed as funding becomes available.A partnership with Farm Raiser has resulted in a fully operational market garden being established at the rear of the school providing opportunities for developing work skills for our senior students.

The school also runs a Satellite Unit at Brunswick South West Primary School. We have two classrooms and play area which have been refurbished to meet the students¿ needs. The partnership with Brunswick SWPS is very supportive and provides many opportunities for inclusion.

The school is organised into three sections at the main site ¿ Early Years (5-9 year olds), Middle Years (10-15 year olds) and Senior Transition (15-18 year olds). Within each section class groupings reflect the needs of the students. Therapists mainly work in classrooms alongside teachers providing consultation and professional development for staff. All classes are timetabled for specialist classes in food technology, art, physical education and technology. A garden educator is two days per week to work with Middle Years and Senior students.

The school aims to create a motivating and supportive environment that nurtures potential to learn and grow, experience success and enrich the community. We believe that the best educational outcomes are achieved through a robust school and home partnership. Our school provides a safe and secure learning environment in which challenging, stimulating and structured programs ensure that all students achieve success.



We aim for all students to become as independent as possible and to achieve their best by participating in a broad range of activities within both the school and community settings. We recognize and value the individuality of our students.

All students at Waratah SDS have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which is developed at the with teachers, parents/caregivers, therapists and other relevant professionals contributing. The IEP forms the basis for the students¿ programs for the year and reflects individual student¿s abilities and progress towards increased independence. Our Instructional Model emphasises using visual support, structure, repetition and teaching skills in a variety of situations to encourage generalisation.

A functional and integrated approach is taken to student learning with language/communication a key focus. Alongside speech we use a range of alternative and augmentative communication systems which include signing, picture symbols, photographs and voice generating devices. Opportunities for communication are incorporated into all aspects of the school day.

The therapy programs are an integral part of the school curriculum and are offered on a needs basis. The therapy team includes a speech pathologist, occupational therapist, and physiotherapist. The therapists work closely with teaching staff and provide valuable input into individual learning plans. They work throughout the school demonstrating and discussing with teaching and support staff how the therapy components can be incorporated into classroom programs.

Developing appropriate behaviour and social skills is also a priority in the school and the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SW-PBS) framework provides continuum of behavioural support that considers

📌 Speech Pathologist (Sydney)
🏢 Department of Education Victoria
📍 Sydney