School Of Special Education North-West - Devonport 2.94

Our special school is described as ‘one school consisting of two campuses’ servicing students and their families living within the Devonport, Latrobe, Penguin and Burnie localities. The campuses are approximately 50 kilometres apart. Other students who live in isolated rural communities within a 100 km. radius of the Burnie campus are also enrolled on particular days to access specialist programs.

Current enrolments are limited to students between 5 to 18 years with severe disabilities who are eligible for centralised funding support through a Severe Disabilities register.

Families whose students are identified with syndromes, severe autism, severe intellectual functioning and multiple impairments involving physical, vision and hearing are offered enrolment.

In spite of the distance between both campuses, shared partnerships between the two campuses and their local neighbourhood schools are rigorously promoted to ensure that students’ educational pathways are maximised with dual enrolments or weekly whole day programs offered at each campus.

Currently, there are 36 full enrolments and 25 dual and whole day enrolled students accessing both campuses.

The Principal, teachers, ICT support consultant, social trainer, AAC teacher aides, Speech & Language Pathologist and Allied Health therapists work collaboratively across both special school campuses.

Our school has promoted an extensive network of sustained professional support which promotes the successful implementation and assessment of student’s learning goals. The network also initiates practically based ongoing professional learning that builds capacity to meet the needs of all individual support staff members who are either employed at the special school or neighbourhood school.

The school has been proactive in applying for grants to successfully source extra funding to develop and implement dynamic programs for all enrolled students. These include PODD communication strategies, sustainability systems, holiday and Artist in Residence programs.

The ‘one school – two campuses’ is promoted by the Department of Education as an educational facility that clearly embodies and actively addresses a shared set of beliefs based on social justice and inclusive values.


Grace Brown