Expanding Horizons
Inverell High School Support Unit in partnership with the community is committed to providing a comprehensive education for all of the students, based on the principle of 'Excellence and Equity'.
At the end of 2006 the school was awarded a Director General's Award "To recognise the exceptional quality and outstanding achievements in Inclusion and integtration."
Emphasis is placed on the development of purposeful and productive relationships between teachers, students and parents.
Priorities in curriculum and individual support programs ensure that relevant high quality educational outcomes are achieved and promoted.
The Inverell High School Support Unit is located at Inverell High School which is a medium sized, public, comprehensive, rural secondary school that offers a diverse curriculum and encourages positive, inclusive educational practice. It is a district resource for high school students with learning disabilities and learning difficulties.
The Support Unit is well placed to support:
- students with Severe (I.S.), Moderate (I.O.) and Mild (I.M.) intellectual disability.
- students diagnosed with a range of special learning needs such as Aspergers Syndrome, Autism and Rett Syndrome.
- students with behaviour difficulties.
Feeder Schools
- Ross Hill Primary School
- Inverell Public School
- Delungra Public School
- Gum Flat Public School
- Tingha Primary School
- Gilgai Public School
- Glen Innes Publis School
Support Unit Staff
Inverell High School Support Unit staff includes:
- 1 x Head Teacher Support (I.O./I.S. Class)
- 1 x Teacher Support (I.O./I.S. Class)
- 1 x Teacher Support (I.M./Integrated students)
- Teacher's Aides (Special) - attached to classes and integrated I.M. Program.
- Teacher's Aides (Special) - State Integration, Transition and Funding Support for students who are fully integrated into mainstream classes.
Structures
- Two support classes I.O./I.S. and an integrated I.M. program with some withdrawal.
- High support needs students - I.S. are taught in a discrete class with some integration activities in the I.O. support class (Art, Dance, P.E., Computer) and sport where appropriate. Playground integration is encouraged on the mainstream campus.
- Students in the I.O. support class are taught English and Maths by the support teacher and are able to access the full range of elective subjects across all curriculum areas.
- Students are able to integrate into electives with mainstream peers.
- I.M. students are totally integrated with some withdrawal where needed and thus have access to the full range of subjects in every grade as do their non disabled peers.
Access
The Support Unit is a split site and has two locations.
- The Howard Street Campus consists of two classrooms, a combined Library/Therapy room and an Administration/faculty building. This site provides a classroom that is used for I.M. withdrawal, S.T.L.A. groupings of students and students accessing special programs. The Administration block is the Special Education faculty area and also houses the District Guidance Officer's office and interview room.
- The I.O. support class homeroom is located on the main school campus.
The classrooms are well equipped with toilets, showers, laundry facilities and cooking facilities which are used to facilitate the delivery of teaching and learning programs and for personal management of individual students.
Strengths of the Support Unit Programs
Participation of all students in whole school activities, including assemblies, sport, grade excursions, swimming and athletic carnivals.
Students accessing all school facilities, including library, canteen.
Regular use of Support Unit facilities by mainstream students, staff and outside agencies.
Mainstream staff willing to teach in support classes and willing to include students with disabilities in regular classes with peers.
Full integration of I.M. students in regular classes.
Implementation of B.O.S. Life Skills Syllabus in Stage 6 (Year 11 and 12 Preliminary and H.S.C courses).
Implementation of the new Year 7-10 syllabus incorporating Life Skills Outcomes for students with disabilities and learning disabilities.
Access to School to Work Programs, effective work experience and Community Learning Programs.
Access to VET courses where appropriate.
Access to pathways to complete H.S.C.
Inclusion of students with disability in school leadership programs - SRC.
Effective and successful transition to post school services throughout Year 12.
Effective and successful transition to High School from Primary feeder schools.
Strong school/parent partnerships - regular Individual Transition Program meetings and informative assessment and reporting.
Effective integration programs for students on funding support included in mainstream classes.
Effective school Learning Support and Welfare teams.
Strong relationships with and respect for Teacher's Aides Special supporting students in both support and mainstream classes.
Access to special education trained teachers and teacher's aides.
Access to specialist therapists for Speech, Occupational and Physiotherapy.
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