Department of Education - Victoria

Horsham Special School was established in 1988, moving to its current site in 2013. It has a wide enrolment base, drawing from the local area to as far as the South Australian border including Nhill, Dimboola, Kaniva, Goroke, Edenhope and Serviceton. Horsham Special School provides educational programs for students aged 5-18 years displaying mild; moderate and severe diagnoses associated with cognitive, physical, social, emotional, behavioural, sensory and multiple disabilities. The school's overarching purpose is to encourage and enable all students, staff and the school community to achieve their full potential. The safe, caring and stimulating school environment focuses on our key values of Be Safe, Be Kind and Be Your Best.

The school's dedicated staff provides a highly individualised educational program for each student. This is not confined to the classroom and physical building but extends into outdoor play spaces and indeed the local community in which we live. The individual programs are prepared and delivered by teachers, along with their assistants and are reviewed regularly to ensure student needs are being met. Integral to the Horsham Special School Curriculum is the programming provided by specialist and therapy staff. The school offers focused support in the areas of Art, Physical Education, Music, Swimming & Welfare. The physical environment complements the programming, with a state of the art purpose built special school. It comprises a fully equipped commercial style kitchen, open art workshop, sensory courtyard, open learning spaces, kitchenettes and architecturally designed playgrounds.

The curriculum at Horsham Special School is both functional and practical, divided into the following focus areas: Functional Academics - Literacy and Numeracy; Personal & Social Development; and Communication. Each student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) developed for them; containing goals from each of these focus areas which make up their program.

 

 

SC1    Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.

SC2    Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth. 

SC3    Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4    Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.    

SC5    Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.