Clarke Road School

Clarke Road School is located in Sydney's Macquarie Park NSW Department of Education network. All students who attend our school have an intellectual disability and other associated support needs. Students range in age 4 years to 18 years. Thirty one percent of students are second language learners and all of our learners have moderate to severe communication impairments. We have a sustained an strong focus on the development of communication as a foundation to all learning. Students are placed at our school through the recommendations of a NSW Department of Education placement panel, in consultation with families.   At Clarke Road School, teachers and School Learning Support Officers work seamlessly together in the classroom. They all operate and are respected as significant contributors to the educational outcomes of our students. We miantin a strong and consistent focus on professional learning for all staff. We provide deeply personalised and individualised educational programs for all students prepared and designed in consultation with families and stakeholders. We Implement the NSW BOSTES (NESA) Curriculum incorporating The Australian Curriculum, with accommodations and adjustments for complex learners. We specialise in many programs that support students who learn differently and require extensively differentiated curriculum. We continue to provide professional learning in our key programs to educators across Australia who seek to engage innovative practice in the delivery of progarms to students with disability.  We have strong community networks and inclusive programs that foster belonging in the broader community. Our students are encouraged to develop skills and knowledge to manage themselves in our broader community and community access maintains an important place in our programs. We have a strong community, state and national reputation for quality special education programs and provision of educational services. We have strong local links with ocal schools and community. We continue to seek opportunities to strengthen links with other like schools in our state. As a school executive, we have gained the following awards and recognition- a systems Leadership grant from NSW High Performance Directorate in 2016, a $250,000 Schoolplus grant in 2017 to further networking of our key initiatives, one of twenty most innovative School from The Educator 2017, top 5 for one teachers in the Australian "Unsung Hero" awards for EducationHq and in 2016 our Principal received a NSW Primary Principals Association award for "Social Justice and Equity". We are a proud school, with a proud history that fosters a culture of innovation and excellence. We strive for excellence in everything we do. Our Banner statement is-At Clarke Road School, we are committed to "Opening New Worlds" for every student. Our purpose-To provide a caring and vibrant learning environment that engages students to achieve their personal best. To open new worlds for every student. Our outcomes-The following outcomes drive our practice- Students are engaged in vibrant learning; Our school is a safe, caring and happy school environment; The creation of a voice for our students; Being part of your community; An outstanding teaching team; Directing a road to independence; Engaging, connecting and ensuring students belong. Our values- Effective teamwork. Striving for excellence. Innovative practices and new ways of thinking. High standards in staff performance. Respect- Showing care and concern for other. Our beliefs and assumptions- All students can learn. All students will receive a quality educational service. Individualised programs are essential. Every day is a learning opportunity. By understanding students we can better target learning.  Parents and families play a most significant role in supporting learning at school and beyond.  Key strategies for our 2018-2020 school plan are - 1. In The Zone For Learning (ITZ). This is accessible on our school website. 2. Creating a voice (CaV). This facilitates our driving focus on the improvement of students communication skills. 3. The communication passport (CP). This is a framework that supports a deep analysis of students skills and support the targteing of teaching interventions 4. The implementation of TEACCH (The University of Northern carolina) TEACCH developed the intervention called "structured TEACCHing", an array of teaching principles and strategies based on the learning charateristics of individuals with autism. 5. Functional Learning Interactive Program (FLIP) assessments.