Support Unit

Our purpose-built Support Unit Classes at Gosford East Public School are designed to provide specialist and intensive support for eligible students with additional learning and support needs.

Our daily sensory program provides individuals from mainstream and the support unit a rich experience to satisfy their sensory diet, regulate their behaviour and focus for greater periods in their classroom.

Having lots of green spaces and loads of tress to climb support all our students with regulation through nature play.

Our Support Unit classes join their mainstream friends for excursions and events - like this one at the Reptile Park!

Our school team were proud to recently receive the  Team Around the School   NSW Department of Education's   'Certificate of Recognition' Award for outstanding commitment to inclusive practices and welcoming new families openly and positively.

What are support classes?

Support classes provide specialist and intensive support for students with a diagnosed intellectual or physical disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, mental health condition, sensory processing disorder or behaviour disorder. These classes are available in select NSW public schools, including some mainstream schools like ours. Gosford East PS has three support classes. Two multi-categorical classes (MC) and one IM class (mild intellectual disability). You must have a disability confirmation sign off (DCS) for your child to access one of these classes.

Class Sizes

Class sizes in support classes are usually smaller than in mainstream classes because of the students’ higher needs. Class sizes will depend on the class type and, in some cases, the students' additional learning and support needs.

Teaching Staff

Every support class has a teacher and a school learning support officer (SLSO), and every student will have planning undertaken for their personalised learning and support that captures their needs and goals.

The class teachers are responsible for planning personalised learning and support for each student, in consultation with parents and carers and allied health professionals where it is appropriate.

Opportunities

Students in support classes at Gosford East Public School are part of our whole-school community. They will have access to:

• school-wide events such as assemblies, excursions, incursions and sport
• their mainstream peers for selected learning activities where appropriate
• their NDIS providers (if applicable)
• the same specialist provisions as those available to students in mainstream classes, including disability provisions from the NESA for practical support in examinations
• transport assistance under the Assisted School Travel Program, if they are eligible.
• They will also be able to apply for access to itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision).

How can my child be placed in a support class?

While you can’t enrol your child directly into a support class, we can help you with this process if you are in our local zone. The first step is to speak to us.

The school will work with you to determine if your child is eligible and if this type of support will meet their needs.

This option is available when:

• Your child has significant support needs and meets the department's disability criteria.
• This type of specialist support will meet their educational needs.
• An application is completed in collaboration with you. This is usually arranged by the learning and support team at the school your child is enrolled in.

A local support class panel considers the application and decides an outcome.

This application is called an ‘access request’.

Early action for your preschool child with additional needs is crucial.

If your pre-school child has additional needs and you are thinking of accessing a Support Class for them in Kindergarten, it is important to contact us early. This means two years before your child starts school. This way, we may be able to seek an early intervention (EI) class or resources for them the year before they start!

We are passionate that every child is supported in their transition to big school!

More: Access Requests