General Statement:

Springvale Park Special Developmental School provides a viable and guaranteed curriculum for all students across a range of learning areas. We adhere to the Victorian Curriculum and The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF). We have developed a succinct and progressional scope and sequence that provides differentiated learning across all sections of the school to allow for maximum growth from all our students.

Each year students engage in learning both inside and outside the school. We provide students with opportunities for camps, excursions, incursions, event days, and hands on evidence based learning experiences. Our programs are further enhanced by knowledgeable and supportive staff that include teachers, education support officers, therapists, and specialist teachers.

Parents and carers are invited to support and participate in their child’s learning through Student Support Group (SSG) meetings, which are offered termly. Parents and carers receive reports on student learning and growth twice a year, at the end of Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework:

Our Early Years Program (EEP) uses an interactive play-based approach to engage young learners to explore their world and learn through teacher- and child-led play. Our programs are based on The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and focus on developing our students’ sense of wonder, exploration, early literacy and numeracy skills, self-care, and communication skills.

The VEYLDF guides teachers to develop interactive topics and themes for students to explore. Each student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) formed in collaboration with families and carers during Student Support Group (SSG) meetings. These goals are developed in alignment with the five (5) learning outcomes that can be found in the VEYLDF, these five (5) critical outcomes are also used to assess and monitor student progress while they attend the Early Education program. These outcomes are:

1. Children have a strong sense of identity.
2. Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
3. Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.
4. Children are confident and involved learners.
5. Children are effective communicators.

Our program is sequential and developmentally suited for the needs of our students and runs throughout our three and four year old programs. Students are engaged in curriculum based learning through holistic and play-based programming that aligns with the Victorian Department of Education. It provides our students with the fundamental skills required to move into an appropriate school setting in the following years.

Foundation to Intermediates:

Springvale Park SDS is divided into six sections; Early Education Program (EEP), Foundation, Juniors, Middles, Intermediates, and Seniors. Programs are developed using the Victorian Curriculum for students working from Level A and above. We provide a heavy focus on communication, literacy, numeracy, social skills, and independent life skills. We provide all students with a guaranteed and viable curriculum suited to the needs of our students’ level of learning. Teachers use a variety of evidence-based pedagogies and frameworks to make sure each of our students are reaching their full potential. All Students at Springvale Park SDS have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), that identifies key areas for growth across Communication, Literacy, Social Skills, and Independent Skills. Development of these goals is done so in conjunction with families and carers at SSG meetings and based on yearly assessments and other data collection methods.  

Teachers create engaging and relevant lessons across a range of curriculum topics that spark curiosity in our students. Our current curriculum spread includes English, Maths, Humanities (History and Geography), Science, Health and Physical Education, and Personal and Social Capability. These curriculum areas are sometimes developed over several different programs, including Respectful Relationships, Duke of Edinburgh, Physical Education, Kitchen Garden, Art Therapy, and Music Therapy.

Senior Curriculum:

Senior students engage in a 16+ Program that has been designed based on the ASDAN Towards Independence program. Students work through a series of modules related to independence and life skills needed for life beyond school. Students learn about road safety, travel training, shopping and budgeting using our school’s Mini Woolies, exploring hobbies and preferred sports, making and preparing simple meals, social skills and protective behaviours. There is also a continued focus on literacy and communication skills throughout the 16+ Program.

The ASDAN program provides our students with targeted learning to develop post-school skills. Teachers collect work samples and photos which are submitted for assessment once a module is completed. Students receive a certificate indicating the modules they have successfully finished over their two year program. With various modules that cater to all learning levels and required adjustments, ASDAN offers our students a sense of achievement for their hard work while in our 16+ Program.

Our Senior students also participate in a Senior camp, and a Graduation Ceremony at the end of their final year of school.

English:

Comprehensive Literacy Instruction provides a framework for teaching every student to read and write. Our Emergent Literacy Learners are those who are working in Levels A- D of the Victorian English Curriculum and engage in several early literacy activities, including:

• Shared Reading
• Independent Reading
• Writing
• Working with Letters and Sounds

Students who are at Foundation and above levels in the Victorian Curriculum are Conventional Literacy Learners and they engage in the following learning activities:

• Language Comprehension
• Independent Reading
• Writing
• Working with Words – which includes phonics

Comprehensive Literacy Instruction is an evidenced based approach that has been designed to support the literacy development of students with disabilities and to meet them at their point of need. All student learning is captured in this approach and all students show sustainable growth in their literacy skills, evidenced by our literacy assessments.

Maths:

All students across the school from our EEPs to Seniors learn about numeracy skills for life. Students learn about number sense, shapes, time, money, location language, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and all other numeracy concepts based on need. Students engage in play based, story based, and real life activities that support the development of numeracy concepts.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication:

Springvale Park SDS is dedicated to meeting the individual needs of all students.  As part of this, we recognise that communication is a human right (United Nations, 1994). All students have access to an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system in each classroom. These systems include Pragmatic Organised Dynamic Display (PODD) books, Proloquo2Go, LAMP, TD Snap with PODD, Aided Language Displays, and Key Word Sign. We also welcome any individual systems that students bring to school. Language development forms a large component of our curriculum and daily classroom interactions. Staff have ongoing training on the use of AAC systems and are supported in class by speech therapists.