School vision statement
At Canterbury Vale School, the vision is to develop our students as confident, respectful and responsible community members. As a school we are committed to ensuring that each student is valued and cared for by building partnerships with students, staff, parents/ carers and the wider community. Canterbury Vale School strives to re-engage students through quality education, wellbeing and transition programs, that aim to improve outcomes and future pathways that are individualised, ensuring every student achieves their full potential.
School context
Canterbury Vale School is an NSW Department of Education facility established in 2006 to provide specialist support for students with Behaviour Disorders and Emotional Disturbances across Sydney. Located in Lakemba, South Western Sydney, it caters for a maximum of 49 students from Years 7 to 12. The school has three classes, 21 students, specifically for individuals with Behaviour Disorders (BD) and one class, 7 students, for individuals with an Emotional Disturbance (ED). In late 2022, Canterbury Vale School added a further 21 student with mental health and autism spectrum disorders. Students who take up a BD placement do not require a disability confirmation, however for students to access our program with an emotional disturbance (ED) sign off, they require a MH Disability Confirmation. Enrolments take place via a selection panel and students are selected from across the Metropolitan South Directorate .
Canterbury Vale School aims to deliver a program based on individual needs designed to help students learn to better manage their approach to learning and wellbeing in order to successfully integrate back into mainstream schools, alternate settings or post education environments. A major focus area is to have a planned approach for student learning that is focused on providing a whole school curriculum that improves assessment practices, supports differentiation, embeds centralised data collection systems and provides targeted individualised literacy and numeracy support. The development of a whole school curriculum has the overall aim to ensure that student growth and attainment is achievable for every individual and their specific needs.
A comprehensive review of wellbeing and behavioural supports of Canterbury Vale School will be a regular reflective practice. Personalised Learning and Behavioural Support Plans (PLSPs) will assist with the educational planning along with addressing the social and emotional wellbeing of each student. Staff will collaborate with students, parents and carers to ensure that practices are inclusive, evidenced based and support positive behavioural outcomes.
Student individualised transition planning will form the basis of all student pathways during their time at Canterbury Vale School. The school will work with the community to assist mainstream colleagues to support students with emotional and behaviour needs, while using community and departmental supports to promote Vocational Education, Work Experience and transition to work credentials. Through a deeply embedded culture of community engagement, a platform of successful student transition is a realistic and achievable target for all students.