The Beach School caters for a maximum of 42 students who work in 6 classes each consisting of a maximum of 7 students.
All programs incorporate an intensive intervention program designed to help students learn to manage their behaviour, achieve academic goals and to integrate successfully into mainstream settings. Individual programs are designed to cater for the needs and interests of students.
The Beach School's educational program covers the mandatory NSW Board of Studies subject areas, whilst providing a strong behavioural and social skills emphasis.
A distinction made by The Beach School is that we are able to adjust programs and offer one-on-one teaching in specific subject areas to meet the needs of individual students.
All Year 11 and 12 students have specific criteria to be met to be eligible for enrolment at The Beach School.
There may be movement between the classes as the needs or the mix of the students change. Whilst each class has a typical program, individual needs and educational programs will be modified to ensure that each student is working towards their goals and full potential.
The Beach School operates with each student having an individual academic program that is coordinated by the student, teacher and the home school.
All curriculum areas will be covered under each academic program. This is based on the student's home school syllabus.
Subjects include, English, Maths, Science, HSIE, TAS, PDHPE and, Performing and Creative Arts.
The Beach School encourages students to achieve to the best of their ability. Different programs are offered in each term and many are run in conjunction with other agencies.
Achieving the Record of School Achievement
Students completing their Year 10 program are able to gain the RoSA (Record of School Achievement) which has replaced the former School Certificate. This may be achieved through completion of both school-based and/or Distance Education work and other programs offered on-site. In some circumstances students may access a Life Skills RoSA or a combination of the two.
Students who have an exit plan prior to turning 17 years of age can sit the Literacy and Numeracy Tests. Only students who have an exit plan of work and/or study of 25 hours or more a week may leave school before turning 17.
Certain conditions must be met for this to occur which can be viewed in the New School Leaving Age.pdf document on the Department of Education website.
Individual Education Plan
All Beach School students and their families are involved in the development and ongoing review of their specific programs. Students will create short and long term goals specific to their individual learning program. Where possible, agencies facilitating programs outside The Beach School are also involved in this process.
Integration into Mainstream
Students of The Beach School are eligible to participate in an integration program when they have demonstrated through appropriate behaviour that they are ready. This will usually occur after an IEP meeting so that the Integration Support Team, the parents/carers and student are all involved in this decision.
A program of partial reintegration into mainstream is usually implemented. Integration is normally increased as the individual student achieves success. For some students, integration may be into the workforce and/or TAFE.
The Integration Support Team usually consists of:
- Principal of the receiving school
- The Learning Support Team which may consist of: Year Coordinator, Student Welfare Teacher, Teach Mentor, Counsellor from the receiving school
- Executive staff rep from The Beach School
- Counsellor from The Beach School
- Student Welfare Consultant (Northern Beaches School Education Area.
When students attend mainstream lessons they are given a Beach School Integration booklet. The student is set specific goals or targets that they need to work on while they are in mainstream classes.
The mainstream teachers are welcome to offer input on these targets by writing a suggestion for the following lesson in their comments. It is the integrating student's responsibility to present the teacher with their booklet at the end of the lesson so that the teacher can give them a rating and feedback on how they are going.
It is required that the student present this booklet to their teacher at The Beach School on the first day of return. It is important that the integrating school and The Beach School remain in close communication and feedback is always welcome.
Integrating students should only be at the mainstream school at times set down by the Integration support team. Outside of these hours they should not be on school premises unless formally invited to events.
Students are expected to wear the full school uniform and follow all school rules while attending integration sessions.
It is important that students maintain an ongoing relationship with their mainstream school. Students look forward to being invited to special school events and are always encouraged to attend events which have been negotiated with the referring school.