Gympie Special School is an Education Queensland school catering for students form Prep to Year 12 who have a significant Intellectual Disability verified within Education Queensland. Many students also have a second disability area identified and verified. This adds to the complexity of the learning needs of our students.
There is a positive, caring relationship between students and staff, demonstrated by the manner in which staff members, students and parents interrelate across the school. Teachers are highly committed to delivering the Australian Curriculum and improving their pedagogical practices to maximize learning outcomes for all students. Staff members have engaged with a range of professional development activities around communication training (PODD, AAC, Proloque2go), Balanced Literacy and Positive Behaviour for Learning. A collaborative Coaching, Mentoring and feedback model is used successfully across the school, with teachers ready to engage with structured observation and feedback on their lesson planning and implementation.
All students are supported to engage with the Australian Curriculum, which is differentiated to ensure access for individuals. In the Senior Secondary sector students work towards a Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA), accessing work experience, Vocational Education and Training, community engagement and the transition to post school options which may include work, volunteering, and supported or independent living.
Our purpose at Gympie Special School is to prepare students with knowledge, skills and confidence to participate effectively in the school and wider community, which is strengthened by the school motto 'Moving forward, learning together'. We unearth our potential at Gympie Special School through the four key focus areas - Knowing our learners, Engaging our learners, Developing Literate Learners and Building Capacity in our workforce. The school has strong and beneficial partnerships with the local community, and these have led to a range of work experience placements and successful transitions for students exiting school.