Ballarat Specialist School caters to students aged from 3 and 18 years who have a diagnosed intellectual disability ranging from mild to profound. The school population is drawn from roughly a 50 km radius of Ballarat. Ballarat Specialist School is a dual-campus K-12 school organised around four stages of learning:
- Early Learning (Ages 3-5)
- Primary School (Ages 6-11)
- Middle School (Ages 11-15)
- Senior School (Ages 16-18).
Our Early Learning to Middle School students are accommodated on our main Gillies Street Campus. Our Senior School students are located at our 8.09 hectare FARM Campus in Norman Street. Our current enrolment is approximately 440 students.
Our school's mission is "Achieving Personal Success Together". We strive to enable our students and staff to reach their full potential in a safe, stimulating and flexible learning environment. Our educational programs provide a balanced and personalised curriculum where student achievement is acknowledged and celebrated.
Our specialist programs include: Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Physical Education (PE), Science, and Hospitality. The school also operates two cafés and an op shop open to the public. The Special Treats Café is located at our Gillies St. campus (currently closed for renovations) and the FARM Café and op shop are located at our Norman Street FARM campus. Through these enterprises we are able to offer our students pathways to future employment.
Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) are implemented by classroom Teachers and Education Assistants and supported by a team of Allied Health Professionals in the areas of Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy. Student Welfare Officers and Wellbeing Education Support Officers are available to support staff, students and parents.
Ballarat Specialist School currently employs 5 Principal Class Officers, 70 Teachers and 154 Education Support staff members, with more than 60 additional staff employed casually.
