Wakefield School is a Department of Education and Training facility designed to help students who display behaviour difficulties better understand their behaviour and learn to accept responsibility for their actions
Initial referral is made by the school counsellor or Learning Support Team at the referring school.
The application needs to be made on the designated Access Request Form (available in the Special Education Handbook) demonstrating all school or external interventions including a report from the school Learning Support Team.
The Regional placement panel meets Thursday of week 5 each term. The number of students placed at this meeting will vary and is dependant upon vacancies at that time.
A copy of the referral should be signed by the school counsellor and forwarded to the District Guidance Officer. A final decision regarding placement can only be made by the written approval of the School Education Director on the recommendation of the Regional Placement Committee. Students offered a place will be formally notified by letter.
The Principal of the referring school and the Principal of Wakefield School will then negotiate an orientation interview time with the parents and students.
All students are required to wear the uniform of their home school or a Wakefield School shirt whilst attending Wakefield.
Eligibility Criteria and Application for Placement
- Student has difficulty building or maintaining positive interpersonal relationships.
- Is not succeeding in achieving academic goals and the lack of success is not due to a significant disability or health factor.
- Has an established pattern of aggressive, disruptive and /or defiant behaviour.
- Has not responded to welfare/intervention structures within their home school.
- The referring school is willing to support the continuing enrolment of the student at least one day per week whilst they are attending the program and engage in developing educational partnerships with staff from Wakefield School.
- Positive educational assisstance has been provided including a range of school based resources and district support.
- Attempts have been made to involve other professionlas from outside the school community eg: family, counsellor and community health staff.
- Significant distress will be experienced by the student or school staff and other students, if the student remains in the home school environment in the short term.
- Previous interventions have not resolved the behavior eg: school counsellor or behaviour support teacher.
- There is a clear indication that attendance at Wakefield School will benefit the student.
- There is a documented pattern of the problem behaviour(s) and intervention strategies over an extended period of time.
- The behaviour is interfering with the teaching and learning process and/or safety of the student, other students or staff.