Maddington Education Support Centre (ESC) is a public school. Children diagnosed with an intellectual or intellectual/ physical disability may qualify to enrol at the ESC.
All students have been placed into Maddington ESC in accordance with Schools Resourcing procedures.
This ESC has the capacity to provide an education for 40 students.
In 2015 we have four separate Education Support Classrooms. These range from Kindy to year 6. We have a rotational program each morning at the centre for our core subjects of Maths and English. This ensures that all our students have 1:1 tuition all morning until Lunch. After lunch the class returns to a whole and subjects such as science, social/life skills and IT are delivered.
The school is on a shared campus with Maddington Primary School. A noticeable feature in Maddington ESC is the strong working relationship it has with Maddington Primary School. This develops in strength each year. Together both schools are called Maddington School. Staff, from both schools, are committed to inclusive practices and work collaboratively, to ensure all students will benefit from an all inclusive education.
This year learning area coordinators from year 6 in both schools met during planning sessions to share ideas and resources across the campus. This sharing of knowledge across the school site has enhanced the campus collaborative working environment. Team teaching with mainstream teachers for sex education and student council meetings has been of benefit to our students and enhanced the standing of our specialised teachers across the campus. Their main stream peers have demonstrated appreciation for their guidance during collaboration with various students and parents.
The ESC places an emphasis on rewards for positive and improved behaviours with reward excursions each term and the establishment of tangible reward systems in each classroom and a principal’s treasure chest to be accessed by one child from each class per week. 1.2.3 Magic System was introduced into all four classrooms at the ESC to assist children who had difficulties with compliance and on-task behaviours.
A positive emphasis resulted in the reduction in withdrawals and suspensions and an almost total absence of the use of unacceptable language. Maddington ESC incorporates strong social skills emphasis in all areas and this year the continuation of the PATHS programme (promoting alternative thinking strategies) was important in helping change potentially challenging behaviours.
The teaching of the core values; care, courtesy, respect and responsibility were essential to the process. A whole school approach ensured that all children were taught essential strategies for anger management and communicating positively with people. Staff modelled the strategies and this was significant for our student cohorts who learn by visual means. Students used the strategies. PATH resources developed by centre staff were used by both schools.
The CAPS program (Community Access Program)continues each year to help students generalise skills learnt in the centre ie; money skills, life skills and communication.
Added to this spirit of cooperation and inclusion, Maddington Primary School and Maddington ESC share a joint P&C and School Council. The committed parents and staff involved, reflects the strong partnership of all members of our school community, to support the learning outcomes of all the students of Maddington school.
This year all parents were invited to meet with the principal at the centre to discuss issues, initiatives and any developments happening at the ESC. Ideas were shared and issues dealt with in a timely manner.