Address
Form of workVISION
The vision of the school community encompasses a commitment to achieving excellence in education for students with additional learning needs through a curriculum which integrates learning technologies with best practice in teaching and learning.
VALUES
The values embraced by the school community are:
- Respect
- Personal Best
- Inclusion
- Cooperation
- Honesty
These values are imbedded in the Student Code of Conduct and the Staff, Principal and School Council Codes of Practice.
CONTEXT
Located in Bundoora, a northern suburb of Melbourne, on two campuses, Concord is a specialist school which caters for students with mild intellectual disability between the ages of 5 and 18 years. Students come from a wide geographical area and a diverse socio-economic background. The Watsonia Campus caters for students aged between 5 and 9 years of age. The Bundoora Campus caters for 9 to 18 year old students. Both campuses are situated in attractive, well maintained grounds with excellent facilities which include:
- Discovery Centre
- Fully equipped gymnasium
- Food Technology Centre
- Art and Craft room
- Well-resourced library
- Physical Education & Performing Arts Centre
- Six school excursion buses
- Comprehensive and innovative eLearning facilities and resources
- Modern playground equipment
- Shaded outdoor playing areas
The school, with 160 teaching and ancillary staff, has a current enrolment of 450 students. Enrolment is dependent on eligibility criteria as determined by the Department of Education. Concord School supports integration into or from mainstream schools. Support services available to parent/carers and students include access to educational psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and visiting teacher services. Intensive social competency programs also form part of the core curriculum across the school
Concord School is focused on student achievement and learning. Concord School is recognised as being a leader in the provision of education for students with additional learning needs and, as a specialist school, is highly regarded for its curriculum, learning technology programs and educational leadership.
The students are taught the mainstream Victorian Curriculum (Prep-Year 10) and VPC (Year 11-12) curriculum however the educational pathway of each student is specifically tailored, through the use of Individual Learning Plans, to meet their targeted learning needs. The students are supported through extensive resourcing, small class sizes of 8-12, education support staff in each classroom and specialised staff including a school nurse, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and student wellbeing coordinators.
Concord School has a high level of commitment to a curriculum which integrates learning technologies with best practice in teaching and learning in order to enhance educational outcomes for our students. The Discovery Centre, a technology rich learning environment, has facilitated opportunities for our students, our staff and for staff from neighbouring schools. The Physical Education/Performing Arts Centre, Food Technology Centre and Library ensures our students have access to outstanding facilities and resources in these areas.
Staff members place a high priority on communication and work with parent/carers in Student Support Groups to communicate and discuss individual Student Learning Plans. These plans focus on the development of learning outcomes based on the course content of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. Student progress is closely monitored against these learning targets through extensive formal and informal assessment.
Student achievement is celebrated to promote increased self-esteem and self-confidence to assist students to become independent in their work and acknowledge participation at school. At Concord we expect that students will develop respect for others and achieve personal excellence.
The values of the school are promoted through all curriculum areas and emphasised through student responsibility areas such as the Student Representative Council and other student leadership programs.
Concord School provides many enrichment programs such as:
- Work Experience
- Travel Education
- Excursion / camping programs
- Swimming programs
- Inter school sport
- Electives
- Presentation Ball
- Perceptual motor program
- Annual Christmas concert, performing arts concerts and incursions
- Bike education
- Footy Day
The school looks forward to continuing to meet the challenge of educating our students so that each can continue `To be The Best I Can Be'.
