AddressSunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School is the local community Specialist school within a very wide catchment area across Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges. Empowering students towards independence through a command of social competency, communication and mobility¿ ,Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School is a dual mode school that supports students diagnosed as having an intellectual disability.
Approximately 45% of students have a diagnosis of autism as well as intellectual disability and many students have additional diagnosis¿ that include physical disability, social and emotional disorders, vision and hearing impairment and complex medical needs.
Our school aims to maximise the intellectual, physical and social potential of each learner through a partnership with parents and carers. 57% of students have an IQ of 50 or below and 42 % of students have an IQ of between 50 and 70 and 1% of the students do not have a recognised intellectual disability and are DET approved alternative placements
The school has two equally unique campuses that are located approximately 30 minutes apart. The school has received in excess of $20 million of funding, across 4 separate funding packages, in the past strategic plan period.
By the end of 2020 around 60% of these funds had been expended on works that had been completed across the two campuses , the remaining works will be completed early in 2022.
The Primary campus was established in 1998 and is located within Heritage listed buildings in Sunbury in the site of what was once an Institution.
Students between 4.8 years and grade 6 equivalent attend the Primary campus, along with a very small cohort of students of secondary school age as is the wish of their parents and most often this is with due consideration to their medical needs.
The Bullengarook Secondary campus was established in 2008 and is on the grounds of what was once a very small and recently closed primary school. Extensive works have taken place at the campus over the past 4 years. Building project 2 was funded at around $5 million and commenced in 2019. The building project was completed at the end of 2020 and includes a new administration area adjacent to an indoor multi-purpose room, a music room, toilets and commercial kitchen are all contained within the new large building. Additional works include a stand-alone art room, a materials technology facility and an automotive facility that will have a dual purpose in being able to be used for Bike Education. The building project also has transformed the existing multi-purpose room into staff facilities.
The Bullengarook campus is included on the Bushfire at Risk Register as it located in a high fire risk area. The school has experienced consistent annual student growth and with the completion of the final Capital Project in 2022 the school will see a ceiling imposed at 288 students.
Student enrolments at the end of 2020 were 269. The school has experienced facility pressures constantly over the last 20 years and what is clear is that there is no longer any capacity for additional facilities on either of the two campuses.
