Legislative Council, Wednesday 29 March 2023

Ms FORREST asked the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, Ms PALMER

With regard to the plan to build a new North West Support School to meet demand and improve facilities:

1. Is the decision to build a new NW Support School at Penguin to meet the needs of students for the North West Coast who require this specific education, a final decision; and

The proposal for a new regional North West Support School was agreed with the School Association. Extensive consultation with the school and broader community is currently underway, and the feedback received through this consultation process will be considered before a final decision is made on the site.

2. If so:
a. Will class sizes remain the same as they are currently.

The new facilities will be designed to provide the best possible facilities and support the best outcomes for our learners. The design of learning spaces has not yet commenced, and this will be done so in close collaboration with our educators to ensure they meet the needs of staff and students.    

b. Does the Minister accept that long travel times for these families can be extremely difficult; and

Other support schools around the state are regional facilities, and some families travel greater distances than others to attend the Southern and Northern Support Schools. However, I acknowledge that longer travel times can create challenges which will be addressed through tailored transport solutions.

   i. If so, how are the long travel times for many of these students going to be managed and families assisted or supported;

    The School Association considered this as an important issue prior to offering its support for the proposed model. The Department has confirmed it will offer tailored transport solutions for North West Support School students.

c. Is the Minister concerned that the proposed site is a significant distance further away from acute medical care, particularly noting there are many children with complex medical needs that attend the NWSS.

The School Association also considered this important issue. The proposed regional school at Penguin offers the opportunity to have a fulltime school nurse onsite to assist should urgent medical care be required for a student, along with consolidation of professional support staff on one site. There is also a School Nurse located adjacent at Penguin District School.

d. Will adequate parking for parents be available close to the school entry.

Yes. A key element of the redevelopment of the existing facility for use as a support school would be to reconfigure the existing car park to better cater to the needs of students and their families.

e. What additional support will be provided for children who need to be collected by parents/guardians during the school day as a result of escalated behaviour or illness, acknowledging the additional time this will take.

As previously stated, establishing a regional support school at Penguin offers the opportunity to have a fulltime school nurse onsite to assist should urgent medical care be required for a student, and consolidate professional support staff on one site.

This would reduce the requirement for parents and carers needing to collect their children during the day for this reason.

It should be noted that the principal of the school has advised that such occurrences (children leaving the site during the day) are extremely rare.

Further, the new facilities will include purpose-built spaces, such as sensory rooms, to help support students when they become dis-regulated.

f. What consultation has occurred with families who rely on the NWSS in Burnie who live in regional and remote areas of the North West and families currently utilising the NWSS?

The extensive consultation process with families is currently underway. All families of currently enrolled students have been contacted via direct mail, school newsletters, and social media encouraging them to provide feedback on the school association’s recommendation.

There are also two community workshops being held on Tuesday 28 March at the Burnie campus and Wednesday 29 March at the Devonport campus. All families, staff, support service agencies and interested stakeholders have been encouraged to attend these, as they provide an opportunity to hear more about the proposal and ask any questions.