At Fowler Road School, we believe that everyone has a right to learn, in a positive way, about themselves and the world around them.
School vision statement
We empower students so that they can connect, succeed and thrive. We work towards this by providing:
- An imbedded protective behaviours and trauma informed approach creating a school culture in which our students, our families, our staff and our visitors feel safe, secure and accepted.
- A climate where positive relationships are valued and developed including a collaborative case management approach with student voice to inform all directions across all environments and areas including education, health, community and home.
- An inclusive and individualised educational program where the necessary adjustments are made to assist students to reach their full potential and every student is known ,valued and cared for.
Our purpose is to assist students with mental health to access the curriculum on the same basis as their peers. We work to empower students to acquire, demonstrate, articulate and value the knowledge and skills that will support them to return to a more regular setting close to their homes, engage in post school options and become life long learners.
To achieve this we focus on providing successful and enjoyable schooling experiences for students so that they can change the “stories” they have had about themselves into a story in which they see themselves as safe, smart and prepared. We assist students to value themselves and strive for excellence.
School context
Fowler Road SSP is located in Merrylands and has 56 students who come from a number of Sydney districts. The school provides programs for students from Kindergarten to Year 12 who experience emotional/ behavioural and mental health difficulties.
The K–6 program accepts students on a shared enrolment basis. This program is intended as a short term intervention and aims to support students to develop the skills required to successfully return to their local public school (home schools). Fowler Road School and the local public school work collaboratively together to support student engagement, achievement and wellbeing.
The primary program has 6 classes (42 students in total) . The attendance pattern in this program usually involves students attending Fowler Road School until lunch time and returning to their home school to participate in an integration program for the afternoon session, this attendance pattern increases to full day attendance in the home school, pre exit and as the student experiences success. The 7–12 program aims to re–engage students in schooling and to work towards achieving their RoSA in year 10, their HSC in year 12 and to access vocational learning. Support is also provided for these students to access post school options, including employment and/or other educational programs outside of school.
The secondary program has two classes (16 students in total). The first high school program is for students with significant internalising anxiety disorders who have found it hard to attend their regular schools, this is a full time program.
The second high school program is a tutorial program for students who have disengaged in education due to their internalising mental health disorders. This program provides individualised programs and attendance schedules and aims to assist students to re–engage in schooling.
The overall goal is for students to engage in a fulltime supported school placement in the near future. Students in Years 9 – 12 are enrolled in Distance Education and are provided with support to complete their Distance Education packages and manage their work schedules.