The Jacaranda Unit is the name that we give to our unit that supports our students with a range of disabilities. The Jacaranda unit is situated within Salisbury Park Primary School and promotes strong links and opportunities for interaction, understanding and friendships between children from the unit and the mainstream school through whole school activities such as assembly, Sports Days and Student Voice. The Jacaranda Unit caters for 32 children with a range of physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities including severe and multiple disabilities in the Northern Suburbs of Adelaide.

Enrolment in the unit is handled through a Department for Education (DfE) district process and requires recommendation by DfE psychologists. Salisbury Park Primary School does not have the authority to enrol students in the Jacaranda unit as there are a number of outside assessments that need to have occurred before limited places are offered to parents.

Curriculum:

The Jacaranda Unit offers an integrated and individualised curriculum that is responsive to the needs of each child. Use of assistive technologies enables every learner to access a rich and balanced curriculum, and staff work with support agencies such as Novita Children’s Services, Autism SA, Disabilities SA, Kilparrin (for children with sensory impairments), to ensure learning opportunities and programs attain the best outcomes for each child.

The Jacaranda Unit has a strong focus on the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and provides a sensory and play-based curriculum that develops communication, literacy, numeracy and scientific understandings, as well as more formal literacy and numeracy programs which are aligned with site and district targets. Each child participates in weekly swimming and cooking programs.

Each child has a One Plan developed in collaboration with families and other support agencies.

We have strong links with our mainstream classes, and development of understanding and friendships between children is supported by many and varied buddy class activities, reading programs and interaction in mainstream classes, as well as shared play at lunch and recess times in our large and secure outside play area.

Facilities:

• Fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities
• Large and secure outdoor area including sensory garden
• Tablet and Interactive Whiteboard Technologies in every class
• Sensory withdrawal and Active Learning Room designed to promote visual, tactile and auditory awareness and concept development
• Sunshine Coach to support a range of excursions and community access opportunities.