Schools for specific purposes (SSPs) provide specialist and intensive support in a dedicated setting for students with moderate to high learning and support needs.

Schools for specific purposes (SSPs) support students with intellectual disability, mental health issues or autism, students with physical disability or sensory impairment, and students with learning difficulties or behaviour disorder.

They cater for students from kindergarten to Year 12 who meet the Department's disability criteria.

Classes

Support classes in schools have fewer students than mainstream classes. Class sizes depend on the class type and, in some cases, the students' additional learning and support needs.

Every support class has a teacher and a school learning support officer. Class teachers – in consultation with parents or carers and allied health professionals, where appropriate – are responsible for planning personalised learning and support for each student.

Students also have access to:

• itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision)
• support teachers transition
• specialist provisions available to students in mainstream classes including disability provisions from NESA for practical support in examinations
• access to transport assistance under the Assisted School Travel Program.

SSPs also maintain active links with other nearby schools and their local communities. Students attending SSPs may have access to support classes in mainstream schools or mainstream classes and are supported to participate in community activities and training.

Placements and review

Applications for placement are through the Access Request process. An Access Request is arranged by the school learning and support team at the local public school.

A student is offered enrolment in a SSP through a placement panel process. A student's eligibility is determined through the Department's disability criteria as well as the availability of a place in an appropriate support class.

Enrolment arrangements for students with disability and additional learning and support needs are the same as for all students. To get information about enrolment, parents and carers can visit the local public school.

SSPs review the placement of each student annually. Reviews consider all aspects of a student's personalised learning and support, including whether or not the current placement is best meeting their learning and support needs.

Other schools for specific purposes

Other schools for specific purposes support students facing particular challenges, such as disruption to their education due to ill health or injury, complex learning difficulties or emotional issues.

Hospital schools

Hospital schools provide educational services for students who are inpatients in some hospitals in NSW. Hospital schools provide an emotionally supportive environment and assist students to return to school after hospitalisation with as little disruption as possible.

Tutorial centres and programs

Tutorial centres and programs cater for students who have been identified as requiring intensive behavioural and educational support. Tutorial centres and programs generally cater for students in years 5 to 12.

Suspension centres

Suspension centres cater for students who are on long suspension (5-20 days) and have been identified by their school as likely to benefit from a structured program to assist their successful return to schooling as soon as possible.