“Dandenong Valley SDS provides a range of educational and therapeutic programs for students aged 5 to 18 years who have moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Students must meet the school's eligibility criteria to be able to enrol. More information can be found in our enrolment policy.”
For enrolment information and school tours please contact the school on 97044800
Transition Processes at Dandenong Valley School
Dandenong Valley School works on the premise that the more familiar the new setting the easier the transition. All children are unique and individual in their responses and this is taken into account throughout the transition process.
The move from preschool or early intervention to school begins with parents exploring options and planning for a successful transition. Parents should talk with the preschool teacher and early intervention staff to discuss their child’s progress, assessments, reports and recommendations. To access funding for entry into Dandenong Valley School children need to meet certain criteria. The Early Intervention team and the school can help with this process. It is important that parents are clear about what school their child is eligible for and why that setting would be best for them. Parents who may be interested in enrolling students in the school should first contact the office and arrange to visit the school to discuss the suitability of the school for their child and the assessment process.
More details of the program for students with disabilities can be found here....
Transport
Students are eligible for transport assistance if their permanent residential address is within Dandenong Valley School’s designated transport area (DTA) and they live more than 4.8 kilometres from the school.
Eligible families have the option of using this free bus service to transport their child to and from Dandenong Valley School. The bus picks and drops off each student at a pre-determined bus stop.
However, attendance at a specialist school does not automatically entitle a student to assistance or preclude parents/guardians from being primarily responsible for their child’s transport arrangements.
For students accessing a specialist school transport service, further discussions with parents/guardians need to cover pick-up and drop-off points and times, and any behavioural or medical needs of the student while on the bus service.
The map below shows Dandenong Valley School's DTA.
To determine your DTA elegibilty, use the Find My School Website and enter your home address. Please check the specialist box on the search engine. Scroll down the left column to see your zoned schools.
Boundary Map
Children come to Dandenong Valley School in many different ways. Some children come from local kindergartens, Early Intervention Centres, Music Therapy Playgroup and some directly from home.
The Transition process at Dandenong Valley School may begin with enrolment in the Music Playgroup or Early Education Program (EEP). These programs are for children 2.8 to 4.8 years. The programs, run by staff at Dandenong Valley School, promote language and communication, social skills, attention and listening skills and develop gross and fine motor skills. These programs assist parents and students in becoming familiar with the school environment and staff.
Early Education Program:
This program is run in conjunction with Specialist Children’s Services in Dandenong. It is a centre based Early Education Program for children with a developmental delay ranging in age from 2.8 years to school age. The program provides comprehensive and flexible educational support providing stimulation and experiences for each child.
The program is fortunate to have a team of paramedical staff including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and a music therapist. If appropriate to the child’s needs these specialists will consult with families and teachers regarding how to achieve the individual program designed for each child.
The program operates each day of the school year from 9.15 to 2.00 p.m. Children generally attend two days per week.
Transition into the Early Education Program is done is several ways including:
The year prior to enrolment in the junior school, a Transition Program is conducted for new preps. Transition playgroups are held at the school on three afternoons , giving students an opportunity to become familiar with the school and to meet their future classmates. Parents have opportunities to meet with other parents, teachers, therapists and the principal and to gain information about the school. A transition to school booklet is given to parents to take home and read to their child.
For the first month, students enrolled in their first year of school attend for a shorter day (9am- 2pm). For this first month, students also do not attend on Wednesdays. This is in line with prep programs in government schools. This timeframe helps the students settle into the school environment.
Students transferring from other specialist and regular schools participate in individual transition programs, attending the school for varying times, prior to their transfer to our school.
Click here to view our Enrolment Policy