Enrolment Application Process
We welcome your enrolment enquiry and look forward to having a conversation with you about your child. There is a range of government specialist schools available for students with specific disabilities. Each specialist setting has specific enrolment eligibility criteria approved by the Minister for Education.
Ashwood School is a Victorian government school for students aged between 5 and 18 years with a mild intellectual disability. To be eligible to attend, a student must have a formal diagnosis of Mild Intellectual Disability. This does not preclude other disabilities and/or disorders such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder or physical disabilities.
Enquiries for enrolment come from many sources – usually from parents, but also from kindergartens and from principals and teachers at government and independent schools, acting on behalf of, and in consultation with a child’s parents. Medical and Allied Health professionals also regularly enquire about student placements on behalf of parents.
Enquiry
Please fill out the online enquiry form and we will contact you. Alternatively, you can call the School Office on 9808 7444. A member of our enrolment team will contact you.
The information you provide will help us understand your enquiry and provide you with information about enrolment at Ashwood School.
We will review your enquiry and contact you to provide further information about the next steps.
Eligibility Criteria
To enrol at Ashwood School a student must be assessed as having a mild intellectual disability. This is confirmed by a signed report from a registered psychologist containing:
Tour and Meeting
We would be very happy to arrange an individualised meeting and tour once we have received the assessment reports above.
To get the best feel of our school and to determine whether it is right for your child’s needs it is important that you arrange a visit to the school.
Orientation
Our enrolment process is designed to ensure that students are supported to make a successful transition into our school community. Orientation arrangements are tailored to each student's needs and may include opportunities to visit the school, meet staff and become familiar with their classroom and daily routines.
We work with families and, where appropriate, the student's previous school to gather relevant information and support a smooth transition to Ashwood School.
Specialist School Eligibility Verification
A Disability Category Verification Request needs to be submitted to the Department of Education with the above supporting assessments to verify eligibility to enrol at a specialist school. This DCV form can be submitted by the student’s current school, or we can arrange this for you.
Requests for prospective Foundation students can be submitted from 1 September of the year prior to the student enrolling in a Victorian government school. Requests for students currently attending a Victorian government school can be submitted up to (but no more than) 12 months prior to the planned specialist school entry date. Assessments are required to be current at the time of submission of the request as listed in the setting’s enrolment policy.
For more information and relevant forms, visit the Department of Education's Enrolment in specialist schools and other specialist education settings guidance.
Once verification has been confirmed by Ashwood School we will contact you to start the enrolment process.
Student intake may be at any stage of the year and at any age level.
Department of Education Information
For further information about enrolment in Victorian specialist schools, including eligibility and enrolment requirements, visit the Department of Education's Enrolment in specialist schools and other specialist education settings guidance.
Visit the Department of Education website
Individual Education Plans (IEP’s)
For Ashwood School students, learning is a dynamic and individualised journey, guided by Special Education Teachers who collaborate with families and allied health professionals in Student Support Groups (SSGs) to develop and monitor Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for each student. IEP goals are based on the student’s point of learning in the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 and drawn from individual assessments and data. Each student’s learning pathway is unique, reflecting their strengths, interests and goals. IEPs are reviewed regularly to reflect each student's progress, goals and changing needs.
Disability Inclusion Profiles (DIPs)
The Disability Inclusion Profile is a collaborative process that brings together students, families and schools to identify a student's strengths, aspirations, functional needs and the adjustments that may support their participation in education. This also establishes the level of Tier 3 funding for each student with disabilities.
The Disability Inclusion Profile meeting provides an opportunity to work together to understand what is important to each student, what they can do and the supports that can help them participate, learn and achieve at school. This process also informs a student's Individual Education Plan, learning goals and the adjustments and supports provided at school.
For more information, visit the Department of Education's Disability Inclusion Profile policy.
Students with Disabilities Transport Program (SDTP)
School bus transport may be available to eligible students through the Students with Disabilities Transport Program (SDTP). Eligibility includes living within the designated transport area (DTA) of the specialist school attended.
Families can use Find My School to check whether their home address is within Ashwood School's designated transport area.
Check your transport area
The Department of Education's Students with Disabilities Transport Program provides further information about transport eligibility and available assistance.
