Our site also has general information for children with additional needs at school.
Primary school
Your designated neighbourhood mainstream government school
Your child has the right to enrol in their designated neighbourhood mainstream government school, on the same basis as students without disability.
Schools are required to make reasonable adjustments. These will depend on your child’s needs.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- a specialist Visiting Teacher of the Deaf
- special assistive listening equipment
- Auslan support.
A primary school with a deaf facility
There are nine primary schools and 2 Prep to Year 12 schools that have a deaf facility. These schools employ a specialist Teacher of the Deaf for every four students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Your child may be supported in:
- regular classes with extra support
- small groups with other deaf or hard of hearing children
- individual support sessions with a specialist Teacher of the Deaf or support staff.
Secondary school
Your designated neighbourhood mainstream government school
Your child has the right to enrol in their designated neighbourhood mainstream government school, on the same basis as students without disability.
Schools are required to make reasonable adjustments. These will depend on your child’s needs.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- a specialist Visiting Teacher of the Deaf
- special assistive listening equipment
- Auslan support.
A secondary school with a deaf facility
There are five secondary schools and three prep to year 12 schools that have a deaf facility. They have a specialist Teacher of the Deaf for every six students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Your child may be supported in:
- regular classes with extra support
- small groups with other deaf or hard of hearing children
- individual support sessions with a specialist Teacher of the Deaf or support staff.
Specialist school for the Deaf
There are 3 specialist schools for the Deaf that provide Auslan-English bilingual programs:
- Aurora School – early intervention, early education, 3 and 4 year-old community Kindergarten and Prep
- Furlong Park for Deaf Children – 3 and 4 year-old Early Education Program and Prep to Year 6
- Victorian College for the Deaf – Prep to Year 12.
Specialist schools for the Deaf provide Auslan/English bilingual programs for deaf and hard of hearing students. Class sizes in specialist schools for the Deaf are generally about one-third the size of regular classrooms. This means teachers and support staff can give intensive language support in programs suited to the needs of your deaf or hard of hearing child.
Your child will follow the Victorian curriculum in all Schools for the Deaf.
For more information about primary school options, visit Victorian Deaf Education Institute (VDEI) website.
For more information about the transition to primary school, visit Transition to Primary school on the VDEI website.
Reasonable adjustments
If your child is deaf or hard of hearing, their school will work with you to decide what reasonable adjustments can help their learning, based on their individual needs.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- modifying teaching styles – for example, using visuals
- using specialist equipment such as personal wireless and soundfield systems to reduce background noise
- giving regular breaks from concentration or watching an interpreter
- using captions for videos shown in class
- seating arrangements so your child can see the teacher, other students and important visual information
- special arrangements when doing assignments or assessments – for example, extra reading time or captioned and Auslan translated videos.
Visiting teachers of the Deaf
Visiting Teachers of the Deaf work with schools to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing students are well supported across all areas of the curriculum.
If your child is deaf or hard of hearing, visiting teachers can:
- work with teachers and support staff to address your child’s learning needs
- help the school develop individual education plans and disability profiles for your child
- provide reports for funding applications and program planning
- advise teachers on your child’s progress
- work on effective teaching strategies for teachers and support staff.
Professional development for teachers
Schools provide regular professional development opportunities for teachers and other staff. This helps make sure they can meet the needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The Victorian Deaf Education Institute (VDEI) provide a wide range of specialised professional learning opportunities for teachers and allied health professionals who support deaf and hard of hearing students in schools and early childhood programs. VDEI’s Professional Learning catalogue features high-quality evidence-based presentations by experts in deaf education. Webinars, conferences and seminars provide collegiate learning opportunities, with training for specialised programs offered through digital hubs.
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