Our Special Education unit at Pittwater High School is called Cabrananga, an Aboriginal name meaning "resting mind".
We believe that every student can learn and has the right to access the curriculum in a supportive environment. We provide quality teaching and learning experiences which will enable every student to reach their potential.
Our role as educators in Cabrananga is to facilitate the inclusion of students with a disability into a comprehensive High School. We help to equip the students with the skills to enable them to navigate daily school life in a supportive and caring environment.
Within Cabrananga, we have three classes designed to meet the individual needs of our 21 students. We have two Autism (ASD) classes and one Multi Categorical (MC) class made up of students ranging from Years 7-12.
Applications for placement are through the Access Request process. An Access Request is arranged by the local school Learning and Support Team. Students are offered enrolment in a specialist support class at Pittwater High School through a placement panel process within the Department of Education and depends on the availability of places in the support unit.
Each of our Cabrananga classes have a highly experienced teacher and Student Learning Support Officer (SLSO) who tailor the learning to the students' personalised needs and interests.
Pittwater is an inclusive school where all students are known, valued and cared for. Cabrananga is located at the front of the school with attractive local coastal images on our buildings. We promote inclusion and reverse inclusion where we encourage mainstream students to utilise our classrooms while spending recess and lunch times in our playground with the students from Cabrananga.
Students are supported within the unit and around the school participating in whole school activities, sport, assemblies, excursions, community access, work experience, TAFE and integrated lessons. Cabrananga follows the integrated model where students are supported and encouraged to develop the skills to attend mainstream lessons with modifications and adjustments made to the learning.
Senior students in Years 11 and 12 can access Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses within the school or TAFE delivered vocational courses (TVET).
Within Cabrananga, we run two modes of programs, one being the general curriculum and the other offering students Life Skills.
Students who follow the Life Skills program complete courses in Stage 4 (Years 7 and 8) and Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10). This leads to the attainment of the Record of School Achievement (ROSA) at the end of Year 10. The Life Skills courses that the students undertake are English, Maths, Science, Human Society and Environment, Technology and Applied Studies, Creative Arts, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) and Languages other than English (LOTE). Successful completion of Stage 4 and Stage 5 leads to Preliminary (Year 11) and HSC (Year 12) Life Skills Courses in English, Maths, HSIE, Creative Arts, PDHPE, Technology and Applied Studies and Work and Community Studies. The HSC Life Skills Courses do not show grades or count towards an ATAR. Instead students are awarded a Higher School Certificate, a Record of Student Achievement and their own Profile of Achievement. Students can combine mainstream courses with Life Skills courses as part of their own individual program of study. Students and parents are actively encouraged to participate each year in planning of their program of study by attending Individual Education Planning (IEP) meetings.
In Year 11 and 12, students are encouraged to participate in the Work Experience program as the practical component of the Work and Community subject and as part of their Vocational Preparation program.
Each week, students go out into the community to practice their Literacy, Mathematics, Map Reading and Technology skills they have learnt in the classroom. Students learn to catch public transport and to develop independent travel skills. Students visit local supermarkets to purchase groceries and ingredients for their Food Technology lessons. These lessons teach students healthy eating, money and budgeting skills, social skills and independence. Throughout the year, students in Cabrananga also participate in Bunnings Warehouse DIY classes, have social outings to the cinemas, bowling and participate in the Sailability program. These events provide our students in Cabrananga with hands-on life skills which develop their independence and social skills to reach their own personal goals.
