About our school

We are a School for Specific Purpose (SSP). We support students with Medium / High Support needs. Our school provides a safe, structured and inclusive learning environment where every student is recognised and supported to achieve their full potential.

We work with families, carers and support staff to make a learning and wellbeing plan for each student. This means all students can learn in a way that suits them best.

Alongside our curriculum, students take part in programs that build skills in:

• communication
• independence
• life skills
• social skills.

Our classrooms are set up to meet each student’s needs. We make sure students feel safe, respected and ready to learn in a way that suits them. Our staff are caring and are skilled to help students feel confident, connected and proud of who they are.

Our school uses a placement process. Enrolment occurs through a formal referral. Families and schools can contact us if they think our school might be right for their child. To learn more, visit our enrolment enquiries page.

Tirriwirri School is a LAMP school. LAMP is our whole school Communication approach.

LAMP - Communication for Life

Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) is a therapeutic approach using motor learning principles and a voice output communication aid to give non-verbal individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities a method to develop independent and spontaneous communication. Individuals using the LAMP approach learn to use words and build sentences to communicate their wants, needs and ideas by pressing buttons on a speech generating device.

Interventions currently in use with individuals with autism tend to focus on the perceived strengths associated with autism such as visual learning and the desire for structure. While LAMP utilizes these strengths, it also addresses core deficits affecting language delay such as impaired motor skills, engagement, and auditory and sensory processing to improve spontaneous, generative communication.

Wellbeing

At Tirriwirri School, wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. We focus on caring for our students' emotional health, helping them develop self-awareness and regulation skills, so they feel ready and confident to learn. We know this can only happen when our staff also feel supported and valued. That’s why we’re proud to be part of a program that promotes positive wellbeing strategies for our team, creating a safe, supportive, and collaborative workplace. Together, we work to build respect for every student and staff member. Our Addressing Occupational Violence initiatives remind us all to continue treating everyone with kindness and respect as we serve our community.