Furlong Park School for Deaf Children provides educational programs for Deaf children and children with partial hearing loss from the Northern and Western Regions of Metropolitan Melbourne and the rural fringe. Situated in Sunshine North, the school provides programs for children from age 3 years to 14 years. Children are officially ungraded however grouping does occur that follows the Department of Education's stages of learning including Early Education, Early Years and Middle Years.

Students and families have access to a growing range of additional support services and programs which include Speech Pathology, Physiotherapy, Social Work support for families, Guidance / Psychological support, Auslan instruction for parents / families from the school community and school staff. Parenting programs such as 'Who's the Boss' and 'Cool Kids - Cool Parents' - programs initiated by Furlong Park and Deaf Children Australia for parents with Deaf children are offered when the need arises. Enrolment is based on Departmental eligibility requirements and Regional approval.

The nature of our intake is changing each year. We are enrolling more students who have a hearing loss with additional disabilities and, with the introduction of Infant Newborn Screening are seeing children diagnosed much earlier. This diversity means that we must continue to reflect on the best pedagogical practices that enable us to meet the needs of our children which encompass the essential learnings of personal development, social and emotional skills, identity as well as teaching and learning in a more academic arena.

Please open the attached document named 'Annual Implementation Plan' to learn more.

Purpose

To provide a dynamic learning environment that teaches the skills and values to assist children of all abilities to reach their personal, academic and social potential.
To extend and support students in their endeavours to become effective and productive members of our society.
To provide a supportive environment for all members of the Furlong Park community that values creativity and enhances individual self worth within both the school environment and society.

Environmental Context

Furlong Park School for Deaf Children, situated in Sunshine, is a well equipped, purpose built school for Deaf children from age 3 to 13 years. We provide educational programs for Deaf and hearing impaired children and children with additional needs from the Northern and Western Regions of Melbourne. Teachers hold appropriate teaching qualifications. Enrolments vary between 50 and 55 with a mixed social and cultural demographic. Our educational programs emphasise strong interpersonal relationships between students, the building of self worth and resolving conflict and are based on Victorian Essential Learnings and Special Needs Indicators with an emphasis on ICT. Students are encouraged to strive to achieve their personal best and Individual Educational Plans are developed for all students. A broad range of support programs are available for students and their families. The school was accredited as having a performance and development culture in 2006.

Values
The values that form the basis of the actions of the whole school community are:

Respect
Cooperation
Independence
Confidence
Trust
Persistence

Please open the attached document named 'FPSDC Strategic Plan' to learn more.

Furlong Park School for Deaf Children, situated in Sunshine, is a well equipped, purpose built school for Deaf children from age 3 to 13 years.

Enrolment & Transition

Children with a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss of 40 decibels or greater across at least 3 frequencies are eligible to enroll at Furlong Park School for Deaf Children. Transition support is provided for students and their parents when moving both into and out of Furlong Park School for Deaf Children as well as between the pre-school and school and classes within the school.