Seaford Secondary College

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (16:01): I rise to speak on an important new upgrade that will substantially improve our education for children with disabilities in the south. Special needs units in mainstream schooling in southern suburbs schools were largely designed in the nineties for a large percentage of students with high level physical disabilities. That is definitely the case at Seaford Secondary College. These facilities unfortunately do not work as well for children with intellectual disabilities. That is why I am very pleased to inform the house that Seaford Secondary College will receive a major upgrade to its disability unit as a result of extensive consultation and feedback from the college and the community.

The upgrade will include the development of a secure outdoor area; improvements to existing bathroom areas, reconfiguration of classroom spaces to better meet the learning needs of students and a sensory or quiet area designed to enhance the learning experience of special needs children. This upgrade came about due to the ongoing efforts of the Minister for Education and Child Development as well as the work of the previous minister, the member for Wright. I would like to thank in particular Kelsey Walker, who has been campaigning on this issue, and the Southern Times Messenger for its efficacy on this important issue.

The Department for Education will also open a disability unit at Seaford Rise Primary School later this year, which is a much-needed development in my electorate. The new disability unit will consist of two classrooms with room for 16 children. The construction of this unit will also include a verandah, a ramp, a new access driveway for taxi drop-off, car parking for two cars and a fenced play area.

Special education is a vital aspect of our education system, and it ensures that all children have access to a first-class learning environment designed to suit their needs. While there are some who argue that disability education could only be undertaken in separate special schools, there is strong evidence to suggest that it is beneficial for children with special needs to be integrated into mainstream schools as long as there is the additional support required. Currently, 80 per cent of special needs children receive their education through integration with mainstream classrooms. I note in particular the efforts of the Hon. Kelly Vincent MLC in the other place advocating that there is an important place for special needs children to be educated within a mainstream school environment.

Although the Seaford Secondary College upgrade and the additional special school room at Seaford Rise Primary School are significant improvements to the provision of special needs schooling in the south, I believe that there is yet more to be done. That is why I am especially supportive of the audit into special education in the south, which the Minister for Education announced this month and which is expected to be completed in August. As members may know, the Christie's Downs Special School, in the member for Reynell's electorate, provides a number of special needs classes, and it came about as an amalgamation between a mainstream and a special school. Although there was never any downgrading of facilities through the amalgamation process, the state of that infrastructure definitely needs an upgrade in the future.

The upgrades to Seaford Secondary College and Seaford Rise Primary School are further examples of this government working to improve education for special needs children in South Australia. I have full confidence that the results of the audit will ensure the most effective allocation of resources for special needs children in the south.