Toni Banfield - Executive PrincipalIt is a privilege to lead a school with such a strong commitment to autistic young people and to ensuring every student is known, valued and supported to grow.
The Sycamore School is a specialist school for autistic young people from Prep to Year 10. At the heart of our approach is the understanding that every young person brings their own strengths, interests, ways of communicating and ways of experiencing the world. Our role is not to ask young people to fit a traditional model of schooling, but to create an educational environment where they can experience belonging, engagement, achievement and success.
We teach the Australian Curriculum, providing meaningful and engaging learning experiences while making the adjustments needed to support individual strengths, learning needs and goals. Our educational practice is informed by research and evidence, drawing on contemporary understanding of autistic education, effective teaching and learning, and student wellbeing. We continue to learn, reflect and strengthen our practice so that what we do is purposeful, responsive and grounded in what makes a positive difference for our young people.
Small classes, strong relationships and individualised approaches to learning are central to our School. Our dedicated teachers, education support officers, specialist team and administrative staff work collaboratively to understand each student and provide the right balance of challenge, support and opportunity.
We also recognise that education extends well beyond academic learning. Through our Respect the Spectrum Framework, we support students across their emotional, social, and academic development, while building the skills, confidence and independence they need as they move towards adulthood.
The Sycamore School continues to grow and evolve. We are strengthening our educational programs, expanding opportunities for students and building partnerships with families, community organisations, researchers and other educators. Importantly, we are doing this while protecting what families value most about The Sycamore School: a smaller, specialist school community where relationships matter and autistic young people are respected for who they are.
Families are an important part of our School community. We value open communication, genuine partnership and the knowledge that parents and carers bring about their children. Together, we can create an environment in which young people feel safe to learn, develop and imagine what might be possible for their future.
