The positive culture at Hopetown SSP is a result, in part, of setting high expectations and then recognising, acknowledging, celebrating and promoting student and staff achievements.
Hopetown services the needs of primary and secondary students with emotional disturbance. The school is situated in an open rural setting and is well resourced with amenities including an indoor heated pool, tennis courts and a multipurpose hall.
The primary purpose of enrolment at Hopetown is the development of students' social/emotional skills. Emotional Literacy is actively promoted and comprises the domains of self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills and motivation.
Hopetown endeavours to provide a therapeutic environment with a multi-disciplinary approach to special education and individual student needs. The school, where possible, emulates mainstream school policies and practices in an attempt to increase student self-esteem and expectations.
Hopetown actively encourages parent/carer and community involvement in all aspects of curriculum and behavioural programming. Access to the many resources of the public education system has allowed staff and students to enjoy the professional and productive support and development.
Flexibility is an essential aspect of Hopetown's programming in order to meet the varying needs of students and to respond to different rates of progress. Class groups are determined by ability and not according to grades. The other consideration for class composition is the mix of personality types, behavioural characteristics and degrees of the resilience of the students.
A home-group model of class arrangement has been maintained in view of its past success. The secondary classes are similar to those in middle-schooling and have been timetabled to minimise disruption, reduce anxiety, provide consistency in curriculum delivery and teaching style and to enhance a sense of ownership and self-direction in a student's learning.