Who are we?
The Southern Health School is a State Special School for students from Year 1 to 13.
Who uses our services?
Primary and Secondary School students who are ill and who live in the South Island, Stewart Island or the Chathams. But the illness is not as important as the fact that the students are unwell and missing school. It is our job to help them to keep learning and help them get back to school as soon as they are well.
How do we help?
We develop an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) in association with the School of Enrolment, parents and other professionals involved with the student. We prepare and locate resources and learning programmes for the students. We arrange Correspondence School lessons for students as appropriate. We provide online learning opportunities. We teach students in hospital, at home and in our learning support centres. We keep in touch with students' usual school and teachers. We support students' learning needs. We work with students to help them back to their usual school.
Who can be admitted to our school?
Students who have high health needs as identified by a qualified doctor or specialist. These students will have been absent from school for more than 10 days in a row or 40 in a whole year; will be having treatment for their illness; and will stay on the roll of their usual school, since they are only admitted to our school while they are ill.
Where are we?
We have teachers and learning support centres in:
- Nelson
- Blenheim
- Christchurch
- Ashburton
- West Coast
- Timaru
- Oamaru
- Dunedin
- Central Otago
- Invercargill
However we teach students wherever they may be throughout the South Island. This may involve teachers visiting students in hospital, at home or taking lessons on line.