Learners who are in a mainstream school:
Learners are referred to Thuthukani Special School via a formal referral process which is initiated by the class teacher and Principal of the referring school – Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS).
The learner is initially referred to the Department of Education Circuit and District offices. Assessments are done by the District Level Support teams, and the learner may then be recommended for placement at Thuthukani Special School.
Learners who are not attending school:
Learners who are not attending school may be referred directly to Thuthukani, using the contact below.
Learners who are in special schools whose families are relocating to our area:
Learners who are attending a special school may be referred directly to Thuthukani, using the contact below. Thuthukani will request a transfer card / letter from the referring school.
Who should be referred?
Thuthukani only accepts learners who have severe to profound intellectual disability. Learners who have additional disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, deafness, speech and hearing disorders, visual impairment and physical disability can also be accommodated at Thuthukani Special School.
If a learner has been identified at an early age, as having developmental delay with significant late milestone achievement, it is possible that they will experience challenges in their schooling careers, and they will need to be identified, assessed and supported with the correct schooling path as early as possible. The SIAS policy is a very helpful tool to achieve this.
What happens when we receive a referral?
Each learner that is referred to Thuthukani is screened by an occupational therapist to establish the learner’s ability, relative developmental age and school progress. The child’s parents are consulted and advised of the program at Thuthukani. The school nurse assesses the child’s general health and assists the parents to access relevant social grants that may be available to the disabled child.
All suitable candidates’ names are placed on a waiting list. The only learners who get preference, are learners who are in a special school whose parents have moved to our area.
When a suited space opens, and the learner is admitted to Thuthukani, he/she will be placed in a class with learners of similar age and functional ability. After a four-week period, the team, which includes the class teacher, occupational therapist, parent (where possible) and other involved parties, will meet again to discuss the learner’s placement, make adjustments, and develop the learner’s individual support plan.
HOW TO REFER TO THUTHUKANI SPECIAL SCHOOL
If you need to refer a learner to Thuthukani please follow one of the processes below:
- If your child is in a mainstream school please contact the school’s Principal, and they will need to follow the referral process as stipulated by the Department of Education: Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS).
- If your child is not in school please contact us here.
- If your child is in a Special School and you are relocating to our area please contact us here.
- For any other assistance please contact us here. (Click on the left to follow the link)