Our School
Principal’s Message
At Melton Specialist School we aim to provide our students with educational opportunities that will enable them to reach their full potential and achieve success academically, socially and personally. Our curriculum is inclusive and developmental. Students are challenged to extend their skills and knowledge in a caring and supportive environment.
We want our students to feel safe and happy. We want them to enjoy learning and achieve highly. We want them to be confident in tackling challenges but be caring of others along the way. We want them to develop positive social skills, healthy relationship values and a strong sense of themselves as individuals.
Melton Specialist School is a friendly, dynamic community. There are many opportunities for parental involvement. I hope that through your participation and interest you will come to feel very much a part of our school and its community.
We look forward to meeting you soon.
School Profile
Melton Specialist School, with an enrolment of 356 students, provides quality educational programs for students with disabilities at both primary and secondary levels in a positive, caring and safe environment. It is a dual mode setting, catering for students with mild through to severe intellectual disabilities. Students are transported to our school via bus or family transport. The school is closely located to other schools as well as a variety of community retail spaces, leisure and recreational facilities.
Our school environment is comprised of traditional classrooms, specialist and vocational training classrooms, therapy spaces, toileting facilities and indoor sensory areas. Our grounds feature natural gardens, purpose built outdoor sensory areas, playground equipment, sports facilities, covered walkways and a Liberty swing. Teachers and Educational Support staff make extensive use of a wide variety of resources to ensure all students have an educational journey that is positive and successful.
Our school’s philosophy and programs are based upon the belief that children learn best in a co-operative environment that is safe, challenging and supportive with a school-wide focus on Positive Behaviour Support. We provide programs in Arts, Literacy, Physical Education, Numeracy, Information Technology, Science and Life Skills. Senior students also have the option of accessing a VCAL or SPEC program which aim to develop work related skills, travel education and personal development skills. Student Support Group meetings involving staff, parents, carers and our Allied Health team are held twice yearly to formulate individual learning goals based on each student’s ability, strengths and needs.
School Mission Statement
Key words – engagement, nurturing, independence, accountability, empowerment
School Values
We are a School Wide Positive Behaviour Support School.
School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is an evidence-based framework for preventing and responding to student behaviour. It aims to create a positive school climate, a culture of student competence and an open, responsive management system for all school community members. It includes analysis of data in professional learning teams, implementation of evidence based practices and organisational systems for establishing safe, purposeful and inclusive school and classroom learning environments while providing the individual behaviour and learning supports needed to achieve academic and social success for all students.
Our school purpose is supported by the following school values that are central to the life of the school.
Be Responsible
Be Respectful
Be Safe
Reports
- plan and communicate their work for the coming year and how this will lead to achieving their identified goals and targets
- ensure efficient and effective allocation of resources to complete the work
- monitor progress and success.
Focus Areas
Excellence in teaching and learning
Building practice excellence: Teachers, principals and schools will work together to achieve success.
Curriculum planning and assessment: Our school will embed a culture of curriculum planning, and assess the impact of learning programs, adjusting them to suit individual student needs.
Professional leadership
Building leadership teams: Our school will strengthen their succession planning, develop the capabilities of their leadership teams in using evidence based practices.
Positive climate for learning
Empowering students and building school pride: Our school will develop approaches that give students a greater input into their learning experience. Setting expectations and promoting inclusion: Our school will work across our community to implement supports to health, wellbeing, inclusion and engagement of all students.
Community engagement in learning
Building communities: Our school will strengthen our capacity to build relationships with the broader community by partnering with support services and participating in community initiatives.
Policies
Aboriginal Learning, Wellbeing And Safety Action Plan 2025
Administration Of Medication Policy 2025
Child Safe Code Of Conduct 2025
Child Safety And Wellbeing 2025
Child Safety Responding And Reporting Obligations 2025
Communication With Staff Policy
Electronic Funds Management Policy
Parent Payment Policy DET link
Parent Payment Policy Primary 2025
Parent Payment Policy Secondary 2025
Photographing and Filming of Students Policy
Privacy Information for Parents
Respectful Behaviours Within The School Community Policy
Statement Of Values And School Philosophy
Child Safe
The Victorian Government is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. As part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Betrayal of Trust report, which found that more must be done to prevent and respond to child abuse in our community, there is a new regulatory landscape surrounding child safety, underpinned by the new PROTECT Child Safe Standards.
The Child Safe Standards are compulsory minimum standards for all Victorian early childhood services and schools, to ensure they are well prepared to protect children from abuse and neglect.
It is recognised that many early childhood services and schools will have existing policies and procedures that aim to keep children safe. The Child Safe Standards provide a framework to identify gaps and improve policy and practices around child safety.
The resources available on these pages seek to support all Victorian early childhood services and schools to embed a culture of no tolerance for child abuse but, where necessary, to respond appropriately.
Melton Specialist is committed to implementing and upholding the new PROTECT Child Safe Standards. Please read our school policies that are found below.
Protect
Statement
Melton Specialist School is committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making.
Melton Specialist School has zero tolerance for child abuse.
Melton Specialist School is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.
Every person involved in Melton Specialist School has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.
Fact Sheets
Policies
Video
Student Engagement Team
The Melton Specialist School Student Engagement (SET) Team is a dedicated group of professionals who are passionate about your young person’s well-being and development. They come together with a shared goal: to provide a nurturing and inclusive environment where young people can grow and thrive.
As a team, they focus on addressing your young person’s emotional, social, and mental health needs. With various specialised roles within the team, they ensure that your young person receives the support they require:
Cultural Strengthening Leader
The Cultural Strengthening Leader fosters relationships with our diverse families and celebrates different cultures.
NDIS Navigator
Our NDIS Navigator helps families understand and access the necessary NDIS support services available to help our students with their learning.
Social Workers
Social Workers collaborate with students, teachers and families to develop social skills and emotional regulation.
Mental Health Practitioner (MHP)
Mental Health Practitioner provide essential mental health support, coordinating assistance when needed for our staff to build their skills to better support our student.
Youth Workers
Youth Workers prioritise student engagement and social development and help our young people to successfully engage in our learning program.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL)
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) builds the capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention).
Allied Health Team
The Melton Specialist School’s Allied Health Team is a compassionate group of experts who provide essential support for your young people in a variety of ways. This dedicated team includes Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Music Therapists, Speech Therapists, and Allied Health Assistants, all working together to help our students enhance their engagement, physical abilities, communication, self-care skills, and emotional wellbeing.
Speech Pathology
Speech Therapists work diligently to enhance students’ communication skills, helping them express their thoughts and feelings effectively.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapists focus on improving students’ personal care, participation and engagement, making daily activities easier.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists help students become more physically capable, enabling them to navigate their world with confidence, they prescribe mobility aids and make sure all manual handling at school happens in a safe and active way.
Allied Health Assistants
Allied Health Assistants play a crucial role in supporting the team, ensuring therapy programs are carried out smoothly.
Music Therapy
Music Therapists use the power of music to help students feel better emotionally, engage in learning, move between activities and communicate with others.
Wellbeing Dog Program
Wellbeing Dog Program provides a supportive and comforting presence to enhance the emotional wellbeing of our young people.
Leadership Team
Principal Class Team
Brooke Briody
Principal
Alice Harris
Senior Assistant Principal
Joan Cummings
Assistant Principal (Secondary)
Craig Thompson
Assistant Principal (Primary)
Phil Nolan
Assistant Principal (Middle)
Leading Teachers
Kristy Hallam
Megan Oldfield
Stephanie Champion
Kerri Oldfield
Teegan Baker
Allied Health Leader
Monika Engler
Business Manager
Bree Campey
Business Manager
Learning Specialists
Anthony (Jamie) Polich
