Westminster Education Support Centre

Get to know Westminster Education Support Centre

From Westminster Education Support Centre's website.

• Our approach

  The school uses a holistic, play-based approach centred on communication, wellbeing, and inclusive practices. Sessions are tailored to each student's needs through their Individual Education Plans and Individual Behaviour Support Plans. A Speech Pathologist works within classrooms to provide targeted support to teachers and students, while a Student Wellbeing Officer facilitates social skills lessons, social clubs, and individual strengths-based support. Therapy services are scheduled between 9.40am and 2.45pm in various classroom blocks to maximise student engagement and minimise disruption to educational programs. The school partners closely with external therapists to ensure therapeutic programs clearly link to and optimise each student's educational outcomes.

• Working with families

  Families are positioned as valued partners in their child's learning and wellbeing. The Speech Pathologist hosts engaging parent workshops aimed at empowering families with tools and techniques to support their child's communication skills at home. The Student Wellbeing Officer can provide support to families, facilitate connections to community-based services, and offer outreach to disengaged students and families if requested. The school uses Seesaw to communicate with families and shares information through newsletters. Parents initiate external therapy services through a formal request process and work collaboratively with therapists and school staff to ensure programs support their child's Individual Education Plans.

• Meet the team

  The school has a Speech Pathologist named Helena with eight years of experience in the paediatric community disability sector who works one day per week on Thursdays. She provides specialist assessment, intervention, consultation, and training as part of the NEMLDC Speech Pathologist in Schools program and conducts engaging parent workshops to support children's communication development. The Student Wellbeing Officer is Kellie Smart, available four days per week (excluding Wednesdays), who delivers social skills programs, facilitates social clubs, provides individual strengths-based support, and offers connections to community services. The school also welcomes external therapists to deliver services on or off site throughout the school day.

• Your first visit

  Parents who want external therapy services for their child must complete a Parent/Carer Request Form and provide legally required documentation before services can commence. The school uses a scheduling software called SchoolTherapy to streamline the booking process and ensure timely coordination between therapists and school staff. The Therapy Coordinator, Gokula Sundararaman, can be contacted at westminster.esc.therapy@education.wa.edu.au for information regarding in-school therapy sessions. Available session times are 9.40–10.40, 11.10–12.10, 12.10–1.10, and 1.45–2.45, aligned with school hours and breaks. Parents should note that requests for changes to dates or times cannot be accommodated due to tight scheduling and the importance of maintaining consistent routines for students.