NSW Department of Education school finder. Search by suburb or postcode and filter by school type.
The NSW Department of Education publishes an open dataset of specialist support classes by public school and support needs type. Placement in a support class is arranged through the access request process, which your local school's learning and support team can start with you. NSW Department of Education ↗
Contact your local education office on 131 536 and ask for disability support, or email disability.support@det.nsw.edu.au. Start with your local school, then the local education office if you need more help.
131 536Integration Funding Support is additional funding for extra support in a mainstream classroom, such as an additional teacher or school learning support officer. The school applies on the student's behalf.
In NSW public schools, learning and support teachers and the school learning support team coordinate adjustments for students with disability. Ask the principal who leads learning and support at the school.
Specialist and autism-specific schools in NSW
No school or department publishes a standard processing time, so contact the school as soon as you are considering it, even a year or more ahead, and ask to join the waiting list while you are still deciding. This is general guidance from families rather than a published timeline.
Assessment requirements are set by each school, not by a national rule. Aspect, for example, asks NSW families for a diagnosis plus a psychometric assessment no more than two years old, and South Australian families for a second report confirming the diagnosis, so check what the specific school requires.
Fees, year levels and eligibility change, so every school below links to its own page for current details.
Standalone specialist schools
A dedicated campus where every student has a disability or is autistic. Your child goes to that school, not to a mainstream school. Some are run by state governments, some are independent or faith-based, and a few are autism-specific.
Independent autism-specific schools
Australia's largest autism-specific school program. Small classes, autism-trained teachers, and a satellite class network so many families can stay closer to home. Aspect also runs an autism-specific distance education program for Years 3 to 12.
Independent autism-specific school
For autistic children with complex needs, with teaching and therapy delivered side by side by the same team. The Sydney school opened in 1995.
Independent Christian specialist school
A small Christian school that supports students with autism or a mild to moderate intellectual disability while delivering the NESA curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Catholic independent special school
A school for students with mild to moderate intellectual disability and additional needs such as autism, hearing impairment and vision impairment, running a primary school for Kindergarten to Year 6 and a secondary school for Years 7 to 12.
Catholic independent special school
A K to 12 school for students with intellectual disability, autism and sensory impairment, with allied health on site.
Catholic high support learning centre
A high support setting of about 30 places on the St Luke's campus, for students with moderate intellectual disability and high support needs.
Independent Steiner-based special school
A Steiner-based school for autistic students and students with moderate to severe intellectual disability, on a rural campus.
Independent autism-specific school, ABA based
A small ABA-based school for autistic children, from early intervention into primary years.
NSW Government standalone special schools
The NSW public system's standalone special schools. Placement is decided by the department, not by the school, through the access request process.
Satellite classes run by a specialist provider
An autism-specific class run by a specialist provider like Aspect, but physically located inside a mainstream school. Your child is enrolled with the specialist provider and learns in a small class, with chances to join the wider school where that works for them.
Autism-specific classes inside mainstream schools
Your child enrols with Aspect but learns in a small autism-specific class hosted inside a local mainstream school, with supported chances to join the wider school. It is the same enrolment process as an Aspect school.
Autism-specific distance education
For autistic students who cannot attend a traditional classroom or who live too far from a campus.
Support units and support classes run by the education department
A small class attached to a mainstream government school and staffed by that department, not by an autism provider. Names differ by state, and access usually runs through your department's own placement or access request process rather than the school itself.
NSW Department of Education support classes in mainstream schools
Small classes attached to mainstream schools, including autism-specific classes. Access runs through the department's access request process, so speak to your current school's learning and support team first.
Applying in NSW
Contact the school principal directly. Bring the diagnosis report and ask for the Integration Funding Support process to be started. Integration Funding Support is additional funding for extra support in a mainstream classroom, and the school applies for it.
Support units (also called support classes) are attached to mainstream schools. Placement is decided through the department's Access Request process, which your school starts with you. Contact your local education office on 131 536 and ask for the Student support services learning and wellbeing team, or email disability.support@det.nsw.edu.au. Ask your paediatrician and allied health team to provide supporting evidence.
Standalone NSW specialist schools are called Schools for Specific Purposes (SSPs). Placement also goes through the Access Request process, and you or your local school can raise it. Contact your local education office and ask specifically about SSP placement. Eligibility criteria apply.
Contact Aspect directly. Enrolment Information Sessions are held regularly, and attendance is typically required before the formal application.
