School Profile

Our Mission: To realise the full potential of children and young adults with Special Educational Needs through the provision of high-quality education to equip each pupil with skills to become productive, independent members of society.

Unity College’s culture is centred around inclusivity, empathy, and support. The school revolves around an environment where all pupils can thrive regardless of their challenges. This culture is carefully cultivated to ensure pupils feel valued, understood, and empowered to reach their full potential.

We welcome children and young adults to our school who could have several barriers to learning due to being on the autism spectrum, having low vision, having cochlea implants, epilepsy, birth trauma, genetic disorders, dyslexia, medical conditions, and/or general developmental delays. The school is wheelchair friendly.

Unity College is an ISASA-affiliated, independent school with more than thirty years of experience in special needs education. Our team comprises qualified teachers, a Speech and Language Therapist, an Occupational Therapist assistant, and a Music Therapist. Teacher assistants provide support in all Junior and Intermediate Phase classes.

Unity College has a unique place in South Africa’s educational landscape.

• The school caters for pupils aged 3-24 years.
• Small classes result in greater individual attention.
• Each pupil has an Individual Development Plan (IDP), a personalised plan developed to meet their learning needs, goals, and accommodations. The IDP is reviewed and updated every six months to reflect the pupil’s progress and changing needs. Realistic medium and long-term academic and behavioural goals are set collaboratively by parents/caregivers, teachers, and therapists. All stakeholders make joint decisions regarding the child’s needs and the setting of appropriate goals.
• Life skills are embedded in all courses. Life skills include personal care and safety, money management, cooking, and transportation. Social skills include enhancing communication, relationship building, citizenship, managing peer pressure, substance abuse, self-regulation and self-advocacy, ICT, and work skills.
• Group Therapy classes include Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Music Therapy (depending on the pupils’ ages) and is included in the school fees.
• Individual Therapy sessions provided by private therapists and psychologists on campus, can be arranged by parents.
• We follow the Differentiated Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (DCAPS). This flexible national curriculum focuses on core skills aimed at developing functional, independent living.

School Hours

• Early Intervention Phase: School starts 08:00 and ends 12:00 daily.
• Junior, Intermediate and Senior Phase and Centre for Vocational and Life Skills: School starts at 07:45 and ends at 14:15, Monday to Friday.

Early Intervention Centre (3-6 years)

Our Early Intervention Centre caters for pupils from the age of three. It supports each pupil in acquiring essential social, emotional, and academic skills to transition smoothly into a more formal schooling environment. Communication and perceptual skills are at the core of learning.
In general, class size does not exceed 10 pupils.

Junior phase (approximately 6-11 years)

The key focus is on functional literacy and numeracy, developing perceptual skills, and empowering every child to be as independent as possible. We encourage autonomy in various basic daily living skills, such as dressing, personal hygiene, cooking, organisational skills, and communication.
Classes in this phase are based on the pupil’s ability.
In general, class size does not exceed 10 pupils.

Intermediates (12-15 years)

The pupil’s curriculum needs are academic and geared towards acquiring skills for independent living.

• Academic: This approach focuses on building foundational skills in literacy and numeracy through more repetition and practice than in general education settings.
• Life Skills: Lessons that teach practical life skills, such as time management, personal care, and social interaction, are essential for independence.
  Classes are based on the pupil’s ability.
  In general, class size does not exceed 10 pupils.

Seniors (16 – late teens, early twenties)

Educating special needs teens and young adults requires a thoughtful, individualised approach that addresses their unique learning styles, strengths, and challenges. The goal is to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where they can achieve academic success and develop essential life skills.

Two streams are available in the Senior Phase:

• Academic (Vocational): The Senior phase follows the Differentiated Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (DCAPS). This flexible curriculum focuses on core skills: English, Mathematics, and Natural Science. Three additional vocational subjects are selected.
• Some pupils in the vocational stream may write the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) Adult Education and Training (AET) examinations. This certification holds significant value, especially for our pupils who seek to enhance their educational qualifications.

Life Skills: The curriculum promotes skills that will benefit the pupil for life. This stream aims to encourage independence and a supported work placement. It is skills-based with less of an academic or theoretical component.

In general, class size does not exceed 12 pupils.

Centre for Vocational and Life Skills (18–24 years)

The Centre for Vocational and Life Skills (Skills Centre) was established to meet the needs of our older pupils who had mastered functional academics and a range of skills and were ready to transition to independent living while learning basic vocational skills.

Work Experience Programme

All senior pupils take part in our “Work Experience Programme,” which takes place once a week. Exposure to real-life work placements allows our pupils to apply and further develop skills related to work ethic and effective communication. Work experience also provides pupils with opportunities to gain a practical sense of goals and expectations of the job market. In-house work experience happens on our campus and teaches vocational skills.

Enrolment

Should you wish to consider Unity College as an option for your child, an appointment needs to be set up with the principal through the Admin Office. Parents and children are invited to attend an initial interview. Psycho-educational, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy assessments, if available, help staff identify the level at which your child is working. However, these assessments are not a pre-requisite for enrolment. Pupils will be invited for a one-week trial period at the school if, in the view of the principal, the child is a good candidate for Unity College.

Trial Process

A pre-enrolment trial is mandatory for all phases of the school.
During this trial period, we observe whether the pupil is a suitable candidate for our school. We observe the child individually and his/her interactions in and out of the classroom with peers and staff members. Academic ability is also considered. At the end of your child’s trial, the team involved meets to discuss their findings. A decision is made concerning placement. The trial feedback is then presented to the parents (usually on the last day of the trial), and, if appropriate, placement is offered at Unity College. School hours for the trial period are 09:00 – 13:30 daily. If, after the trial period, we find that the school is not suited to the needs of the child, we will make recommendations regarding alternative placement.

Transport Service

Unity offers three bus routes at present with the following pick-up/drop-off points:

Parktown Bus Route:
Temple Emanuel (Oxford Road); Rosebank Union Church (Cnr. William Nicol and Sandton Drive) and Loch Road (off Cumberland Road, Bryanston) to Unity and back.

Midrand (including Fourways Gardens) Bus Route:

Covers all areas between the school and Centurion, including Midrand. Pick-up points are at Christ Church School (Cnr 9th Road and 11th Rd) and Urban Life Church (Main Rd) to Unity and back.

Honeydew Bus Route:

NHC Healthcare Centre (Cnr Dolfyn St & Christiaan De Wet Rd) and North Point Church (Cnr. Bellairs Dr & Malibongwe Dr) to Unity and back.

CSI

If you would like to get involved in our Non-Profit Organisations’ Corporate Social Investment,
please visit our website under CSI where you will find a list of needs. Section 18A Tax certificates can be supplied.