The classroom is in a modern stand alone building on the grounds of Ashburton Borough School.
Southern Health School principal Linda Miller said the school supported unwell young people with an active treatment plan to help them return to their host school.
‘‘We support that young person to keep up with their learning as far as their health allows,’’ she said.
‘‘The primary focus tends to be around literacy and numeracy skills, ensuring that they’re really grounded in those, so when they are back at school they can be successful.
‘‘Because if they go back into school and it’s not successful, then that can be catastrophic.’’
Students were dually enrolled with their host school and the health school, and had a minimum of two hours face-to-face time a week.
They could be taught in settings ranging from their homes, hospital, in community classrooms like the one in Ashburton, or, if transitioning back to school, at their school site.
Each student had an individual learning plan, got one-on-one teaching time, and could be involved in a range of other group learning sessions within the community classroom.
‘‘It’s great, it’s really good. It’s so nice coming in here in the mornings, it’s bright and it’s light,’’ she said.
At any given time there could be up to eight students in the community classroom at one time, she said.
Miller, based in Dunedin, said the community classroom helped students build connections with others.
‘‘It’s about teaching them the skills of interacting with others,’’ she said.
‘‘Every child is so different. A child with a serious back injury from a skiing accident who is recovering from that, their needs are very different than a child who has severe anxiety and depression.
‘‘The curriculum we deliver is not just about NZ curriculum and subjects, it’s also about the skills that they need to be successful as learners and in life.
‘‘It’s very individual and our teachers are highly skilled at being able to work out what these students need.’’
Prendergast agreed and said treatment plans, set by health professionals, helped to guide learning plans to get students engaged.
Teachers with the school had been active in Ashburton for the past 10 years, but the classroom started in 2020 and was located at Base Youth Centre, then Community House Mid Canterbury.
Over the years, the number of part-time teachers had increased to five with a total of 32 students.
Nationwide, there are three health schools.
Miller said most students were secondary aged, and all had varying needs; two-thirds due to mental health and a third physical health.
The average time each student was with the school was 30 weeks, she said.
‘‘Each year, (in the South Island) we have roughly 700 students who go through our school.
So at any one point in time we have got about 400 students on the roll.’’
At the official opening last month were members of the Southern Health School leadership team, parents, students, other schools and community group representatives such as YMCA, Presbyterian Support and Arofa Cafe, as well as district councillor Carolyn Cameron.
Prendergast said those in attendance included people from places students transitioned to or people who supported students with their health.
