School for Autistic Children Saved
Topic: Education
Wednesday, 17 June 2026, 5:52 am
The Sycamore School is a private school for autistic children.
Raeleigh Kemp is happy to see her son Zane doing well in school.
Zane, who is autistic, now runs to school and gets upset when he cannot go.
This is a big change from how things were in the past.
Raeleigh enrolled Zane in The Sycamore School about two years ago.
She said, 'He was finding it harder and harder as he got older.'
The pressures were increasing, and the support was not enough.
He ended up having autistic shutdown and could not speak or look at his mom.
After school, he would run to the car and break down.
He had many meltdowns, and it was very difficult.
Raeleigh knew Zane needed more support and a different approach to managing autism.
She says Zane was struggling in a traditional school.
Some parents drive almost 50 kilometers to take their kids to this specialist school.
The Sycamore School in Alexandra Hills is a private school for autistic children.
Almost 100 students are enrolled from prep to year 10.
Raeleigh said, 'Honestly, I don't know where we'd be if we didn't get into Sycamore.'
However, the school's future was uncertain last year.
Finance Minister Ros Bates said Labor had the school 'on the chopping block'.
Now, the school is set to be around for generations to come.
The state government signed a 25-year lease for the school.
Finance Minister Ros Bates said the long-term lease was a 'lifeline' for the students and families.
Securing the school's future will allow administrators to apply for capital grants.
The school has been on a temporary lease since October.
The state government has also committed to building seven new special schools in the south-east.
Shadow Minister for Education Di Farmer welcomed the lease extension.
Di Farmer said, 'This isn't enough from the education minister, who is all talk and no action.'
Raeleigh said she could not imagine telling Zane that his school was going to shut down.
She said, 'It would have been terrible.'
Raeleigh said knowing the school would be around for generations was 'incredible'.
She said, 'There needs to be more of them.'
Wednesday, 17 June 2026, 5:52 am
Wednesday, 17 June 2026, 10:10 am
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