Hospital Schools

Our hospital schools are NSW Department of Education public schools. We provide educational support for hospitalised students and their siblings from kindergarten to year 12, from both public and private schools.

While attending the hospital school, students remain enrolled at their home school. A shared enrolment will be set up with the school they normally attend, and the student's hospital school teacher will contact that school to discuss topics and learning goals, which will be adjusted and personalised to meet the student's current needs.

Students will attend a classroom in the hospital or be visited in the ward by a teacher.

Sydney Children's Hospital School at Randwick

The Sydney Children's Hospital School is located on Level 0 at Building C.  

When your child enrols, a Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) will contact their school to provide a medical update and introduce the team who will work with the school. They will work on an individualised education plan for your child. 

Visual arts, information computer technology and some recreational activities are also an important part of the program and are offered as appropriate.

Educational programs follow NESA curricula as closely as possible and are developed according to the individual student’s health. 

School hours are from 9am to 3pm, however these hours are flexible so that a child can also attend clinic appointments.

When a child is returning to school, the CNC team will inform the school of the child’s health and education journey during treatment and how to help with a smooth transition back to school. 

Teachers will also receive a letter from the CNC describing the side effects they should be aware of, and the importance of notifying families if infections such as chicken pox and measles occur at the school.

The Hospital School at Westmead

The Hospital School at Westmead is located on Level 1 and 2 at Banksia Building, and on Block A Level 4C at Westmead Hospital.

Patients can enrol if they are:

  • admitted to hospital for 5 days or more
  • admitted on a regular basis
  • referred under special needs.

The school has 4 classrooms:

  • primary classroom, Level 2, Banksia Building
  • high school classroom, Level 1, Banksia Building
  • Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit, Level 1, Banksia Building
  • high school classroom at Westmead Hospital (Block A Level 4C).

The school has a flexible approach to learning to cater to the needs of children who are juggling their time with appointments, treatment and school work.

Education support

Aside from hospital schools, your child may also access educational support services such as:

Ronald McDonald Learning Program (RMLP)

The Ronald McDonald Learning Program (RMLP) helps children with serious physical illness and injury catch up on their school learning. 

The RMLP looks at all aspects of a child's learning and provides support including assessment, therapy and tutoring with qualified professionals. 

All services are provided free to families and each program is tailored depending on the child's needs, location and family situation.

Most children will receive up to 4 school terms of one-on-one tuition with a qualified teacher, along with speech and/or occupational therapy if required. 

Back on Track

Back on Track is an educational support service for children diagnosed with cancer and receiving treatment.

The aim is to keep children with cancer connected to their learning, their peers and their school community from diagnosis through treatment, recovery and return to school. 

Back on Track supports children from kindergarten to year 12.

Learn more about the Back on Track program at Randwick and Westmead.

Getting support for return to school

Many children find it hard to go back to school, especially if they have changes in their body.

Hair loss and weight changes are some common concerns.

Tell your doctor or nurse if your child is worried about going back to school. The hospital social workers or psychologist may be able to help.

If your child is having problems doing schoolwork, please ask for extra help. Your child may require some assistance to catch up with lost learning when they return to school.

There are programs available to assist children with learning issues resulting from serious illness. Your social worker will have information on these programs.