School Councillor Bronwyn W says the decision to send her son to Emerson School has worked out beautifully for their whole family.
“Recognising that your child needs a specialist environment is always going to be tough for a parent to face,” Bronwyn says. “I’ve seen that scenario play out many times, and it is tricky, but in our case, as soon as we spoke with the team at Emerson our concerns settled and it really has been a wonderful choice.”
Ned, who is hearing impaired, started his school life at a mainstream primary school that has onsite facilities for the deaf. But with other cognitive disabilities as well, Ned began falling behind the other students, and he transitioned to Emerson into Year 7 from Grade 5 (skipping a year).
Bronwyn says the smaller class sizes, slower pace and the chance for one-on-one intervention has suited Ned well. “Noise and crowds scare Ned, and there are still some opportunities at Emerson that he hasn’t yet taken up, but the school is working with him to help build his confidence in trying new things,” she says.
Bronwyn even joined the School Council in 2025 and says that has been a great experience, allowing her to learn more about the inner workings of the school.
Emerson is not the closest special school to their home, but there are more opportunities available for her son at Emerson and, despite the “logistical gymnastics” of getting him to and from school each day, the ability of the school to offer so much more was the decider.
“I love that Emerson offers Ned the chance to grow and thrive, based on his individual needs,” she says. “Emerson is, quite simply, a good place to be, and to any parent who is unsure, our experience has been nothing but positive.”
[interviewed June 2026]
Photo credit: photo supplied by Bronwyn W with permission to use granted
