Student opportunities and activities

Sailability

Every year, a group of students from Five Islands School attends Sailability each fortnight. Sailability Toronto operates from the Toronto Amateur Sailing Club. Sailability provide the facilities and personnel to make sailing available to our students giving them an enjoyable and safe sailing experience. Each student is fitted with a life jacket and volunteer sailors are able to adapt their teaching methods to suit individual student needs and abilities while out on the water. Students learn a variety of skills including water safety, assisting with sailing tasks and having the chance to engage with the wider community. This involvement in Sailability is a positive and engaging learning experience for all students involved.

For more information please see Sailability NSW.

Creative and Performing Arts

Each week our students participate in Drumming with an experienced instructor who provides the students with a range of musical opportunities such as drumming, actively listening, dancing and playing a variety of other musical instruments. These sessions provide space for students to balance being loud and excited with quiet and calm. Students practice transitioning between these as a group and individually as they make choices, accept others choices, express themselves, respect others self-expression, have fun and be heard. The benefits of music making include relief from anxiety or stress and improvement in mood. Our Drumming sessions are a great way to help enhance the wellbeing of all students at Five Islands School.

Community Access

Students at Five Islands School have the opportunity to visit various locations around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie through the school’s Community Access Program. Each location is selected by the classroom teacher to include goal-based and leisure activities linked to current classroom themes. These activities include visiting local parks, nature reserves, shopping, purchasing items for the cooking program, and Return and Earn bottle recycling. The program is tailored to suit each student’s learning goals and abilities, and helps prepare our high school students for their transition to post-school options. The school owns and maintains two buses to support the program, which aims to build skills for social interaction and independence in the community.

Sports Day

At Five Islands School, we are proud to offer our students a variety of opportunities to represent our school at inclusive and engaging sporting events. These include Multi-Sports Days, Bocce, Ten Pin Bowling, Abilities Unleashed, Come Try Athletics, and Come Try Football. Participation in these events allows students not only to showcase their sporting skills but also to build confidence, teamwork, and resilience. Each event is designed to be inclusive and supportive, enabling students of all abilities to get involved, try new things, and enjoy physical activity in a fun, encouraging environment. These sporting days also offer valuable opportunities for social interaction, as students connect with peers from other schools across the region, fostering a strong sense of community.

Transition to Post-School Options

Year 11 and 12 students at Five Islands School take part in Post School Option visits as part of their transition planning. These visits include work experience programs and facilities management tasks such as lawn care and laundry, helping students build practical life and living skills. The program also focuses on developing independence, social skills, and confidence in accessing the wider community. Students visit services such as BRB, Aruma, and Sunnyfield, giving them insight into future pathways and support options beyond school. To further support this process, the school hosts regular transition meetings with students, families, and external providers. These meetings ensure each student has a clear, personalised plan in place for life after school.