ParaSchool

ParaSchool is an educational bridge between an inpatient hospital stay and normal school life. It is a bit of normality and offers stability and support for learners while they are in hospital.

Around a quarter of the patients at the Swiss Paraplegic Centre (SPC) are school-age children, young people, apprentices or students. During their long rehabilitation period, they do not have to give up on their education thanks to ParaSchool, a department of ParaWork that supports their academic reintegration.

The headteacher coordinates the tuition with the original or new school and organises tuition in the hospital school at the SPC. We offer all main subjects at various education levels, and prepare the students for final examinations or state qualification processes. The coordinated planning of tuition with treatments demands a lot of experience and specialist knowledge about rehabilitation.

Before tuition at the SPC starts, the learning objectives, including teaching aids and teaching methods, are specified in cooperation with teachers, school administrators and education authorities. The ParaSchool pupils learn the same material and take the same tests as their former classmates – they just learn at a different pace. Depending on how strong they are, they may have up to four lessons per day, and each pupil is supported individually.

ParaSchool has an agreement with the Department of Primary Education of the Canton of Lucerne, and is recognised as an official hospital school.

• Coordination with the school sector: Preparation for and organisation of reintegration into the original school.
• Ensuring that the pupils stay up to date on all the main subjects (primary school, secondary school, apprenticeship, etc.).
• Motivation and support with learning the material from the original school.
• Improving concentration and performance.
• Relearning and practising learning and work techniques.
• Drawing up and applying for access arrangements.
• Tuition support for learners learning externally.
• Support in various areas of education (primary school, secondary schools, vocational training, etc.).