Students learning at William Rose School in Sydney’s West will have the opportunity to learn real-world skills, with the opening of a mini-Woolworths supermarket on site to support special education students with a range of abilities.
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell welcomed the new initiative with Woolworths and Fujitsu, which will support functional literacy and numeracy, language and communication skills, decision making and problem-solving skills in a school that caters for students with complex learning needs.
“It’s exciting to see students at William Rose School have the opportunity to take on real world experiences in their own space and move through the mini shop in a familiar and safe environment,” Ms Mitchell said. “Students will gain valuable employment skills, while others will learn skills enabling them to engage in their communities. Every student will have the chance to increase their confidence and gain
At check out, grocery items are scanned using fully operational Fujitsu registers and include the experience of money handling, store receipts and the bagging of items.
Principal of William Rose School Nicole Parker said she was thrilled to see this space become available to students after the impact of COVID on their regular programs.
“Over the last two years, COVID has affected our community access program, where students travel off-site to engage with the local community and use public facilities and shopping centres within Seven Hills. Now, having William Rose Fresh Food installed in our school grounds, the accessibility is far greater.
“For our younger students, they will learn to weigh and count items on the shelves, understand currency and build confidence in a closed environment. For our older students, they can learn about using cash registers and how to refill stock on the shelves to help them transition into employment after school.”
Woolworths Technology Director – Replenishment, Product and Logistics Nicola Clague said this was a great example of their commitment to creating better experiences together for a better tomorrow.
“The skills students will learn in their new mini Woolworths supermarket is a fun way to equip them with confidence and knowledge of retail operations, giving them a competitive edge when they enter the workforce,” Ms Clague said.
The initiative with the NSW Department of Education will see similar facilities provided by Woolworths and Fujitsu at Clarke Road School, Hornsby, and Holroyd School, Merrylands, The Ponds School at The Ponds and Wewak Street School in Albury North.
