The Mission Statement

Our mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of children with special needs, through a caring relationship. Regardless of their disability, we will give students the opportunity to improve their self-esteem and reach their true potential through education and love.

About the Sunshine School

The Sunshine School was born out of the integration of the School for the Hearing Impaired and a group of Mentally Challenged children and young adults. These two entities merged in 1982 and developed into what is now known as “The Sunshine School for Children with Special Needs”. At that time The Bequia Mission of Canada (through Father Ron Armstrong and June Armstrong)  covered the comprehensive needs of the school – financially and materially.

Starting out with just a few children and even fewer teachers, the school developed, grew and moved into various locations. In 2000 The Sunshine School moved into its own newly constructed building in Port Elizabeth, well equipped and catering to the special needs of our special students. Here, we continue to grow and evolve as a respected “special needs school”. 

Our goal is to provide a nurturing learning environment where students can grow and accomplish academic learning skills, allowing them to re-enter mainstream schools where possible or go directly into High School if they reach the academic level required. The teaching of work-related and life skills has developed significantly, allowing opportunities for students to contribute to their homes and communities with self-supportive skills.

The curriculum used by the school is the basic (Government) curriculum for Primary schools adapted to the specific needs of the Sunshine School. In addition to regular academic subjects like Reading & Writing, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science, students are also taught sewing, crocheting, embroidery, woodwork, Home Economics, and Gardening.  For children with severe learning difficulties, life skills are taught. Classes range from Grade K to Grade 6 and placement is based on learning level, ability, and age.  Each student is able to advance at his or her own pace.  Computer skills are a regular part of the curriculum and children work at their individual levels.

We are proud of our ever-increasing affiliations with other special needs schools and organizations around the world. Through these contacts, we gain insight into educational trends of similar schools and open doors for our teachers and students to “the world beyond Bequia”. In 2009, the Sunshine School was officially twinned with the Avenue School in Reading, UK (www.avenue.reading.sch.uk), and in 2012, the two schools had teacher exchange visits. The Head Teacher from The Sunshine School (along with two heads from St. Vincent) visited the Avenue School for two weeks. Later that same year the Head Teacher and two teachers from Avenue School visited the Sunshine School for two weeks. These visits were made possible through the combined efforts of several persons including Dame Sue Bourne (then HT Avenue School); Mr. Dudrey Browne & members of The Vincentian Association of Reading and Mr. Cenio Lewis, SVG’s High Commissioner to London. In 2017 another teacher from Sunshine School along with three teachers from St. Vincent visited The Avenue and received on the job training in working with students with Autism.

Daily assemblies are held to start off the school day. The staff works on a roster, leading each week's program with a variety of group activities, whether singing together, reading a story or article, or discussing current events. Students are encouraged to share their life events, big or small, and then they are sent off for the day's learning in their classes. Visitors are welcome to join the assembly from 9 – 9:30 am during the regular school term.