A shed will be built at the school's farm campus on Norman Street to allow equine therapy to take place and staff have already begun training.

About 140 senior students in years 10 to 12 attend the farm campus, which has a focus on vocational learning and will expand its offerings to include animal studies, sport and recreation and warehousing alongside the horticulture, kitchen operations and other VCAL and VET courses already offered.

"We have seen some really good results with students who have accessed equine therapy externally," said Ballarat Specialist School principal Karen Biggelaar.

"It's an opportunity for students that have challenges with regulation ... to really make an emotional connection with a horse."

Ms Biggelaar said she was only aware of one other specialist school using equine therapy.

"We think it's pretty unique. We hope to start it once the weather warms up in term four. We knew we really wanted to do equine therapy but we did need additional funding to build the facility required."

The extra funding came from a recent $338,000 the school was allocated in the state government's Massive Maintenance Blitz, and Wendouree MP Juliana Addison visited the school on Thursday to announce a further $30,000 grant for essential maintenance including repairs, painting and gutter work.

She also inspected the newly-finished inclusive playground that was built with a $200,000 grant from the government's Inclusive Schools Fund.

The playground features a nest swing, rainbow chimes, musical flowers, sandpit, in-ground trampolines and a ground-level carousel meaning children of all abilities can access the playground.

"We did have some play areas in here previously but they were not accessible to all students. The playground is now completely accessible, and we know play is essential, so it's lovely to have this space. But having a fully inclusive and safe playground is more expensive and products are specialists to it has to be ordered in and costs more."

Ms Biggelaar said children had been eager to return to school on May 26 to play in the new playground, which was finished just two days before remote learning began in March.

IN OTHER NEWS

She said the three rounds of funding, totalling more than $550,000 made a massive impact to the school environment.

The funding had allowed the school to carry out essential maintenance and ground work, implement new security upgrades to keep staff and students safe, construct basketball rings in the middle school playground, install air-conditioning in the VET and VCAL classrooms, put in an automatic chemical mixing system for the hydrotherapy pool, and make classroom modifications throughout the middle years area.

"This investment is about making sure our schools are well maintained, safe and fit for purpose. We are dedicated to creating a supportive environment where all students can learn and thrive," Ms Addison said.

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