Inclusive
Education
at
St
Bernard's
School
Inclusion involves a process of systematic reform, embodying changes and modifications in content, teaching methods, approaches, and strategies in education to identify and reduce barriers to learning. Inclusion aims to provide all students with equitable learning experiences and environments that best correspond to their requirements and preferences (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD, 2008 ).
At St Bernard's we cater for students who have a diverse range of personal characteristics and experiences. These characteristics and experiences may be attributable to physical, religious, cultural, personal health or wellbeing, intellectual, psychological, socio-economic or life experiences.
Student Support Team
The Student Support Team at St Bernard's works in collaborative partnership with class teachers, school officers, students, parents, BCE support staff, external providers and agencies to enhance the educational outcomes for all students to ensure that students can access and fully participate in learning, alongside their similar-aged peers, supported by reasonable adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet their individual needs. Inclusion is embedded in all aspects of school life, and is supported by culture, policies and everyday practices.
The Student Support Team consist of; Support Teacher-Inclusive Education, Guidance Counsellor, School- based Speech Pathologist, Learning Enhancement Teacher, EALD Teacher and Primary Learning Leader.
EASP – Enrolment Application and Support Procedure
All students with a disability enrol through the Enrolment Application and Support Process procedure EASP. This is a consultative and collaborative process to ensure that students with disability are afforded access to and participation in education on the same basis as other students. The consultation process seeks to reveal and clarify:
- the characteristics of the learner, including impact of the disability
- the educational adjustments required for learning
- the implications of adjustments within the context of school, family and student.
In these circumstances, the Principal would engage the Support Teacher – Inclusive Education and/or Education Officer/Consultant – Inclusive Education.
Stages of the EASP
There are multiple stages in the EASP. Each stage is outlined in detail in the Enrolment Application and Support Process. Supporting documents and templates are listed for each stage.
Identifying Concerns
Personalised student support and intervention is a process that supports a wide range of students with additional learning and support needs. This includes those students in need of learning, social and emotional and behaviour support, those who have educational support needs arising from disability and those learning English as an additional language or some combination of these.
Within a continuum of support, there is increased, focused and personalised teaching and intervention responses at each successive level including increasing levels of adjustments, monitoring of student learning and behaviour and greater collaboration between teaching and support staff. In collaboration with teachers the support team consult regarding areas of concern and target intervention depending on the area of need and impact. Students are identified through monitoring tools, data, school referral process and assessed need.
School-Based Speech Pathology
ACARA (2012) identifies that “the ability to communicate enables learning across the curriculum, the school
day and life
outside
of
school".
School-based speech pathology support at St Bernard's is evidence informed and contributes to the progress and engagement, learning and wellbeing of students with speech and language needs. This occurs through partnerships and collaboration with all stakeholders.
Speech pathologists at St Bernard's work in collaboration with teachers to support them in catering for the diversity of students with speech and language needs in their classrooms.
Positive Engagement for Learning
Positive Engagement for Learning references teaching resources from the Bounce Back program that can be used to teach:
- ACARA- General Capability- Personal and Social Learning
- ACARA- Elements of the Health Curriculum
- Our school PB4L expectations
- Our School Learning Dispositions
Teachers are encouraged to use Bounce Back as
a resource to aide in the teaching of this Curriculum, Behaviour and Learning content.
The purpose of circle time is to provide a time and space in which children can learn the skills they need to thrive in life including:
- Knowledge and understanding of self
- Knowledge and understanding of others
- Knowledge and understanding of how to get along with others
- A sense of belonging and connectedness
- Knowledge, understanding and tools for self-management
- Collaborative decision making, conflict resolution and problem solving