At Northern Christian School, we aim to ensure all students have equal access to all teaching and learning experiences.
According to ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority), students with disability are entitled to rigorous, relevant and engaging learning opportunities drawn from age-equivalent Australian Curriculum content on the same basis as students without disability.
In addition to students with a disability, this support is offered to a broad range of students who need extra support with various aspects of their education. For some, this might be occasional adjustments and assistance whilst for others, it might be ongoing targeted support.
Learning support for students at Northern comes in many forms. Some of how we ensure all students have equal access to our curriculum include:
the use of online platforms with personalised learning, including Maths Pathway, Sound Waves, Reading Eggs, Mathseeds, and Accelerated Reader;
targeted small group instruction, including MacqLit and Letters and Sounds (coming soon);
teacher aide support in every classroom throughout the week;
ongoing monitoring and assessment of all students by teachers to ensure needs are being met and adjustments are being made;
ongoing communication with parents to ensure we are working in partnership with our families to help our students reach their full potential;
provision of adjustments and Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for students who need targeted support;
liaison with a range of professionals, including speech therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and physiotherapists, to ensure we are using best practise in working with our students;
the use of ACARA’s Learning Continuum in assessing and monitoring students with additional needs to ensure we are continually seeing forward growth in all students; and
ongoing professional development for all staff in providing for students with additional needs.
These are just some of the ways we ensure all students can access our teaching and learning programs at Northern Christian School. If you would like more information about how we support our students at Northern or have suggestions about other forms of support we could be offering, please contact us. We’d love to hear your ideas.
Mrs Kerrie Prentice — Learning Support Coordinator
