Learning Diversity

All students with diverse learning needs have a right to access a full and engaging education on the same basis as their peers. At St Paul’s we seek to empower learners by celebrating differences and providing educational opportunities aimed at eliminating discrimination and focused on growth and progress for all.

St Paul’s has in place a structured, comprehensive Learning Diversity system and team in place to meet the learning needs of all students. The Learning Diversity Team consists of a Leader (LDL), Learning Support Teachers, a Pastoral Care Worker, a Speech Pathologist and Learning Support Officers (LSOs).

At St Paul’s we are committed to high-impact strategies as best practice provision for all students with varying abilities. We recognise that sometimes a student’s academic, physical or social and emotional learning needs can be very different from those of their peers and these differences may relate to:

• cultural background
• socio-economic status
• learning needs
• exceptional ability
• physical, cognitive, social and emotional or sensory disability

Learning Diversity is closely linked to the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) which is the process for gathering information about our students with diagnosed disabilities (Specialist diagnosis) or imputed disabilities (Parent/Teacher judgement) under the criteria described in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and in response to the expectations regarding adjustments and supports outlined under the Disability Standards for Education (DSE).

We apply the Multi-Tiered System of Support and School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) model for providing support for students with additional needs regardless of a diagnosis. This means that all students benefit from the universal Tier 1 ‘Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice (QDTP)’ in academic and behavioural support. Those students requiring additional support at Tier 2 receive this level of ‘Supplementary’ support in the areas in which they need it as ‘core and more’.  Those students who require more than Tier 2 level interventions receive further time and ‘Substantial or Extensive’ support in intensive programs at Tier 3 in the areas in which they are needed as ‘core and more and more’.

Implementation

Learning Diversity practices are implemented in the following ways:

• Clearly defined processes in place to identify at risk students. 
• Access to Learning Diversity support.
• Adjustments, intervention programs and strategies for at risk students
• Systemic review and monitoring of student progress
• Development of Curriculum Plans or Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) for students with a disability or other specific learning need
• Development of Behaviour Support Plans (BSP) for students with behavioural concerns
• Program Support Group (PSG) meetings 
• NCCD annual data collection and CECV funding
• DDA and DSE modules completed by all staff (every 2 years)
• Regular meetings between PLT and Learning Diversity Leader for the purpose of professional learning, supporting, and identifying students at risk.

School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports

SWPBS is a systems approach for establishing the social culture and behavioural supports needed for a school to be an effective learning environment for all students.

It is evidence based and incorporates and prevents negative behaviour by:

1. Teaching positive social expectations
2. Acknowledging positive behaviour
3. Ensuring there is a consistent response to problem behaviour across the school.
4. The ongoing collection and use of data for decision making.

Our school norms are: Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Your Best.