[Lisa Maxwell, Acting Principal, Gisborne Primary School]
The difference for our students that Tier 2 funding makes has been enormous. We can see that our students are happy. They’re really engaged in their learning in the classrooms. If they need different adjustments in place, they’re implemented straight away and so that then they can access their learning immediately in the classrooms.
First off, we looked at the expenditure and decided what was the best thing for our school and our students. And so we decided to employ a learning specialist and some allied health staff and then also look at some Tier 2 funding resources that we could use.
We purchased equipment for classrooms and in the yard and also some different resources that we've used for engagement - so activities at our break times and our structured play spaces where students can interact and engage with those during their break times if they're not feeling comfortable out in the school grounds.
[Rebecca Underwood, Disability Inclusion Learning Specialist, Gisborne Primary School]
I have a real passion for inclusive education. My main goal is to upskill teachers in what adjustments look like and what they can do to make a really positive learning environment for all students at school.
I work really closely with our AP Lisa Maxwell. We look at the data and we actually sit down at the beginning of the year and we then know what children will need IEPs (individual education plans) straight up for the classroom teachers. And then I can actually sit with the classroom teachers and look at creating those IEPs and making sure that we have really strong adjustments in place so that those children are successful right off the bat.
One of the most enjoyable parts of my role is working with the students. I work in small groups, sometimes one-on-one - that one-on-one can be working with children around self-regulation. I've had the opportunity of running intervention spelling clubs, intervention handwriting clubs, working with children around transitioning to high school, also working with transition of children coming from the Kinder environment into the school environment, completing observations down at the Kinders.
We also have a great program called a Life Skills Program, and this is for our students that we feel need a little bit more of that life experience. They do lots of things like going down to the shops, doing their grocery shopping and then cooking with that food. Lots of work again around that transition, moving into high school.
[Simone Trevillian, Occupational Therapist, Gisborne Primary School]
So I spend my time in the classrooms to help with fine motor skills. I help with providing and implementing strategies to support a whole lot of different areas - so things like it could be around attention, so it could be around helping a child being able to attend, to maybe what the teachers are saying or being able to hold the pencil.
I help ES as well - so the educational support staff in their small groups that they're running so helping with some tips and strategies to get the best out of children.
[Lisa Maxwell, Acting Principal, Gisborne Primary School]
For us, I feel like it's reached a lot more students. We already had some strong approaches across the school, but the Tier 2 funding has allowed us to reach more students across the school, make sure we've got adjustments in place for all the students that need it, and to actually allocate staff, whether that's learning specialists or ES or allied health, to be the experts in that field and to support the teachers and students to ensure that they've got those adjustments in place and that they can access the curriculum at their point of need.
[Simone Trevillian, Occupational Therapist, Gisborne Primary School]
I think in terms of just empowering teachers to be able to make those changes and feel confident about making those changes has been really something that I have seen over my time working here at the school.
[Lisa Maxwell, Acting Principal, Gisborne Primary School]
My vision for Gisborne Primary School is to continue to have a really strong inclusive program which allows students to be confident and successful in the playground and in the classrooms and in whichever way that looks for them.
[On-screen text]
Disability Inclusion, Education for All
Education State / Victoria State Government / Department of Education logo
Authorised by the Victorian Government, Melbourne.
[End transcript]
Updated