Wellbeing and Inclusion

Megan Retallick

Term 2 Update – Wellbeing and Inclusion at KCHS

Term 2 has been both busy and productive in the Wellbeing and Inclusion space at Kensington Community High School, with two key focus areas: Staff Professional Learning and the Disability Inclusion Profile (DIP) rollout.

Staff Professional Learning

This term, staff professional learning has centred on embedding Berry Street strategies into our KCHS teaching and learning model. A significant component of this work has been implementing the Ready to Learn Scale and the Ready to Learn Plan. These tools support students to understand interoception—the ability to recognise and respond to internal body signals—and develop personalised self-regulation strategies.

When students learn to recognise when they are not feeling regulated, they can select strategies from their Ready to Learn Plan to help them return to a calm and focused state. The Ready to Learn Scale (rated 1–5) is being used by staff as a prompt for students to pause, check in with themselves, and make adjustments if needed. While we are still in the early stages of implementation, we are already seeing positive outcomes. These tools are helping students build a shared language around regulation and giving them practical skills to support their learning.

Disability Inclusion Profile (DIP) Rollout

We are currently in Year 3 of the Disability Inclusion Reform rollout, moving from the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) to the Disability Inclusion Profile (DIP) model. This new model broadens the scope of eligibility for Tier 3 funding, enabling schools to apply for support for students who receive adjustments across six key domains:

• Learning and applying knowledge
• General tasks and demands
• Communication
• Self-care
• Interpersonal interactions
• Mobility

This transition is allowing KCHS to access additional resources and support a wider range of students than was possible under the previous model. Our DIP team has worked hard to establish clear systems that document how we personalise learning and meet the diverse needs of students from Years 7–12. This approach supports not only academic growth but also students' social, emotional, and wellbeing goals.

DIP Progress:

• 2023 (Year 1) – 1% of students supported through DIP | 11% under PSD
• 2024 (Year 2) – 6% of students supported through DIP | 11% under PSD
• 2025 (Year 3, projected) – 33% of students supported through DIP (by end of year) | 11% under PSD

Looking Ahead: Terms 3 & 4

In Terms 3 and 4, we will continue progressing Disability Inclusion Profile applications for both current and new students. As we complete our third year of the reform, we will transition all students currently funded under PSD to the DIP model—affecting approximately 8% of our student cohort. Additionally, we are preparing further applications for an additional 11% of students who meet the criteria for Tier 3 support.