Inclusion

We are a proud Supported Inclusion School (SIS)

The Victorian Government and the Department of Education and Training (DET) have a commitment to ensuring every school is inclusive in practice. While this is something all schools aspire to achieve, the reality is the delivery of inclusive school environments at this present time looks different in all. This is not due to school commitment to inclusive education but largely due to varied resources and focus in schools, as well as varied staff knowledge, skill and competency in developing practice to support inclusion. 

WPS is one of twelve SIS that will be built in Victoria by the end of 2024. Wollert West Primary School and Wollert East Secondary School (Interim names) open next year, both also SIS. Our school is designed to support a higher number of students with a disability (up to 10% of our total enrolment), with purpose built learning environments, play areas and amenities that provide optimum learning for all. WPS is not a Special Education School or a Specialist Setting. We aim to be a school that caters to all students through exemplar inclusive practice.

Our staff are exceptional educators who are committed to growing their knowledge and expertise in inclusive practice over the coming years. We endeavour to work with all our families in developing an understanding of inclusion, but more importantly, develop a way of being with our students that will grow with them.

WE ARE BUILDING OUR ENVIRONMENT TO BE ONE THAT VALUES EVERYONE AND ALLOWS ALL TO FLOURISH

WHAT IS INCLUSION?

Inclusive education means that all members of every school community are valued and supported to fully participate, learn, develop and succeed within an inclusive learning culture. (DET definition) https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/Education-for-all.aspx

Inclusive education at WPS encompasses every child in our school. Supporting students with disability is one aspect of our inclusive culture. More broadly, inclusion ensures every child is supported to participate and have access to quality learning, regardless of individual need. Alongside disability support, inclusive practice supports Koorie students, EAL students, Diverse Learners (ASD, ADHA, ADD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Developmental Language Disorder etc) or any student with an identified learning requirement. In fact, inclusive practice is targeted, deliberate practice that every student benefits from.

Imagine a society that is genuinely accepting and welcoming of all. Our students have the opportunity to shape this through developed knowledge and behaviours beyond their time with us at Wollert. Our greatest hope is that our school builds strong communal and individual advocacy for inclusion and that our families and students become champions of inclusion through their actions and thinking.  We look forward to sharing this important learning with you.

Our VALUES under the microscope

Our behaviours matter, we place a lot of VALUE on our day to day actions. In our previous edition we introduced the images that cue our thinking and actions in our school. Today we look more deeply at Be BRILLIANT, what this means and how it aligns to our vision.

Be BRILLIANT

Our image captures the vibrancy and shine that is experienced when brilliance is demonstrated. The native wild flowers are in bloom - a brilliant and vibrant celebration of colour and diverse natural beauty. 

Paying respect to the land on which we play, learn and grow each day is important to us. Capturing this in the brilliant flora is yet another way to show our appreciation for this. The diversity of blooms also aligns strongly to our vision to always embrace difference and uniqueness.

Beginning next term, Be Brilliant Achievement Awards will be presented to students who demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Showing great effort in learning
• Having a go at new things or persisting when challenged
• Using failing as a way to learn
• Growth in skill and/or knowledge
• Supporting others in learning 

#Bebrilliant #wollertway