Learning Diversity
Dear families,
If you feel that your child may need extra support or has a Disability that the school is not aware of, please contact the office and ask to speak to Sally Thomas or email me sthomas@saseaford.catholic.edu.au
Goodbye Primary School, hello Secondary School by Michael Grose
The end of primary school is a significant milestone in children’s lives. They’ve spent half their lives in primary school, in many cases in the same school, which is significant. Developmentally they’ve come a long way from those skinny little kids who lined up for class on the first day holding a parent’s or carer’s hand.
Now entering puberty, most are taller than their mothers and the only people they’ll hold hands with are ‘special friends’, but not in public. Those displays of affection will come later in the secondary school years. Changing from primary to secondary brings a mixture of emotions in kids such as excitement, apprehension, pride and, in many cases, sadness about leaving friends and familiar surrounds behind. Parents often go through the same range of emotions as children at this time so we need to acknowledge those feelings in ourselves, just as we should in our children. Looking back This is a time for kids to celebrate their achievements; show appreciation to their teachers and enjoy the friendships that they’ve formed.
Here are three ideas:
1. Let’s celebrate Primary school graduation ceremonies play an important part in the primary school life, as they mark the end of an era and the start of a new part of their lives. We need to be careful that the meaning doesn’t become lost as graduations become increasingly lavish, even to the point where some students are transported to their graduation in a stretch limo. Keep them simple and keep them close to the school’s values.
2. Show gratitude As a former teacher I know how much a simple thank you can mean from students at the end of the year. So make sure your kids take the time to thank their final year teacher and as well as seek out to thank other teachers who contributed to their education over their primary school journey. Gratitude costs nothing but has a great impact.
3. Enjoy friendships Encourage your kids to be open and friendly at this time of the year, and steer clear of cliques and fellow students who want to exclude others from their groups. The end of primary school can be tricky to navigate, particularly when early maturers stick together and ostracise certain classmates. This is the time for friendly behaviour and inclusiveness. Looking ahead When primary school is finished and the holidays are coming to an end it’s time to focus on the new experiences of secondary school. Some kids take secondary school in their stride but it is natural to experience some difficulty.
If your eldest is starting, then secondary school will be a relatively new experience for you too. It will take some time for you to adjust to the school’s culture and communication methods. Your attitude as a parent can help your child quickly adjust.
Here are three ideas for you to help kids make a smooth adjustment:
1. Promote friendships The quicker kids form new friendships the sooner they’ll feel comfortable in their secondary school surroundings. Encourage your young person to be open to forming friendships with all sorts of kids; to be accepting of others who may be different to them; to take social risks by joining in activities even though they may feel uncomfortable; and to be friendly, approachable and positive!
2. Be ready to listen Patience and understanding in the early weeks is essential. Brush up on your listening skills as you help your young person adjust. Talk to your young person about change and reassure them that it’s normal to feel unsure or nervous in new circumstances. Let them know that many difficulties they face will be temporary.
3. Keep your attitude positive Confidence is catching so make sure you see this transition time as an exciting challenge that your child can handle rather than an event to be feared. Ask them about the new subjects or interesting activities they are doing, and try to shift their focus to the positive aspects of school. Discuss settling in issues with the appropriate person such as a year level coordinator, but give your young person time to handle them on their own before seeking help.
NCCD
What is the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data?
Schools must now complete the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) every year. It counts the number of students who receive additional adjustments or “help” at school because of a disability. The NCCD helps governments plan for the needs of students with a disability.
Who is counted in the data collection?
To count a student in the NCCD, schools must think through some key questions:
1. Is the student getting help at school so that they can take part in education on the same basis as other students?
2. Is the help given because of a disability? The word ‘disability’ comes from the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and it can include many students.
3. Has the school talked to you or your child about the help that they provide?
4. Has the school kept records about the help they provide, the student needs and the reasons that the student needs this help? The school will need to keep copies of tests, student work, assessments, records of meetings, medical reports or other paperwork and information about how the student’s learning is moving along over time.
Once the school decides that the student should be counted in the NCCD, they then choose a disability group and one of four levels of help that has been given to the student.
What does the word ‘disability’ mean in the NCCD?
In the NCCD the word ‘disability’ comes from the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA). There are four types of disability that the school can choose from: sensory, cognitive, social-emotional and physical.
Many students that need help at school can be counted in the NCCD. For example, students with learning problems, e.g. specific learning disability or reading difficulty (sometimes called dyslexia), health problems (e.g. epilepsy or diabetes), physical disability (e.g. cerebral palsy), vision/hearing loss and social-emotional problems (e.g. selective mutism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety).
Letters from doctors or specialists can be very helpful for schools as they plan how to support students with their learning. Schools do not need to have these letters before they can count a CECV NCCD Information Sheet for Parents, Carers and Guardians Page | 1 student in NCCD. Teachers can use all that they know about the student’s learning and the records that they have collected over time to decide if a student can be counted in the NCCD.
What sort of help does the school give students?
Students need different types of help at school. Some students need a little help sometimes while other students need a lot of help nearly all the time. The type of help given depends on the needs of the student. The help can include changes to the school buildings or grounds (e.g. ramps or things like special desks or chairs), extra teacher help in classes, special learning programs, changes to the work they give the student or extra adult help.
How will the NCCD be different this year?
All schools have been counting students in the NCCD since 2015. The government will use the NCCD data as part of the funding to schools.
What will the school need to know about my child for the NCCD? Schools work together with families to understand the needs of each child. It is helpful if families give their child’s teacher a copy of any letters or reports they have. The letters or reports will help the school understand the child and the help that they might need. Letters from doctors, psychologists, speech pathologists, doctor, and occupational therapists etc. can be very helpful for schools. These reports along with information that the teacher has (i.e. school based tests, your child’s work and learning plans) helps the school to understand and meet your child’s needs.
What happens to the NCCD data? Who will have the NCCD information? Each school principal must check the NCCD data in August of each year. The school will give the information to the Catholic Education Office. The school will work with the Catholic Education Office to make sure that the NCCD data is OK before they give the data to the government. The government will not be given the names of any students or any letters or records. Please ask your school for their privacy policy if you need to know more.
Does the school need me to agree with them about counting my child in the NCCD? Amendments were made to the Australian Education Act 2013 and Australian Education Regulation 2013). Schools do not need you to agree to let them count a child in the NCCD. You cannot ask the school not to count your child.
Where can I find out more?
Please contact your child’s school if you have further questions about the NCCD and/or refer to the national NCCD Portal.