Learning Diversity
At St James, we recognise and celebrate the diversity of our students, understanding that each child is unique and has their own individual educational journey, both academically and holistically. Our school endeavours to foster and support the development of the whole child, inclusive of their social, emotional, academic and physical needs.
We believe that each student has the potential to learn and grow. A whole school approach to ongoing monitoring and assessment allows us to identify and understand the full spectrum of student ability. Targeted and personalised learning is developed for students at their point of need and support is provided through a variety of structures such as 1 to 1 and small group intervention sessions with our Learning Support Officers and evidenced based programs, assisting in the continuation of growth towards the next developmental stage.
At St James we aim to:
welcome and acknowledge positive, respectful and inclusive partnerships between children, their families and our school
ensure that all students have equitable access to education through Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice and additional adjustments to learning
provide targeted, personalised learning for students at their point of need
facilitate and coordinate referrals where appropriate, to services within and external to the school
meet the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) guidelines for students with additional learning needs or disability
Learning Diversity at St James encompasses a multidisciplinary approach, working as a part of the Learning and Teaching, Student Wellbeing, Family Counselling, Literacy and Maths teams to identify students with additional needs.
Response to Intervention at St James includes but is not restrictive to:
● MultiLit - MiniLit
● MultiLit - MacqLit
● Reinforced Reading 1:1
● G.R.R.Ea.D (Group Reading & Rereading Easy Appropriate texts Daily)
Allied Health-Speech and Occupational Therapists onsite every Thursday
At St James we ensure that every child is provided with opportunities to learn. Our Allied Health Team works collaboratively with staff, families and students to further develop the skills and knowledge required by students to learn and thrive within the classroom setting.
Our Speech Therapist roles include classroom observations, educating teachers and running classroom, small group or 1:1 intervention sessions. The areas supported include:
English as an additional language (EAL students)
Delayed language skills
Difficulties with speech sounds
Expanding vocabulary
Teaching figurative language
Explicitly teaching word concepts and supporting teachers to integrate these skills into their classroom activities.
Our Occupational Therapist roles include supporting children’s participation and engagement at school.
This could include;
Fine and gross motor skills such as sitting, ball skills, handwriting or using scissors
Self-care skills such as eating, dressing and toileting
Self-regulation skills such as managing emotions and being aware of your own regulation needs
Social-emotional skills including play
Executive functioning, such as attention, planning and organisation
Sensory processing
Support could be educating those around a child (i.e; teacher’s or parents) about how to help, or providing direct therapy support either to a class, group or child individually.