Inclusive Pedagogies

Catherine McAuley Catholic College believes that a strong partnership between parents, students, staff and external specialists is essential to ensure the best care and education for your child.

While the primary focus is to support students with disabilities, care will also be provided for students with a diverse range of needs, including learning difficulties and mental health/social-emotional needs.

The support that students receive is primarily based on their individual level of need and they are integrated into mainstream classes with the necessary support. This can be at the lower levels of need that may require teacher awareness of appropriate strategies to students who may require the delivery of Life Skills syllabus outcomes. This level of support is determined through a collaborative planning process involving parents/families, Learning Support staff and advice from external specialists and the Catholic Schools Office.

Staff

The College has a Leader of Learning - Inclusive Pedagogies who is responsible for the management and leadership of the centre. The Lead Teacher, along with the Learning Mentors, play a key role in providing high quality support and care tailored to the individual needs of each student.

These staff members regularly communicate and collaborate with other members of the College community such as the Principal, Assistant Principal, Head of House, Leader of Wellbeing and our College Psychologist. Leaders of Learning will also provide valuable input and feedback to ensure individual points of challenge are met and the curriculum is accessible for students.

Individual Learning Plan (ILP)

When a student with a specific learning need or disability is identified, a collaborative process then begins to gather as much information about the student as possible. Parents/Carers or relevant family members, along with the child’s Case Manager and external specialists if required, meet to discuss the ways in which the College as a whole and individual teachers can assist the student. An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is developed and this information is communicated to staff as appropriate.

In-Class Support

In-class support may be provided to students through one-on-one instruction and support from either a Lead Teacher or a Learning Mentor, dependant on individual needs of the student. All additional supports are offered after consultation with parents/carers, teachers and the student.

Extra Support

If required, students have the opportunity to work in a small group to gain assistance with their learning. This may include support of learning and assessment tasks or developing more advanced study skills.  Classroom teachers who believe that a student requires extra assistance can book the student into The Hub.  Students can also use this location for ‘Time-out’ based on their needs (anxiety, sensory, sensitivity etc.) which is planned and implemented by all stakeholders.