Embracing inclusivity
Redlynch State College is an inclusive school which values the diverse range of students which make up our community. The Inclusive Learning Centre provides students with a disability the required support to participate in the school curriculum and wider community to enable each student to achieve his or her potential. We offer a flexible certification process whereby all students can gain a QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education) or QCIA (Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement).
We support students with a range of disabilities and their needs offering mainstream support, tutorials and some alternate learning programs catering to individual needs. Each student’s learning is addressed through collaborative approaches, personalised learning plans and differentiation practices including Individual curriculum plans. Our service is multidisciplinary through the provision of special education teachers, teacher aides, and access to speech pathologist, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and advisory teachers through Education Queensland student support programs.
The student support services includes Guidance Officers, Wellbeing officers, School Nurse, Chaplain, Learning Support Teachers, Heads of Special Education Services, HODs of Student Support, HOD of Senior Schooling, Deputy Principals and mainstream Teachers. There are student support services teams on both the Primary and Secondary campuses.
Support for students through:
- Strong parent, student and school collaborative planning
- Diagnostic assessment
- Identifying student strengths and how they like to engage in learning to maximise participation and potential
- Identifying student needs to tailor learning to increase participation and address specific skill development as necessary
- Individual Learning Plans, targeted intervention and Teacher adjustment
- Students identified are allocated to a Case Manager who ensures their needs and ongoing support are met.
- Programs and support
- Tutorial assistance – both supported tutorials and access to a tutorial room to work independently
- Literacy and numeracy intervention including ‘Foundation’ and ‘Innovation’ classes for those students identified as needing more structured learning support for Years 7, 8 and 9.
- Access to learning for subjects at appropriate level for each student and in an age appropriate context
- Communication and social skills support
- Social/emotional, behaviour support
- In-class support
- Modified work programs
- Flexible attendance and timetable options
- Collaborative teaching and consultancy
- Transition planning
- Liaison with government and community services for post school and work options including traineeships
- Supported play/lunch time supervision is offered for those students who need social support in the playground or a quiet place to withdraw during breaks
Special features
We have a strong commitment to using technology to break down the barriers to access learning and communication. Technology allows students to demonstrate what they know through alternative modes of learning. Redlynch State College is a BYOX school so students also have access to learning opportunities at home. This is of benefit to students who have an aversion to writing, find it difficult to take notes manually and also enables students to review work at a later date. The use of OneNote to share information with students is being used extensively which enable Teachers to share power point presentations, assessment and expectations with the students. We make every effort to stay current with assistive technology practices and use devices and specific software designed for students who learn differently including specific communication devices, ipads and learning tools such as C-pens and speech to text software.
The use of some electronic textbooks has been introduced so students can have access to textbooks electronically without having to carry books.
Our effective transition planning practices ensure parent and student aspirations are central to prepare for successful pathways. We have a strong history of collaborative planning with post-school service support and government agencies for students with high support needs including employment services.
Students are encouraged to participate in all aspects of school life. Their achievements are rewarded and celebrated as both individual and collective successes.
For a small number of students who may require a fully modified curriculum and high levels of support at all times the Inclusive Education Centre can offer highly modified curriculum based on individual student needs. The modified curriculum reflects the Queensland curriculum and may include goals in communication, social development, work experience and life skills as well as literacy and numeracy.
Rayleen McCarthy Deputy Principal Diverse Learning rnanc3@eq.edu.au