1. Purpose and Scope
Christ Church Grammar School (the School) is an open entry school and enrols a diverse range of students. This policy:
- provides a framework for ensuring a safe and responsive learning environment for all students with a focus on those with diagnosed or imputed disabilities
- sets out the criteria for student eligibility for additional resourcing
- establishes protocols to assist staff in developing clear, Documented Plans, Individual Plans and Learning Profiles for students with disabilities to achieve at their ability level
- provides assistance in decision making related to the use of various de-escalation strategies where these may be necessary
The policy applies specifically to students who access the support of the Peter Moyes Centres (PMC) and the Learning Development Centres (LDC) in both the Preparatory and Senior Schools.
2. Definitions
Disability, in relation to a person, (as set out in the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) means:
- total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions or
- total or partial loss of a part of the body or
- the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness or
- the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing disease or illness or
- the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the person’s body or
- a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction or
- a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgment or that results in disturbed behaviour and includes a disability that:
- presently exists or
- previously existed but no longer exists or
- may exist in the future (including because of a genetic predisposition to that disability) or
- is imputed to a person
To avoid doubt, a disability that is otherwise covered by this definition includes behaviour that is a symptom or manifestation of the disability
Documented Plan (DP) is a document which outlines specific academic, behavioural and socio emotional objectives that a student will work towards achieving. It is created by Peter Moyes Centre teachers in collaboration with the parents and external specialists of a student.
Individual Plan (IP) is a document which outlines specific academic objectives that a student will be working towards achieving in a specific subject area (in place of the WA Curriculum).
Learning Difficulties is a term used to describe the learning problems experienced by some students. Students with learning difficulties may underachieve academically for a range of reasons which may include sensory impairment, severe behavioural, emotional or psychological issues, English as a second language, high absenteeism, low IQ or a diagnosed learning disability. A learning difficulty may not continue to exist if appropriate instruction and intervention is in place. Not all students who experience learning difficulties will be eligible for provisions or accommodations under the Disabilities Discrimination Act (DDA).
Learning Disabilities for the purposes of this policy, describe a sub-set of students experiencing learning difficulties. A defining feature of a specific learning disability is that the difficulty will continue to exist, despite appropriate instruction and intervention.
Students with learning disabilities will have their diagnosis confirmed by the School Psychologists as outlined in the DSM-V or ICD-11 working within relevant state and national criteria for eligibility.
Learning Profile (LP) is a document which outlines the effect of a disability on an individual’s ability to learn and sets out teaching strategies, classroom accommodations and special provisions to support the student in their learning.
Needs Assessment Summary (NAS) is a document which provides information regarding a students’ strengths, needs and adjustments required within the school.
3. Policy Principles
3.1 Christ Church Grammar School complies with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005) guidelines, to provide reasonable adjustments for all students with additional needs.
3.2 Application and Enrolment
In compliance with the School Education Act (1999) and the provisions of the School’s Admission and Enrolments Policy, parents are required at the time of application, to provide where applicable, “details of any condition of the enrolee that may call for special steps to be taken for the benefit or protection of the enrolee or other persons in the school”. This includes specific details, reports and information on any medical issues, psychometric testing, cognitive, mobility, vision/hearing, behaviour management, speech and communication.
3.3 Support at CCGS
There are three main streams through which students with a disability access support at the School. The needs of students are reviewed on an ongoing basis and the support stream they access at different phases of their schooling may change.
Peter Moyes Centre (PMC)
A student will receive PMC support when he is unable to access mainstream curriculum based on physical, behavioural, intellectual and/or social-emotional needs. Some students are recommended to be placed in the PMC when being in a mainstream class is likely to cause unjustifiable hardship to them, and/or compromises their own or the learning of other students. Where students are assessed as benefiting from and having the ability to cope with and develop subject-specific skills, they will be considered for inclusion in mainstream classes.
Learning Development Centre (LDC)
Students who have significant learning disabilities which place them 2-5 years behind their same age peers may access support from the Learning Development Centre (LDC). The LDC also oversees provisions for students who are not able to attend mainstream classes without significant additional support.
Mainstream
A student is categorised as mainstream if he can engage with mainstream, age-appropriate curriculum in a class of approximately 25 students independently with quality differentiation from teaching staff as required.
3.4 Review of Documentation and responsibility for decision making
Review of documentation and decisions around the placement of students with additional needs will be conducted by the Deputy Principal/Director of Studies, or the Head of the Preparatory School, as relevant, following due consultation with School Psychologists, PMC/LDC Coordinators and with input of parent and student where possible. Resourcing is allocated according to individual student needs.
3.5 Peter Moyes Centres
3.5.1 Needs Assessment Summary
As a condition of enrolment, potential students who are identified as requiring support from the PMC, are required to participate with their parents and the Coordinators of the PMC (Preparatory or Senior, as relevant) in the preparation of NAS. Following an initial assessment, regular reviews are conducted prior to enrolment if there is a substantial lapse of time between application and enrolment. Once the child is enrolled at the School, a NAS will be reviewed and updated as required. The NAS evaluates and provides an explicit summary of a student’s needs across a number of domains:
- Curriculum
- Behaviour and compliance
- Social Skills
- Communication (receptive/expressive)
- Active engagement and participation
- Self-care (eating, hygiene)
- Motor skills
- Mobility
- Safety
- Medical issues and medications
- Particular interests
This summary informs decisions about the level of support required for the student to access and participate effectively in the School’s programs.
3.5.2 Documented Plan
The NAS is one form of data used to inform the Documented Plan (DP) which outlines specific learning targets and objectives that the student will be working towards achieving throughout the year. The DP outlines baseline data and specifies the target skills for development, the resources required to promote skill development and assessment criteria. PMC staff members liaise and collaborate with mainstream classroom teachers to outline the skills for development. The DP is reviewed at least twice a year, with input from external specialists, teachers, school psychologists, parents and students. Where required, reference is made in the DP to the Individual Behaviour Plan which is also updated regularly. Parents are required to sign off on both these documents.
Within the Preparatory PMC, boys follow a DP where the primary focus is on the development of their numeracy, literacy, social-emotional skills, fine and gross motor skills and life skills. Within the Senior PMC, boys follow a DP where the primary focus is on the development of their numeracy, literacy, social-emotional, vocation, personal safety and life skills.
3.5.3 Where boys access classes outside of the PMC they may be given support as required. The appropriate PMC staff members liaise and collaborate with teachers to differentiate the programs for the boys placed in the PMC.
3.6 Learning Development Centre (LDC)
3.6.1 Preparatory LDC
A student may be offered support from the Learning Development Centre (LDC) when screenings and assessments of mainstream students identify significant gaps in their skills. A student does not require a diagnosis to become eligible for this support. The appropriate staff of the LDC provide support programs designed to target the identified skill development.
3.6.2 Senior LDC
A student is offered support from the Senior LDC if he has a diagnosed learning difficulty, and his literacy or numeracy is significantly below same age peers (2-5 years). This may take the place of intervention programs in place of some core subjects or the use of an Individual Plan (IP). The development of these programs is overseen by the Heads of Department of the individual learning areas.
3.7 Mainstream
Students with a disability who access mainstream classes will have a Learning Profile developed by the School Psychologists and LDC Staff with input from parents and students when appropriate. All teachers will have access to this document which will outline what adjustments can be made by teachers in a classroom setting as well as any adjustments for assessments. These are in line with the Equitable Access to Assessment Policy developed by School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).
A student in the Senior School is categorised as mainstream if he can engage with mainstream age-appropriate curriculum in a class of approximately 25 students. Students with learning difficulties may also access Support classes in the core subject areas in Year 7-10. In these classes students will cover a modified West Australian Curriculum and are overseen by the Heads of Department in the individual Learning Areas.
3.8 Co-curricular Activities
A Christ Church student will be given the necessary support to participate in all programs offered by the School. There may be occasions where a student is unable to access particular programs with their peers, despite reasonable adjustments being made by nature of their specific disability. The Head of House (Senior School) or Head of the Preparatory School, in consultation with relevant specialist staff and parents will arrange for an alternative or modified program for the student. The School reserves the right to recommend a student not participate in any non-academic program offered by the School if the student’s participation is likely to breach a duty of care, placing himself or others at risk and there is substantial evidence to support that inclusion of the student will cause them and/or other students unjustifiable hardship and/or significantly compromise the learning opportunities of other students.
3.9 De-escalation
The School owes a duty of care to the school community to take reasonable care to protect members against risk or injury which is reasonably foreseeable. This duty extends to taking reasonable care to prevent a student from injuring himself, injuring others or damaging property. In order to fulfil this duty, staff may be required to consider not including a student in a particular program.
When a student is unable to self-regulate their emotions and behaviour and becomes a risk to themselves or others, de-escalation is required. De-escalation refers to a series of interventions that can significantly reduce risk. Each student’s Behaviour Management Plan details the specific non-punitive de-escalation strategies that have been identified as helping the boy to settle and regain calm.
Reasonable adjustments will be made for students with special needs to ensure they are able to work within the guidelines but where the risk of serious injury to others is imminent and de-escalation interventions have been unsuccessful, appropriately trained staff may be required to physically restrain students. The use of physical restraint will trigger a review.
If, after all reasonable adjustments have been made and the student’s behaviour cannot be managed safely and effectively, his enrolment may be cancelled.
4. Related Legislation and Policies
Disability Discrimination Act (1992)
Disability Standards for Education (2005) Guidelines
Admission and Enrolments Policy
Student Behaviour Management Guidelines
Curriculum Policy
Reporting and Assessment Policy