At Stanmore Public School, we are committed to differentiating the curriculum to meet the diverse learning needs of every student. We take a holistic approach to education, supporting children’s growth and development in all domains of learning - academic, creative, social-emotional and sensori-motor.
We recognise that many children may have additional needs, talents, disabilities or differences which mean that they may benefit from adjustments and accommodations to curriculum content and/or learning environments, and the provision of additional resources and support strategies.
For many children, these additional needs and/or talents are met through quality differentiated teaching practice within the classroom, led by the class teacher. Our teachers are skilled in differentiating the curriculum to meet all learners at their points of need. The Assistant Principals who supervise each stage work closely with their teams to ensure differentiated quality teaching is planned and implemented in all classrooms.
Some students may require an additional layer of support to assist them to reach their full potential as learners. At Stanmore PS, we have a large and dynamic Learning Support Team (LST) supporting students, class teachers and parents. The LST is comprised of a range of teaching and non-teaching staff, who work collaboratively with students, classroom teachers, parents and external agencies and allied health providers to plan and implement the adjustments, supports and enrichments our students need to fulfil their learning potential.
Who is part of the Learning Support Team?
Learning and Support Teachers (LaSTs) may support students in classrooms alongside class teachers, or they may withdraw identified students individually or in small groups to provide support or enrichment. LaST support, working in partnership with classroom teachers, parents and external providers such as allied health and therapists to develop learning goals for all supported students and to develop and review personalised learning and support plans (PLSPs) for students who have been assessed to be functioning significantly above or below their peers. Furthermore, each LaST acts as a case manager for students with a diagnosed disability who attract Integration Funding Support (IFS) or are in out of home care.The full LaST role statement can be found here - education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/teaching-and-learning/disability-learning-and-support/media/documents/last-role.pdf
English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EAL/D) Teachers support students from language backgrounds other than English, including students who have recently arrived in the country and whose first language is not English , students who speak a different language at home, and Aboriginal students. EAL/D teachers also support classroom teachers in developing learning programs and teaching practices suited to EAL/D students. This support assists them to develop their oral language, and the literacy skills they need to meet the demands of the curriculum in all learning areas. They may support students in classrooms alongside class teachers, or they may withdraw identified students individually or in small groups.
School Learning Support Officers provide in class support to students with diagnosed disabilities, who are allocated additional funding through Integration Funding Support. They work under the direction of classroom teachers and follow a timetable developed in consultation with the LST which reflects integration funding support and school allocated funding. Their role is to support student learning under the direction of the classroom teacher.
The School Counsellor provides counselling and wellbeing support for students, based on referrals from the Learning Support Team. The School Counsellor is a qualified teacher who has a degree in psychology and postgraduate qualifications in school counselling.They conduct a range of assessments to support families, health professionals and school staff in learning more about students’ particular learning needs or talents. The reports from these assessments can assist in the identification of a range of issues or talents, and may inform a future diagnosis by health professionals. Before students are referred to the school counsellor they should be triaged by the learning and support team.
The school’s Senior Executive (Principal and Deputy Principal) are members of the Learning Support Team and attend LST meetings, and provide support, guidance and oversight of student support and enrichment strategies and case management. They work with the LST, the wider staff team and utilise system resources to create and implement school procedures and practices for learning support and enrichment, in line with Department of Education policies.
Classroom teachers and Stage Assistant Principals (AP) are responsible for differentiating and catering for all learners in the classroom. They will monitor all students in their classroom, and across the stage using stage data and check-ins during stage meetings. Both the classroom teacher and Assistant Principal will use and consult the learning support flowchart when required. Classroom teachers should work alongside the stage based LaST to cater for all students in the classroom.
What is the referral process for children to receive additional learning or wellbeing support?
Our teachers regularly assess student progress and learning growth through a range of formative and summative assessments. Through ongoing analysis of this assessment data, teachers may identify that certain students would benefit from additional support strategies to maximise their learning potential. They also closely monitor children’s wellbeing at school, and may identify that some students would benefit from additional support to assist them with friendships, social interactions or engagement at school.
At this point, they will discuss these observations with their supervisor, who will support them to put in-class supports and adjustments in place. If after this, they still think that additional support would be beneficial, the teacher contacts the child’s parents to discuss their observations, the supports they have put in place, and their intention to refer the child to the Learning Support Team.
When a Learning Support Team referral is submitted, the LST looks at the child’s level of need, the supports currently in place in the classroom, and the available staffing resources to support the child. In collaboration with the class teacher, a decision is made about how best to support the child’s learning or wellbeing, whether through adding the student to a support teacher’s caseload, or supporting the teacher to modify or implement new in-class support strategies.
The model of support is then communicated to the parent, and they are consulted on the child’s learning goals. Parents are provided with regular feedback from the class teacher and/or the support teacher to keep them updated about their child’s progress towards their learning goals.
Teacher referrals for a child to see the school counsellor, for assessment or wellbeing support, are firstly discussed with parents, and then referred to the Learning Support Team. If a counsellor referral is agreed by the LST as appropriate, counsellor referral forms are completed by the teacher and parents, and a case file is created.
Parents can also request a counsellor referral by contacting their child’s class teacher, or the principal. This request is then passed on to the school counsellor, who makes contact with the parents to discuss the referral further, and sends the parent referral form.
I’m concerned about my child’s learning and/or wellbeing. Who should I contact?
The first point of contact for any concerns about your child’s learning or wellbeing should be your child’s class teacher. Our classroom teachers have a strong knowledge of the students in their class, and work hard to maintain a clear line of communication and develop strong partnerships with parents. Your child’s teacher will be able to inform you about how they are performing in class relative to the syllabus outcomes, and the expected learning behaviours of a child their age.
If after notifying the class teacher, parents feel that their child’s learning or wellbeing issues have not been addressed or are ongoing, they should contact the Stage Assistant Principal to discuss their ongoing concerns. The Assistant Principal will then work with the class teacher and the parent to clarify the issues and assist the teacher to plan appropriate supports.
I have important information to share with the school regarding my child. Who should I send it to?
If you have information such as a diagnosis, report or other information from a paediatrician, psychologist or other allied health specialist, you should email this or provide a hard copy to your child’s class teacher, and to the school office marked Attention: Learning Support Team Coordinator. We ask you to confirm in writing that you give consent for the report to be shared with school staff. This ensures that your child’s teacher is aware of the relevant information, as well as the Learning Support Team Coordinator, who will table the report at an LST meeting, or direct it to the relevant staff member and ensure appropriate follow up.
My child has a diagnosed disability. Are they eligible for additional support? Is funding provided to the school for this?
All NSW Public Schools are provided with an annual funding allocation to support the learning of students with low-level disabilities. These may include learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, ADD/ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This funding is part of the school’s flexible staffing allocation, and schools generally spend these funds to employ Learning and Support Teachers and/or SLSOs, who support the additional learning needs of a wide range of students with additional needs and diagnosed disabilities.
A smaller number of students in public schools have one or more diagnosed disabilities which mean they have higher support needs. This may have a range of impacts on their schooling, for example their ability to access the curriculum and communicate with teachers and peers, their ability to participate effectively and safely in learning activities and school routines, their ability to manage personal care, and their ability to move around the school site and classroom.
For these students, the school works with parents to obtain detailed information regarding the child’s disability and diagnosis from health professionals. The School Counsellor and their supervisor, the Senior Psychologist Education, who works across a network of schools, collate this information and produce a disability confirmation sheet (DCS). A DCS is necessary to apply for Integration Funding Support, or placement in a support class or school for specific purposes.
Once a DCS is obtained, the Learning and Support Team and class teacher discuss the available options for support with the child’s parents. These options, in general, are:
- Apply for Integration Funding Support (IFS, where the school receives funds which are used to provide additional staffing (School Learning Support Officer or Teacher) to support students with diagnosed disabilities confirmed by a DCS.
- Apply for placement in a support class within a mainstream school. Support classes cater for students with a particular disability (for example, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or an intellectual disability). They have a lower student to teacher ratio and have a full time SLSO, and usually provide a modified curriculum.
- Apply for placement in a School for Specific Purposes (SSP). SSPs cater for students with a higher level of need (for example, emotional and behavioural disturbances and moderate to severe intellectual and physical disabilities). They have a lower student to teacher ratio and have a full time SLSO, and provide a significantly modified curriculum.
The school creates an Access Request to apply for IFS, support class and SSP placements. An access request may apply for one of these options only; or multiple options may be applied for in a priority order. The Access Request is a highly detailed document which outlines the functional impacts of the child’s disability in a range of areas, and highlights the need for additional support to access the curriculum and participate successfully in schooling. Parents are consulted through the creation of the Access Request, and are required to sign off on the submitted document for it to be considered by the panel.
Access Requests are assessed by a central panel and the school and parents are informed of the outcome of the Access Request. If IFS is provided to the school, funds are allocated to support the child’s needs at the discretion of the Principal and their delegates. The school holds biannual review meetings with parents, led by a Learning and Support teacher, to assess progress towards goals and consult with parents on the support provided.
Personalised Learning and Support Plans
Also known as a Individual Education Plan or Individual Learning Plan, a Personalised Learning and Support Plan (PLSP) is a working document, designed by teachers in collaboration with parents and carers, and sometimes children, which informs the planning, delivery and evaluation of a modified educational program for a child or children with additional learning, behaviour or health needs.
A PLSP identifies the child’s specific learning goals, and outlines the actions, strategies, modifications and supports that will be undertaken to work towards achieving the goals. It is developed through a collaborative planning process involving the school, parents and carers, and sometimes external agencies and the child themselves.
The school’s Senior Executive (Principal and Deputy Principal) are members of the Learning Support Team and attend LST meetings, and provide support, guidance and oversight of student support and enrichment strategies and case management. They work with the LST, the wider staff team and utilise system resources to create and implement school procedures and practices for learning support and enrichment, in line with Department of Education policies.
Who needs a Personalised Learning and Support Plan?
In NSW, PLSPs are required for students in Out of Home Care and students with a diagnosed disability who receive Integration Funding Support, or are enrolled in a support class or school for specific purposes (SSP).
Information about procedures for PLSPs can be found here: education.nsw.gov.au/inside-the-department/teaching-and-learning/students-with-disability/personalised-support-for-learning/personalised-learning-And-support
All students from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background are required to have a Personalised Learning Pathway (PLP), which include aspirational goals and the mapping of learning pathways written in collaboration with the student and their family. Information about PLPs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can be found here: education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/teaching-and-learning/aec/media/documents/PersonalisedLearningPathways16.pdf
Not all children who need accommodations and adjustments need to have a PLSP. For many children, having specific, measurable, timely learning goals which are recorded in the classroom and regularly reviewed and updated by the teacher and the child, is a sufficient level of additional support. Conversely, it may also be appropriate for some students with diagnosed or functional disabilities, who require a significant level of adjustment and accommodation to have a PLSP. Sometimes the creation of a PLSP is recommended by external agencies such as educational psychologists or paediatricians, or it may be requested by parents.
When a PLSP is developed, it is done so by the Classroom Teacher and/or the Learning and Support Teacher, in consultation with the child’s parents, and if appropriate, the child themselves. Parent consultation usually takes place during a face to face meeting, but can also be done by sharing the PLSP via email and following up through a video-conference or phone call. PLSPs are usually reviewed each semester, although teachers or parents may request more frequent reviews, and children’s learning goals would be expected to be reviewed and updated more frequently. When a PLSP is reviewed it should be communicated and signed by a parent or caregiver then stored on the student’s Sentral profile.
The school’s Senior Executive (Principal and Deputy Principal) are members of the Learning Support Team and attend LST meetings, and provide support, guidance and oversight of student support and enrichment strategies and case management. They work with the LST, the wider staff team and utilise system resources to create and implement school procedures and practices for learning support and enrichment, in line with Department of Education policies.
My child displays talents and would benefit from an enriched curriculum. How does the school provide enrichment opportunities?
The school’s support for high potential and gifted students is based on the Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education Policy, which informs the school’s High Potential and Gifted Education Policy Implementation.
In 2025, the Stanmore PS Learning Support Team comprises of the following staff members:
