Scotch College

External Specialists

In addition to the staff listed, several specialists also visit the school on a regular basis and they are an integral component of the Educational Support team. These specialists include visiting teachers for vision or hearing impaired students, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, paediatricians and psychologists. Each person plays a vital role in supporting the school’s efforts and philosophy in providing the ultimate education for the boys and catering for the individual needs of all students.

Assessments

Assessments are conducted throughout the year on a regular basis in the general classroom, however more formal assessments are coordinated through Access. If any unusual negative results appear an investigation commences. Discussions will occur with the class teacher and the parents are usually contacted. If there is no obvious reason for a change in learning progress a supplementary assessment may be administered prior to further meetings or referrals. Generally, routine assessment results are not distributed to parents but are readily available upon request to the Director of Education Support.

At the beginning of each year Junior Primary and Year Four staff administer further assessments to help determine what level each child is currently performing at so their programs can be tailored to meet individual needs. Junior Primary require the assessments early in each year as learning is developmental and can vary considerably in the early years. Year Four is an intake year as 26 more boys begin their journey at Scotch, therefore less formal assessments at this time assist the class teachers to determine their programs.

NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy) is usually held around the middle of the school year. This is a formal assessment program that is administered to every boy in Year Three and Five according to government regulations. The assessments are conducted at school but marked externally. Formal reports are prepared for each student showing their achievement level for that point in time and a comparison to other students in the same year level. These are routinely distributed to parents. Further information is available from the website. http://www.naplan.edu.au/parents/parents.html

Additional formal assessments may be conducted on selected students when the class teacher approaches the Access team with concerns about the learning progress of a student. Special education staff may administer additional supplementary assessments to gain more detailed information about the strengths and weaknesses of any student. This information will then be used to inform the parents and discuss what options or action may need to be taken. This may include referrals to external specialists such as psychologists, paediatricians, audiologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, visiting teachers and so on. In this case the Director of Education Support will provide a written referral with a list of appropriate professionals so parents can select a provider of their choice. After the assessment a copy of the written report is usually provided to the school. The recommendations and information in the report is used to assist with individual planning and programming. Finally, this information is filed and posted on the electronic student profile, so necessary information that affects teaching, can be provided to those teachers that work with the student. This is a secure system that only teachers can access and the information remains confidential.

An ability based test is administered to Year Five and Six boys usually around August each year. This test allows us to measure verbal and non verbal ability so we can ensure each boy is working to his maximum potential.

An orientation and assessment day is held early in Term Four for those boys who will be in Year Four the following year. This includes current Year Three boys and the 26 new boys. The morning is spent completing assessments and the rest of the day is used to bring the whole year level together in preparation for the next year. The information gained from these assessments assists the school with class placements.

End of year formal assessments are conducted to track each boys’ journey through their entire life at Scotch. English (reading comprehension, vocabulary and spelling) and Mathematics are administered to every boy, every year, at the same time. This information is used to follow their progress from year to year and is stored electronically.

Individual Learning Programs

Class teachers in collaboration with special education staff, may decide that it is necessary to place a boy on an Individual Learning Program, referred to as an ILP. This means that the student will have considerable variation to his Year level program in one or more areas of the curriculum. If this decision is made, parents are contacted and regular meetings will occur each term to determine and revise the individual learning goals. All short and long term goals are documented and copies available for all participants. 

Program Support Meetings 

These meetings are often referred to as PSG meetings, being the acronym for Program Support Group Meetings. Minutes are taken at these meetings, which is usually chaired by the Director of Education Support. Parents, parent advocates (if desired), class teachers, special education teachers, specialists and outside paramedical staff attend these meetings to collaboratively determine the major goals of the student. When appropriate, the student may also be invited to attend.

Government Funding Assistance 

Occasionally, some students will have significant needs and relative assessment reports, which means they may qualify for government funding assistance. Applications for this funding is completed in Term Three by the Director of Education Support and submitted by the school to Australian Independent Schools of Victoria (AISV). This governing body decides who qualifies for the various levels of funding available. If you believe you have a son who qualifies for funding or you require further information you should make contact with the Director of Education Support and provide copies of any written reports. Further information about funding is also available from the AISV website http://www.ais.vic.edu.au/independent/facts/index.htm



Reporting and Interviews

Access staff require regular and direct contact with parents, therefore a more recent initiative has been the introduction of Progress Reports followed by an interview each term. This process has continued to be popular parents.

Prior to the end of each term a brief progress report will be sent home with the student, along with a form to nominate your preferred interview time. This procedure will replace the traditional reports for Access in June and December.

All enquiries should be directed to the Director of Education Support; Mrs Cheryl Harrison
PH: (03) 9810 4317
FAX: (03) 9810 4391
Email: cheryl.harrison@scotch.vic.edu.au

Special Dates 2011 

TERM ONE 
Friday 25th March Progress Reports go home with boys
(Normal interview times as rest of school)


TERM TWO
Friday 17 June Progress Reports go home with boys
Monday 27 June – Access Interviews - 3.30 – 6.00pm
Wednesday 29 June – Access Interviews – 3.30 -6.00pm
Tuesday – Thursday May 10, 11, 12 – NAPLAN Assessments Year 3 and 5


TERM THREE
Friday 2 September Progress Reports go home with boys
(Normal interview times as rest of school)
Monday 8 August  - Friday 12th August MYAT Year 5 and 6
Tuesday 2 August – ICAS English Assessment
Tuesday16 August – ICAS Maths Assessment


TERM FOUR
Friday 21 October – Orientation and Assessment day Year 4 for 2011 (No Access classes)
Monday24 October – Friday 11th November– Year 4 -6 End of year assessments
Monday 14 November – Friday 18th November – Prep – 2 End of year assessments
Friday 11 November Progress Reports go home with boys
Monday 21 November Parent Teacher Interviews 3.30-6.00pm
Wednesday 23 November Parent Teacher Interviews 3.30-6.00pm


Websites
NAPLAN
http://www.naplan.edu.au/parents/parents.html
AISV
http://www.ais.vic.edu.au/independent/facts/index.htm
ICAS
http://www.eaa.unsw.edu.au/about_icas

Frequently Asked Questions

How does my son get selected for a program?
Each boy undergoes standardised testing at the end of year. These formal results are used as a guideline for inclusion. Boys to be considered ‘at risk’ are automatically included at the beginning of each year. Other students are monitored and after consultation with the class teacher, a student may be included into a program.

What does my son miss out on?
All Access programs are timetabled as closely as possible with the class timetable so that there is minimal disruption. Usually, a boy would be withdrawn for a consolidation session (for example reading) at the same time as the rest of the class would be completing work in that curriculum area.

When will he consolidate his skills and be at the same level as his peers?
When the Access or class teacher believes that the student has consolidated his skill in the target area, supplementary assessments will be administered for clinical evidence before the student is released from any program.

Why does he get withdrawn from the classroom?
Most programs work on withdrawal to obtain an optimum learning environment for specific instruction. Withdrawal means students can work in a smaller area with a lower teacher to student ratio. This helps to reduce background noise, increase attention and allows greater flexibility for individualised programs.

Will attending an Access group harm my son’s self esteem?
Many boys enter and exit a classroom throughout the course of the day. Generally we find that most boys enjoy attending Access groups and are eager to attend. The teachers work hard to fully develop their self esteem so greater learning can take place.

How will I know if my son needs to attend an Access program?
A note will be sent home with your son informing you of what program he has been selected in, who will be teaching the program and who you can contact.

If my son is selected for an enrichment program will he automatically be included in subsequent enrichment programs?
No. Each program is designed for a specific need and there will always be strict criteria for inclusion that must be met.

If my son is identified as requiring consolidation will he always be labelled as such and how will we know when he does not need help anymore?
Every boy is reviewed at the end of each term to consider his current needs and academic level. When a boy demonstrates competency, supplementary standardised assessment is administered to ensure adequate levels have been attained. When sufficient evidence of academic achievement have been collected the student will ‘graduate’ from the Access program.

What if I do not want my son to attend an Access program?
You may provide written notice that you have been informed of your son’s needs and despite the recommendation you do not wish your son to receive any support. This letter should be addressed to the Director of Education Support.