Learning Support
Our Mission
At St Mary's, we aim to help every student develop the confidence, skills, and independence they need to succeed at school and beyond. We support students to become effective self-advocates who can recognise their strengths, overcome challenges, and take an active role in their learning.
Our Approach
We believe that every student can learn, grow, and achieve success when barriers to participation and learning are removed. Our Learning Support Team works collaboratively with students, families, teachers, and external professionals to ensure students can access the curriculum and participate fully in school life.
Our approach is guided by the belief that support should build independence, not dependence. While students may need different levels of assistance at different stages of their schooling, our goal is always to help them develop the skills, resilience, and confidence to manage challenges independently.
Working Together
A student's success is influenced by many people, including their family, teachers, health professionals, and most importantly, the student themselves.
We believe the best outcomes occur when everyone works together and shares responsibility for supporting the student's growth and development.
When planning support, we consider:
- How students can develop the skills and strategies to achieve their goals.
- How parents and carers can encourage independence and resilience at home.
- What adjustments and supports the school can provide to remove barriers to learning.
- How the school can work in partnership with families and health professionals to support student success.
Learner Profiles
Students who are case managed by Learning Support have an online Learner Profile that can be accessed by classroom teachers. These profiles identify each student's learning needs and outline recommended adjustments to support their participation and achievement in the classroom.
Classroom teachers are responsible for implementing appropriate adjustments to learning activities, assessment tasks, and classroom practices to ensure students with disability can access the curriculum on the same basis as their peers.
A small number of students with more significant support needs also have a Personalised Learning Plan (PLP) in addition to their Learner Profile.
Learning Support in the Classroom
Learning Support is primarily delivered through classroom teaching. Our Learning Support Team works alongside teachers to ensure appropriate adjustments, strategies, and interventions are embedded within everyday learning.
This approach:
- Supports students with additional learning needs while benefiting all learners.
- Promotes equitable access to the curriculum.
- Develops independent learning skills.
- Creates an inclusive environment where every student can experience success.
Class Support and Interventions
At St Mary's, Learning Support is primarily provided within the classroom environment. This allows students to access the same learning experiences as their peers while receiving appropriate adjustments and support from classroom teachers and Learning Support.
Our approach focuses on building students' independence, confidence, and self-advocacy skills within their everyday learning contexts. Support is embedded into classroom teaching through differentiated instruction, reasonable adjustments, and evidence-informed learning strategies.
Currently, the Learning Support Team does not provide withdrawal programs for individual or small-group literacy and numeracy intervention. Where additional specialist intervention is recommended, families may be advised to seek support through external providers in consultation with the school and relevant health professionals.
Why We Use This Approach
We believe students achieve the best outcomes when they learn alongside their peers and develop the skills needed to participate successfully in mainstream classroom environments. By embedding support within everyday teaching and learning, students are encouraged to develop independence, resilience, and confidence while accessing the full curriculum.
Support Across the Secondary Years
As students progress through high school, our support model focuses on gradually building independence and preparing students for life beyond school.
Years 7 and 8: Building Foundations
- Students receive more intensive support as they transition to high school.
- The Learning Support Team work closely with classroom teachers to help students make a successful transition to secondary school.
Years 9 and 10: Growing Independence
- As students become more confident and capable, support shifts towards developing independence.
Years 11 and 12: Preparing for the Future
- Senior students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning and prepare for their chosen pathways beyond school.