The Role of The Learning and Support Team
Students at Banksmeadow Public School achieve maximum outcomes when they are able to work in a caring, secure and supportive environment. The whole school community works together to provide quality educational programs and to meet the personal, social and learning needs of all students.
Our Learning and Support Team is a group of professionals that meet each fortnight to discuss specific strategies to assist students requiring additional support in areas of learning and behaviour. The Learning and Support Team coordinates the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of learning support plans.
Process of Referral to the Learning and Support Team
Students requiring additional support at school may be identified by teachers and/or parents. Through teacher and parent consultation these students may be referred to the school's Learning and Support Team. This team then discusses the most appropriate form of support and intervention for the student and communicates this outcome to parents/carers.
In some cases a referral to the Learning and Support Team may subsequently result in a referral to the school counsellor. In these cases, written permission will be sought from parents and carers. All referrals to the school counsellor are prioritised by the Learning and Support Team according to level of need at school. Following intervention by the school counsellor, parents will be invited to discuss the outcome of this intervention with the counsellor and be provided, in many cases, with a written report.
Should there be a counsellor recommendation for further support through a non-Department of Education service provider (e.g. paediatrician) this report may then be used to inform additional assessments. The school counsellor, with parent/carer permission, will liaise with outside service providers, as required.
As the school counsellor is employed by the Department of Education, they work in response to referrals from the Learning and Support Team and are not in a position to respond to requests for assessment from outside service providers. Parents and carers are encouraged to discuss any issues affecting their child with the classroom teacher in order to determine whether a referral to the Learning and Support Team may be appropriate. The Learning and Support Team will then discuss what support is appropriate.
