Students with additional needs

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This page of our website includes information about NDIS access, Inclusion and support, differentiation and supporting our students to be EPIC Learners.  
 
Inclusion
In all Queensland State Schools, inclusive education is part of our everyday practice, classroom settings and our environments.  Students experience inclusive education when they can access and fully participate in learning, alongside their similar-aged peers, Inclusion is embedded in all aspects of school life, and is supported by culture, policies and every day practices.   
 
At Ripley Central State School, part of our EPIC values is Inclusion. Our ‘Inclusion’ value is guided by The Department of Education’s Inclusive education policy  _{(external link)} which me​ans we are committed to ensuring that our children and families from all social, cultural, community and family backgrounds, and of all abilities have:  

• access and participate in high-quality education and fully engage in the curriculum. 
• a safe and supportive environment personalised to their needs.  
• reasonable adjustments tailored to support learning needs so as to achieve academically and socially.   
• support to attend school every day.  

Our inclusion support team grows as our enrolments do. They work collaboratively with teachers, the Executive Leadership Team and relevant stakeholders, to ensure all students additional needs are met.  
 
Our Differentiated Learning Spaces…
For students who, at times, require sensory experiences outside of the classroom environment, we have a calming ‘Rocket Room’, which is a sensory room. This environment is an intentionally created space that provides multisensory resources to support a student’s sensory needs.   
 
For students that require more focused personalised learning, we also have a quiet space to work during scheduled times, to target their individual learning needs and requirements.  
 
Our aim is to engage and empower all of our students within their classroom environments as opposed to full time segregation or exclusion. Through flexible learning spaces in every classroom, students have a selection of furniture and seating options that benefits; postural variation and preference, collaboration and groupwork, communication, movement and variety. This has been proven to enhance attention, engagement with learning and autonomy.   
 
Differentiated group work is in place across all classrooms to support and excel students learning development based on needs across curriculum areas.  
Our teachers work together to develop our inclusive curriculum using, Universal Design for Learning (UDL External link). UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that gives all individuals equal opportunities to learn. It guides the creation of learning outcomes, resources and assessments that work for everyone.   
All students have individual learning needs and this is our guiding belief for everyday Inclusive practices at Ripley Central State School.  
 
 
NDIS 
Some students need additional support during their early years and may have a NDIS plan. Families with a child on an NDIS plan that includes Occupational Therapy, Phycology or Speech Therapy may make a request for their child’s support to be delivered at school (rather than offsite a private practice). We have a designated room (within full view of a supervising staff member) that has the capacity to be leased (for a fee) to an external provider. The provider pays this hire fee, not the parent. 
 
Parent/s make a request  

1. Parent/s makes a request for an NDIS provider to deliver a support under an NDIS plan at school, during school time by completing an NDIS access request form.
   
2. If further information is needed or further discussions are needed, the principal or another member of the school team, may request further information from the parent/s, via email, telephone or during a face-to-face meeting.  

Principal considers the request  

1. The principal makes a decision within a reasonable timeframe taking into account issues outlined in the policy.  

Principal advises the parent  

1. The principal informs the parent/s of their decision in writing and if access is:  
• ​granted, the conditions of access including further information required from the NDIS provider; or  
• ​refused, the reasons for the refusal.
2. ​​​The parent/s advises the NDIS provider about the principal’s decision and further information required.  

  

Enter into an Access agreement

1. The principal, parent/s and NDIS provider sign an Access agreement.  

Before the NDIS provider commences delivering the support at the school  

1. The NDIS provider provides the school with documents confirming that staff delivering the support at the school, during school time have completed:  
• Mandatory All-Staff Training (MAST) program: key message guide for contractors volunteers and visitors within the last 12 months (declaration form) 
• First Aid, CPR, or Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy anaphylaxis training (current certificates); and  
• ​school-based induction for the school where the support is being provided.
2. ​If further training is required the principal, or a member of the school team nominated by the principal, must provide the NDIS provider with school-based induction and access to other required training, if not already undertaken by NDIS provider staff.
3. Each time an NDIS provider staff member attends the school to deliver the NDIS support, school staff must sight, for that NDIS provider staff member:
• ​​​​current Working with children (Blue Card) clearance details; and
• ​​current photo identification, such as a valid Driver Licence or Proof of age card 

 
Applications from families for using school facilities to host NDIS providers take some time to process and coordinate and are based on our room availability. Applications from parents can be emailed to bsm@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au or in person to administration. Paper copies are also available at administration.