Plattsburg Public School

festina lente - hasten slowly

Telephone02 4955 9196

Emailplattsburg-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Supporting our students

All NSW public school students have a right to an inclusive learning environment and to feel happy and safe at school.

Aboriginal student support

We are committed to closing the achievement gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. We know that we need to learn about, nurture and value the cultural identity of our Aboriginal students to help them be successful learners.

We welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family members, parents and carers, as well as community members to our school so that we can get to know each other, learn about the local Aboriginal community and develop shared goals and plans for Aboriginal students.

The Aboriginal Education Policy confirms the NSW Department of Education’s commitment to improvement in educational outcomes and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Multicultural education

Our school welcomes students, families and community members from all cultural backgrounds. We appreciate difference and diversity and aim to provide a culturally inclusive and responsive environment that benefits all students.

Our teaching and learning programs develop intercultural understanding, promote positive relationships and enable all students to participate as active Australian and global citizens. Our school fosters student wellbeing and community harmony by implementing anti-racism and anti-discrimination strategies that encourage engagement by parents and carers from all backgrounds.

The Multicultural Education Policy outlines the NSW Department of Education’s commitment to providing opportunities that enable all students to achieve equitable education and social outcomes and participate successfully in our culturally diverse society.

The Anti-Racism Policy confirms the department’s commitment to rejecting all forms of racial discrimination in NSW public schools and eliminating expressions of racism in its learning and working environments.

For more information refer to:

Supporting English language learners

Learning English is essential for success at school and effective participation in Australian society. We can provide specialist support to help students learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D).

For more information refer to: EAL/D education.

Supporting refugee students

Schools offer safety, support and security to help refugee students adjust to life in Australia and participate successfully in education. Targeted support strategies are provided to assist refugee students in NSW public schools.

For more information refer to: Supporting refugee students.

Learning support

The school’s learning and support team plays a key role in ensuring we meet the specific needs of students with additional learning and support needs, including disability.

The team:

  • supports teachers in identifying and responding to the additional learning needs of students
  • facilitates and coordinates a whole-school approach to improving the learning outcomes of every student
  • coordinates planning processes and resourcing for students with additional learning and support needs
  • designs and implements the support required to build teacher capacity so that all students access quality learning
  • develops collaborative partnerships with the school, parents and carers as well as other professionals and the wider school community.

For more information on programs and services to help students with additional learning and support needs, visit Disability, learning and support

Anti-bullying

Bullying of any kind is not acceptable in NSW schools.

The NSW anti-bullying website brings together information and resources for teachers, students, parents and carers. It helps to identify, prevent and respond effectively to student bullying, including online bullying. It provides information about online safety and what you can do if your child has been bullied, witnessed bullying or been involved in bullying.

For more information on anti-bullying strategies for NSW public schools refer to the department’s Bullying of Students – Prevention and Response Policy.

For information on racial bullying and anti-racism education for NSW public schools refer to:

Student leadership

Student leadership helps young people find their voices, participate in decision-making, and understand their rights and responsibilities as active citizens. It helps students have a real impact on their learning and school environment and prepares them to participate meaningfully in their community.

Students can be leaders in the classroom, through their actions in the playground, through their support for others, or their involvement in academic, sporting, cultural or local community events or projects.

For more information about opportunities in NSW public schools visit Student voice and leadership.

Education Support Dogs

Rationale

Plattsburg PS is committed to differentiation across the curriculum and to align with that we have Education Support Dogs. The dogs can provide support to students in a number of ways, including offering emotional support, recognising signs of anxiety, and helping improve concentration and communication skills as well as reducing the incidence of antisocial behaviour and bullying.

 

Guiding Principles for Practice

Research into the effects of therapy dogs in schools identifies many benefits including:

(Fine, 2015; Zents et al.,2017; Herbert & Lynch, 2017)

  • Animals can teach empathy and appropriate interpersonal skills
  • Help individuals develop social skills
  • The relationship between therapy animals and the therapist can be a model for a healthy relationship
  • The presence of animals is soothing and can more quickly build the therapeutic relationship for children, adolescents and adults
  • Patting an animal has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure, lower anxiety and lessen stress
  •  It has been shown that animals have the potential to lower human anxiety by simply being present

There is also evidence suggesting Education Support Dogs can:

  • Reduce the severity of aggression and hyperactivity among children and reduce disruptive classroom behaviours which is conducive to learning
  • Increase captivation of student attention when an animal is present

In summary, the Education Support Dogs at Plattsburg PS play a vital role in supporting our students. These dogs serve as ambassadors of empathy and kindness, fostering an inclusive school environment where students learn the importance of respect, compassion, and tolerance. Through their presence, they help create a sense of unity and discourage negative behaviours, ultimately promoting a safer and more harmonious school community.

 

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