Newsroom

From the Deputy

27.02.20

Hello Friends,

It’s hard to believe we are almost at the half way point of the first term, as they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

Shrove Tuesday was celebrated beautifully this week as all of our students enjoyed Pancakes on the oval. Each class even washed and dried their dishes. Special thanks goes to our Parent and Friends for the preparation and cooking of these delicious pancakes. We also thank our families for supplying the pancake mixture and condiments that accompanied the pancakes.

Our Ash Wednesday Mass was very special. Ash Wednesday is important because it marks the start of the Lenten period leading up to Easter.  What will you take up or give up during the Lenten period?

Before School Play Time

I ask for your assistance and cooperation in refraining from allowing children to play in the playground space before school. We do not have teachers or staff on duty in this area in the morning and therefore children are playing in this area unsupervised. The oval and MDC carpark have staff on duty before school. I appreciate your assistance with this duty of care and WHS matter.

Personalised Plans For Learning (PPL)

Children in our school who have had an Individual Education Plan (IEP) in previous years will now have a Personalised Plan for Learning. Essentially the adjustments in the curriculum and practices and support in the classroom remain, however the template that teachers use to document these adjustments have altered. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your child’s classroom teacher or contact myself. A detailed explanation of PPLs is below:

Personalised Plan for Learning: Information for Parent/Carer/Guardian

Rationale for personalised learning

Personalised learning recognises that learners are diverse. It promotes excellence and equity in education for all learners and it supports the obligation to ensure learning opportunities and engagement.

What is a Personalised Plan for Learning (PPL)?

The PPL is a tool that documents and promotes learner engagement and achievement. It enables flexible design of curriculum so that learners can co-construct and apply their learning in real life authentic contexts. It captures the diverse scope of learning and promotes the highest quality education for all.

Who is the Plan for?

The PPL is required for children and young people in care and learners identifying as Aboriginal in all South Australian Catholic schools.

It may also be used to document the personalised learning and teaching provided to:

  • Learners with disability
  • Learners requiring intensive behaviour support
  • Newly arrived learners for whom English is an additional language or dialect requiring specialised language and literacy support
  • Learners identified as gifted and talented
  • Learners who require short term monitoring 

Through the PPL, the teacher attends and responds to the unique characteristics of the learner.

What is the process in developing a PPL?

The personalised planning and implementation process is informed by:

  • Gathering information about the learner’s learning strengths and needs
  • Considering the learner’s background, including their cultural and family context
  • Assessing the available resources within the school
  • Identifying the learning focus and skills
  • Examining strategies for effective learning and teaching
  • Determining timelines for reviewing learning foci and the planning process

Who develops the PPL?

In developing the PPL, data and information will be provided for and by the educators, the learner and their family, as well as service providers to meet the diverse needs of the learner.

It supports personalising, connecting and planning in a holistic and comprehensive way including pathways throughout schooling and into the wider community.

Why have a PPL?

For your child:

  • To personalise the learning for access, participation and achievement
  • To promote learner agency through self-reflection using the CESA Key Capabilities
  • To support transition of information between schools
  • To measure learning improvement

For you as a parent/carer/guardian:

  • To provide an opportunity for collaboration and consultation
  • To support effective communication
  • To document agreed actions
  • To support and document your child’s ongoing learning journey

For teachers:

  • To provide opportunities to co-construct and document evidence of personalised learning
  • To facilitate transition planning
  • To monitor and review personalised learning

What is my role in the PPL?

As a parent/carer/guardian, your input into the PPL for your child is invaluable as no one knows your child better than you.

Your role is to:

  • Provide information about your child through the development of the PPL
  • Attend the planning and review meetings
  • Contribute to the PPL
  • Acknowledge the PPL by signing the document

How often is the PPL contributed to?

Educators, learners, parents, carers, guardians and others (e.g. health professionals) must work together to ensure that all learners can take part in education.

The PPL documents the ongoing process of learning and achievement.

This communication can also be through any of the following avenues, but not restricted to:

  • orientation meetings
  • parent/teacher/learner learning reviews
  • informal meetings
  • reports
  • online examples via such platforms as Seesaw

The PPL is a working document that can be updated at any time as required and it is recommended that a formal review of, should not be greater than 6 to 12 months.

How will I know if there are changes to the PPL?

As your child develops, or if additional information is received, the personalised learning is updated to the PPL by the PPL author. Consultation regarding any additional information and/or changes to the personalised learning will be communicated with you.

Who can view my child’s PPL?

The PPL is developed by the school and therefore it can be viewed by those who make reasonable adjustments for the learner. The PPL is not a public document but affords access to staff who provide personalised learning, and parent/carer/guardian. It allows collaboration in the writing of the PPL in a way which ensures the privacy and dignity of each learner.
 

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.

Helen Keller

 

Thanks and Blessings
Matt