WELCOME BACK TO ONSITE LEARNING

Today we welcomed all our students back to school after another snap lock down. It is an extremely disruptive process but we have to learn to work through these tough times and most importantly support everyone as best we can in the process.

The School will continue to implement the drop off and pick up procedures from Drouin Rec Reserve and Admin to limit the number of students and families congregating on or near school grounds at the beginning and conclusion of the school day.

The school will continue to ensure that the health, safety and well-being of all students, staff and the wider school community remains our highest priority. We will continue to emphasise for all staff and students in attendance at school.

Visitors including parents, guardians and carers will be required to wear a face mask when on school sites, both in indoor and outdoor locations, including reception areas and classrooms. Parents must also sign in via the QR code in reception. Any appointments for parents wanting meet with teaching staff must be made via a call to Admin on (03) 5623 7222.

I would like to take this time to thank both the parents and the students for their efforts through these challenging times. The community as a whole has united to push through these tough times and soldier on to best support their child/ren. I have received so many emails and calls of support from parents letting me know that whilst remote offsite learning is tough and presents many challenges, the teaching staff of St Ita’s have gone above and beyond to support all our students to achieve their best.

I am really grateful and appreciative of all the St Ita’s staff; our Teachers, our Aides and our Admin who have done an amazing job in relation to their planning and preparation, their delivery of work to our children and their communication and follow up with students and parents. The positive way that they have approached offsite leaning and onsite learning has been nothing short of outstanding.

Whatever the announcement that comes out on Tuesday, we have done this before and we can do it again. Let’s all do it with integrity, respect and support for one another and hopefully we can resume school sooner rather than later.

Stay well and stay safe and thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to implement COVID Safe practices at our school.

HOW NCCD FUNDING WORKS?

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) is a compulsory annual process participated in by all Australian schools across the country. The aim of this process is to provide the Australian Government with consistent information about the number of students with disability or inferred disability (learning difficulty based on professional judgement about a students individual needs as a learner) in Australian schools and the type of adjustments they require in order to access and participate in education on the same basis as other students. The NCCD is a collection that counts:

• the number of school students receiving an adjustment or ‘help’ due to disability or inferred disability
• the level of adjustment they are receiving to access education on the same basis as other students.
• Students are counted in the NCCD if they receive ongoing adjustments at school due to disability.

This ‘help’ allows them to access education on the same basis as a child without disability. The NCCD uses the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Schools provide this information to education authorities.

WHY IS THIS DATA BEING COLLECTED?

All schools in Australia must collect information about students with disability (or inferred disability).

The NCCD:

• ensures that the information collected is transparent, consistent and reliable
• provides better information that improves understanding of students with disability or inferred disability
• allows parents, guardians, carers, teachers, principals, education authorities and government to better support students with disability

WHO COLLECTS INFORMATION FOR THE NCCD?

Schools identify which students will be counted in the NCCD. At St Ita's the School Improvement Team (SIT) leads this process. Decisions regarding levels of adjustments for students are based on the following:

• adjustments provided for the student (after consultation with the student and/or their parents, guardians and carers)
• the school team’s observations and professional judgements
• any medical or other professional diagnoses
• other relevant information such as testing results.

School Principals have the responsibility to ensure that the information for the NCCD is accurate and honest.

WHAT INFORMATION IS COLLECTED?

A student is counted in the NCCD if they receive reasonable adjustments at school due to disability or inferred disability. Each year, schools collect the following information about the student, including:

• their year of schooling
• the level of adjustment received
• the broad type of disability.

For students who have more than one disability, the school uses professional judgement to choose one category of disability. They choose the category that most affects the student’s access to education and for which adjustments are being provided.

WHAT MUST SCHOOLS DO FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY?

All students have the right to a quality learning experience at school. Students with disability must be able to take part in education without discrimination and on the same basis as other students. To ensure this, schools must make reasonable adjustments if needed for students with disability. Educators, students, parents, guardians, carers and others (eg health professionals) must work together to ensure that students with disability can take part in education. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 describe schools’ responsibilities.

WHAT IS A REASONABLE ADJUSTMENT?

An adjustment is an action to help a student with disability take part in education on the same basis as other students. Adjustments can be made across the whole school (eg ramps into school buildings). They can be in the classroom (eg adapting teaching methods). They can also be for individual student need (eg providing personal care support). The school assesses the needs of each student with disability. The school provides adjustments in consultation with the student and/or their parents, guardians and carers. Schools must make reasonable adjustments if needed. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 define ‘reasonable adjustment’ as an adjustment that balances the interests of all parties affected.

HOW DOES STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING WORK FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY?

Funding from the Australian Government for students with disability is based on the NCCD through the student with disability loading. Students with disability who are counted in the top three levels of the NCCD (extensive, substantial and supplementary) attract the loading. Funding is based on a per-student amount at each of the three levels of additional support. The amount of the loading reflects the level of support students with disability need to participate fully in school, with higher funding for those who need higher levels of support. Australian Government recurrent school funding is provided as a lump sum to school authorities including state and territory governments, which can then distribute the funding to their member schools according to their own needs-based arrangements. The Government expects schools and school systems to consider their funding from all sources (ie Australian Government, state and territory and private) and prioritise their spending to meet the educational needs of all of their students, including students with disability. This can include payment of professional learning for staff and building inclusive cultures in schools.

It is important to remember that schools receive funding as a lump sum and this goes towards providing staffing and support structures for students with disability.

WHEN DOES THE NCCD TAKE PLACE?

The NCCD takes place in August each year.

IS THE NCCD COMPULSORY?

Yes. All schools must collect and submit information each year for the NCCD. This is detailed in the Australian Education Regulation 2013.

HOW IS STUDENTS’ PRIVACY PROTECTED?

Protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all students is an essential part of the NCCD. Data is collected within each school. Personal details, such as student names or student identifiers, are not provided to federal education authorities.