The goal of Bracken Ridge State High School is to ensure quality education is made available to, and accessed by, all students. This is underpinned by respectful relationships between learners, teachers and parents/caregivers through the process of inclusive education: a ‘process of responding to the uniqueness of individuals, increasing their presence, access, participation and achievement in a learning society’. (Ministerial Taskforce on Inclusive Education (Students with Disabilities), 2004.)
At Bracken Ridge SHS we pride ourselves in offering support to students in various aspects to meet all needs.
We have a permanent Educational Support Services team as well as an onsite Guidance Officer. We have an active Chaplaincy program with staff onsite 3 days per week and a School Nurse visiting two days per week. This team also forms our Student Support and Intervention Committee.
Read further information on our Educational Support Services continued below with our flyer available on the right
Also find links to each of the other services we have on offer to the left.
Educational Support Services
Educational Support Services (ESS) oversees Special Education Services (SES), and Learning Support Services (LSS). These two areas work together to provide the best standard of access to education for all students who fall within these parameters.
Special Education Services
Special Education Services provides professional support for students with a diagnosed or imputed disability under the Department of Education and Training (DET) guidelines to access the curriculum in an inclusive environment.
Students are:
- supported in mainstream classes (as required)
- given the opportunity to participate in programs that meet their individual needs and ability as expressed through the Education Adjustment Program (EAP) and/or Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Support Plan (ISP)
- prepared for active citizenship through programs that concentrate on post-school options such as work experience
- connected to Disability Employment Services to support a smooth post-school transition
- offered tutorial support to access assessment (assignments and exam revision) and homework assistance
- offered assessment support (as required)
All of the students have an appointed case manager who are teachers working within Special Education Services and are the appointed person to oversee the progress of the Individual Educational Plans and Individual Support Plans designed to meet the needs of each student. Their role is to liaise with parents, the student, staff members and any other support personnel to discuss management strategies and goals for the students they are allocated.
Learning Support Services
The aim of learning support services is to optimise the learning of students who have not yet achieved the necessary skills required for ongoing learning in a high school environment and therefore have difficulties accessing the core curriculum. The nature of their learning difficulty is taken into consideration where teachers and support personnel work together to provide strategies to assist them to access the curriculum.
Our main objective is to give students every opportunity to achieve functional literacy and numeracy skills, which will lead to further opportunities in educational institutions or employment. Educational support levels are determined during Year 6 enrolment interviews, and at the beginning of Year 7 when students are tested (as needed) on their literacy and numeracy skills.