Learning Support and Collaborative Practice Framework
Purpose
At Berinba Public School, we believe every student has the right to access high-quality teaching, appropriate adjustments and equitable opportunities to achieve success. Learning support is not the responsibility of one person or one team - it is a shared responsibility embedded across the whole school.
Our Procedure outlines Berinba Public School's collaborative approach to learning support, recognising that effective support is achieved through collective expertise, evidence-informed practice, and strong partnerships between teachers, leaders, specialist staff, families and external agencies.
Learning support extends beyond withdrawal programs or in-class assistance. It includes universal classroom practice, targeted interventions, intensive individualised support, collaborative consultation, capacity building and whole-school systems that enable every student to thrive.
Guiding Principles
Learning support at Berinba Public School is underpinned by the following principles:
- Every student is known, valued and cared for.
- High expectations are held for every learner.
- Classroom teachers remain the primary educators for all students.
- Decisions are informed by evidence, assessment and ongoing monitoring.
- Inclusion is everyone's responsibility.
- Collaboration produces the greatest impact.
- Support should build independence rather than dependence.
- Adjustments are responsive, flexible and continually reviewed
Berinba Learning Support Model
At Berinba Public School, we adopt a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) aligned with the NSW Department of Education Inclusive Education Policy, the principles of Response to Intervention, and evidence-based practices that ensure every student has equitable access to high-quality learning.
Our approach recognises that all students have diverse strengths, needs and learning pathways. Support is delivered through a continuum of increasingly targeted interventions that are informed by ongoing assessment, collaborative problem-solving and regular progress monitoring. High-quality teaching remains the foundation of learning for every student, with additional supports layered according to individual need rather than diagnosis or funding.
Support is responsive, flexible and dynamic, rather than fixed. Students may move between levels of support as their learning, wellbeing or behavioural needs change over time. Decisions about the level and type of support provided are informed by multiple sources of evidence, including classroom observations, assessment data, student voice, family consultation, specialist advice and collaborative professional judgement.
This model allows students to remain connected to classroom learning while receiving appropriate support.
Roles and Responsibilities - We all play a part
The Principal will:
- provide strategic leadership for inclusive education
- allocate resources according to identified need
- ensure compliance with Department policy
- foster collaborative practice
- monitor the effectiveness of learning support
- support ongoing professional learning
- oversee whole-school evaluation and improvement.
Executive staff will:
- lead inclusive practice within their teams
- support classroom teachers
- facilitate collaborative planning
- monitor student progress
- use data to guide intervention
- coordinate referrals where appropriate
- contribute to Learning Support Team processes.
Classroom teachers are the primary educators of every student and will:
- know their students
- provide quality differentiated instruction
- implement adjustments
- identify students requiring additional support
- collect and analyse assessment data
- collaborate with support staff
- monitor student progress
- communicate with families
- contribute to IEPs, PLPs and support planning.
Learning support staff will:
- provide evidence-informed intervention
- work collaboratively with classroom teachers
- model effective inclusive practice
- assist with adjustments
- monitor intervention progress
- support assessment and data analysis
- contribute specialist knowledge
- build teacher capability
- participate in collaborative review.
SLSOs work under teacher direction to:
- support student engagement
- scaffold learning
- reinforce teacher instruction
- encourage independence
- assist implementation of planned adjustments
- collect observational information
- maintain confidentiality
- contribute positively to classroom environments.
- SLSOs do not replace teacher instruction and should not become the student's teacher.
Families are valued partners and contribute through:
- collaborative planning
- sharing information
- supporting agreed goals
- participating in review meetings
- maintaining open communication with the school.
The Learning Support Team coordinates whole-school support through:
- collaborative case discussions
- analysing student data
- recommending interventions
- coordinating referrals
- monitoring student progress
- supporting teachers
- reviewing adjustments
- planning transitions
- connecting with external agencies.
The Learning Support Team complements classroom practice rather than replacing it.
Whole School Commitments
All staff commit to:
Collaborative Practice
- working together to improve outcomes
- sharing expertise openly
- engaging in professional dialogue
- participating in collaborative planning
- respecting diverse professional knowledge.
Inclusive Practice
-
believing every student can learn
-
implementing reasonable adjustments
-
promoting belonging
-
maintaining high expectations
Evidence-Based Practice
- using current research
- evaluating effectiveness
- monitoring progress
- adapting instruction
- responding to data.
Continuous Improvement
- reflecting on practice
- engaging in professional learning
- seeking and acting upon feedback
- contributing to whole-school improvement.
Allocation of Learning Support
Learning support is allocated collaborative with executive, teachers and principal according to:
- demonstrated student need
- available evidence
- curriculum access requirements
- disability adjustments
- attendance
- wellbeing
- behaviour
- intervention effectiveness
- school priorities.
Support is reviewed regularly and may change as student needs evolve. Allocation is not permanent and is not based solely on diagnosis.
Expectations for Collaborative Practice
To maximise the impact of learning support:
- classroom support times should be respected and used as planned
- collaborative planning should occur regularly
- intervention strategies require consistent implementation before evaluation
- staff should remain flexible as student needs change
- feedback should be welcomed and acted upon
- support should build student independence rather than dependence
- all professionals should contribute their expertise to shared decision making.