SESSION 1

DAY 1: 14.10 - 15.00
Leading transformational change through school improvement

Presented by: Carmel Ybarlucea and Diana Masci

Embedding inclusion in Queensland state schooling involves change at the system, policy and practice levels. This systemic approach better enables schools to continue their inclusive education journey. The Signposts for school improvement - inclusive education was developed in 2018. Across time schools have deepened their knowledge and practices of school improvement and inclusive education.

A review of the Signposts was undertaken in 2021. The Signposts unpacks targeted practices to further inclusive education across educational settings. The National School Improvement Tool (NSIT) brings together findings from international research into the practices of highly effective schools and school leaders. The Signposts are aligned to the 9 domains from the NSIT. It is designed to support schools to understand where they are in their school improvement journey with a focus on inclusive education. The Signposts also identifies possible next steps to maximise engagement, achievement and wellbeing outcomes for all learners.

DAY 1: 14.10 - 15.00
Every Student Every Day

Presented by: Jewelann Kauppila, Jennie Nash and Judith Fenoglio

InghamSHS is an inclusive school where variable learners are taught, assessed and reported within age appropriate classrooms. In 2021 a priority was determined to commence building the capability of staff in the evidence based Universal Design for Learning(UDL). This presentation will consider the actions undertaken building of the capability of teaching staff and school leadership team in UDL to cater for ALL learners. A pilot launch of Every Student–Every day–UDL Project commenced in 2021, delivered and facilitated by the school’s HOD Effective Teaching and Learning and HOD Inclusive Practices. The project was delivered to a small group of maths teachers. The pilot consisted of 7 x 70 minutes intentional collaborative sessions in and outside school hours, a book club, development of UDL lesson planning and coaching of participants. The overwhelming positive outcomes of students and the reflections of teachers determined the pilot's success, with next steps scaling the pilot, up and out across the school in 2022.

DAY 1: 14.10 - 15.00
What's "fair" in refugee education?: negotiating equity, equality and inclusion

Presented by: Dr Melanie Baak

With increasing numbers of students from refugee backgrounds being settled in Australia, schools are faced with the challenge of understanding and responding to the diverse experiences, needs and skills of these students. Despite the provision of targeted funding, many schools struggle to minimize educational disparities between refugee students and their same age peers. This presentation will ask school leaders to reflect on their own policy and practices relating to supports for students from refugee or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds before presenting research data from seven Australian secondary schools identified as examples of ‘good practice’ in refugee education. Findings suggest educators struggled to navigate the tension between providing an equal or equitable response for students from refugee backgrounds, and often these struggles were inextricably tied to student and funding contexts. Teachers and school leaders demonstrated undertaking complex negotiations when allocating resources and these processes aligned with, or in some cases contradicted, core notions of fairness and social justice.

DAY 1: 14.10 - 15.00
IncludED@OSHC: improving inclusion in school based OSHC services

Presented by: Dr Ronelle Hutchinson and Kris Arcaro

Every child, including children and young people with complex disability has the right to take part in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC). Unfortunately across Australia there is a large gap in access to school-based OSHC for children and young people with complex disability. Is this an education sector problem? Is this a disability sector problem? Is this a OSHC sector problem? Over the past five years, the Victorian Department of Education and Training has explored how to fix this problem in bringing these sectors together to improve access and inclusion in school-based OSHC. This work has culminated in the IncludED@OSHC program –freely available educational tools, resources and professional learning modules designed for OSHC and school based educators to support the inclusion of children and young people with complex disability in school-based OSHC. This session introduces the IncludED@OSHC program and how schools can lead improvements and innovations to include children with complex disability in their OSHC services.