Junior School

Foundation  – Year 6

Our Junior School is committed to providing opportunities for students to grow in Christian character. Character traits of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence (RISE) underpin our learning ethos so that students can discover how to reach their full potential.

POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS

The staff build positive relationships with the students and members of the school community, as well as living out their personal commitment to their faith journey through Christ, enabling students to make a positive difference in the world.

ENQUIRY – BASED LEARNING

The Junior School staff uphold the values that support the enquiry-based teaching approach. This creates a learning environment for students to experience, explore and investigate. We believe that the classroom should encourage a sense of wonder and natural curiosity about the world.

CLASS DOJO

These ideas are displayed for the parents and the School community in the classroom through visual presentations and also through the Class Dojo site. This shows the development of thoughts and ideas as students discover new ideas and skills.

FLEXIBILITY

We also create flexible learning opportunities that offer students different approaches to what they learn, how they learn it and how they will demonstrate their learning. This enables students to access the curriculum content in a way that creates success for them individually and builds their learning capacity.

LEARNING SUPPORT CLASSES

Learning in the Small Class

Tyndale’s RISE values of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence underpin everyday practice. Tyndale is committed to being an inclusive school – we welcome all families who wish to join us, irrespective of:

• their socio-economic background
• their child’s academic, sporting or artistic ability; and
• or their race, gender or religion.

We are all “…fearfully and wonderfully made…”

Psalm 139:14

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does the Small Class look like?

We seek to cater for students with mild intellectual disability and/or complex learning needs. e.g., Autism with very low adaptive behaviours.

We provide two separate classes; Lower Small Class and Upper Small Class.

The class sizes are a maximum of 12 and cater for students in Foundation to Year 6. There are designated specialist Teachers and several Educational Support Officers for each class with the required ratio of educator to students; depending on the needs of the students.

The Learning Support building offers state of the art facilities that provide:

• 2 large classrooms
• Internal bathrooms
• Disabled toilet facilities
• Spacious Sensory Room
• Allied Health Therapy rooms
• Outdoor Learning Spaces
• Conference Room
• Kitchen facilities
• Laundry facilities

How is my child’s eligibility assessed for the Small Class?

Students need to meet at least one of the criteria listed below:

• A diagnosis by a psychologist or psychiatrist of mild intellectual disability, or Global Developmental Delay; or
• A diagnosis by a psychologist or psychiatrist or medical professional of multiple or complex disabilities that also include a low functioning and adaptive functioning. e.g., Autism with very low adaptive behaviours; or
• A written recommendation from Allied Health / Care Team

What do we do in the Small Class?

Our classes include learning and developing skills in personal independence, functional literacy and numeracy, communication, and social and emotional skills.

Our students are included in many mainstream activities, according to the nature of their diverse learning needs and the constraints of timetabling and staffing. These activities may include assemblies, chapel services, health hustle, golden time, sports days, swimming lessons, excursions, camps and where practical specialist subjects.

 Will my child have access to all aspects of the Australian Curriculum?

Yes! Tyndale Christian School believe students with disabilities need to be matched to the educational setting that will enable them to achieve to their highest potential and be included as much as possible in the whole school community.

Small Classes provide individualised support for all students. The Australian Curriculum is modified according to the student’s ability levels.

What is the cost of the Small Class?

The fee structure is the same as mainstream.

Will my child stay in the Small Class for the whole of their schooling?

Our approach seeks for your child to access Modified SACE in their final years of schooling. There is expectation that your child will move towards functional literacy and numeracy and eventual employment. On occasion, in consultation with the school, your child’s future pathway may include returning to mainstream schooling.

Will my child have supervision at break times?

Support in this area will be modified and provided on a case-by-case basis to match the student’s social and emotional ability level. The Lower Small Class has an enclosed outdoor play space that overlooks the oval. This can be adapted as a play space during break times.

What does a ‘Rest Day’ mean?

Foundation children will not attend school for the first 4 Wednesdays of their first term of school. This is a compulsory requirement as we recognise that starting full time schooling is tiring for our young children.

Will my child have a longer transition to school?

Teacher’s will communicate with parents/carers if there is a need for an extended transition program. Support in this area will be modified and provided on a case-by-case basis.