At Ormeau State School we strive to achieve a co-ordinated approach to access support services for students with impairments, learning disabilities, social and behavioural difficulties. These are monitored by the Special Needs Committee which meets weekly. This committee comprises class teacher representatives from each sector, Deputy Principal, Support Teacher Learning Difficulties, Guidance Officer and Behaviour Management Teacher.

Students with special needs are identified through a Prioritisation Process involving all teachers. Consultation with parents is an integral part of this process. Parents are required to sign a Referral Form prior to any assessment.

The following educational support services exist at Ormeau State School:

Learning Support Teachers

*A Support Teacher Learning Difficulties is employed in a full time capacity. The role of this teacher is to assess needs, coordinate and facilitate support. This may involve working with teachers, parents and other specialist support staff to develop appropriate strategies for learning. In some instances students are withdrawn for focussed sessions which are then reinforced in the classroom. The type of educational program and level of support given to students is determined by the Appraisement Process.

Dental Services

Each year officers (including a Dental Therapist) from the Division of School Dental Health visit our school with the dental van. All children receive a Permission for Treatment form, for parents to complete. Having checked teeth, officers notify parents of treatment required. Parents may then choose to have the work carried out by a private dentist, or by the school dentist at an appointed time. Parents may be present for all consultations.

Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery is an early intervention program providing intensive, individual help for children having difficulties in learning to read and write. Through daily individual lessons children achieving at very low levels are helped to make rapid progress, catching up to their classmates in a surprisingly short period of time.

Key Features of the Program

• Children enter the program after one year at school. The lowest literacy achievers are identified for the program, without exception.
• The program is different for each child, building on strengths and responding to the child's growing competencies as a literacy learner.
• Teaching is individual in a one-to-one setting. Each child has an intensive program of daily instruction which is additional to the classroom literacy program.
• The focus is on comprehending messages in reading and constructing messages in writing.Children read many books and write their own stories as they learn to detail while maintaining a focus on the meaning of texts.

Key Teacher

Our Key Teacher has a range of tasks including:

• Introducing the developmental continua/intervention guidelines to Year 3 teachers who are supporting children identified by the diagnostic net in Year 2.
• Assisting with the implementation of individual support programs for children identified as requiring a moderate level of support
• Assisting new Year 1 and 2 teachers to use the developmental continua to monitor children's literacy and numeracy development
• Preparing Year 2 teachers for validation and moderation activities
• Preparing Year 1 and 2 teachers for the continua.

Speech Language Pathologist

The responsibility for achieving a quality speech-language therapy service that is appropriate to students' needs is shared by a partnership of schools, speech language pathologist, parents and the community, district office and central office.

Special Education Teachers

Special Education teachers are based at Ormeau State School to support students with special needs.