ATSI Education

Aboriginal Education Team

Ms Sarah Spence, Aboriginal Education Manager
Ms Carol Otto, Aboriginal Secondary Education Transition Officer

Ms Kath Moore, Aboriginal Secondary Education Transition Officer

Mr Paul Marshall, Director for Inclusion

Mr Chris Leech, Student Counsellor

Acknowledgment of Land

Henley High School acknowledge that the land we meet on is the traditional lands for the Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual relationship with their Country. We also acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional custodians of the Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living Kaurna people today.

Student safety and wellbeing

All Henley High staff are responsible for the welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The school has an Aboriginal Education Teacher [AET] and an Aboriginal Secondary Education Transition Officer (ASETO) to provide support for all members of the School Community.

The school supports the department's Aboriginal Strategy 2013 to 2016 which is designed to improve educational experiences and outcomes for South Australia's Aboriginal students in 7 priority areas:

readiness for school
engagement and connections
attendance
literacy and numeracy
leadership, quality teaching and workforce development
pathways to real post-school options
Aboriginal employment

Middle School

All students in the Middle School benefit from a culturally inclusive curriculum. Learning takes place in a safe and supportive environment that values the free exchange of ideas and views. Henley High School has a strong focus on the Australian Curriculum’s cross curricular priorities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. The students are supported by their mentor, sub school manager, ASETO and AET throughout their middle schooling.

Senior School

The school supports the SACE Board Aboriginal Education Strategy 2012 – 2016 which aims to improve retention rates for Indigenous students for them to achieve their SACE. The school delivers a range of SACE subjects that include Indigenous perspectives in their courses. The students are supported by their mentor, year level coordinator, ASETO and AET throughout their senior schooling.

The school support context:

APAS Tutoring – A tutoring scheme for Indigenous students to improve their learning outcomes in specific subjects if and when necessary within school hours.
Additional tutoring funded by the WYATT Trust
Staff regularly undertake Training and Development to improve the educational outcomes of Indigenous students and to integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives Across the Curriculum.
The school believes in working closely with parents and families to foster strong working relationships.

Individual Learning Plans

All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have a documented Individual Learning Plan that is used to identify and record education progress and career pathways. These plans are updated regularly to closely monitor student achievement, career pathways and address concerns.

The DECD Aboriginal Strategy 2013-2016 focuses on literacy and numeracy attainment which is a key focus in the development of individual learning plans and personal learning plans. This process includes the counselling and mentoring of Aboriginal SACE students.

The school works hard in ensuring meaningful communication with Aboriginal secondary students and their families from Year 8 onwards about subject selection that will lead to South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) completion, with documentation in students’ individual learning plans and personal learning plans.

The plans purpose is aimed to accelerate improvements in the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. The document provides a plan for future learning development and also summarises the essential and critical issues that are discussed the then recorded.

The document is reviewed by the AET (Aboriginal Education Teacher) and team each semester and can also include input of the student, class teachers and family. Developing and reviewing the ILP provides an opportunity for key personnel to contribute to a shared discussion about the learning and general well-being of each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student.

The plan includes:
• Attendance data for each term
• Health and Wellbeing
• Current data on Literacy and Maths achievement
• Strengths and Interests
• Areas for Growth and Development

This document will follow the student across their schooling life, and especially at key transition points.