In every class at Bimbadeen we also have some children who have extra learning needs.  These children will have individual learning goals targeted to their own learning needs.  They will also have individual learning plans (ILP’s) that will be discussed with parents outlining the steps and activities so that parents can also help the child achieve to their maximum potential.   

We have intervention programs in place in the early years of schooling where those children who have not met the achievement benchmarks work 1:1, or in small groups, with a specialist teacher trained to help children get back on track with their learning.

We have a Buddies Program where each Foundation child is matched with a Year 6 child for their important first and last year of primary school.  The Year 6 students look forward to regular classroom interaction with their young partners, such as eating lunch together, making things which might otherwise be too difficult for smaller children, or simply reading to each other.  The Founders look forward to their special older friends visiting and playing with them and these friendships really help the young children feel safe and happy in their new, big school, environment.  Buddies are assigned once teachers become familiar with new Founders to enable those children with special needs to be considered and carefully matched.

At Bimbadeen we know that children who feel safe and happy at school do better at school. Visitors to our school will notice a playground full of children playing with a lovely buzz of chatter and the sounds of happy children.  When on Yard Duty, teachers are on the look out for children who may be on their own and will engage with them to make sure they are feeling safe and happy.  Children who are not feeling safe or happy will be supported to find others to play with, may be referred to our Student Wellbeing leader or school chaplain or invited to go into our ‘kindness room’ where they can spend some of their recess or lunch break playing quiet games, doing puzzles, using an iPad, reading or drawing.  Follow-up conversations will then happen with parents as necessary

We have comprehensive programs in place for the important transitions between Kinder and Primary School and between Primary and Secondary School involving multiple visits and handover meetings with the teachers at the other pre-schools or secondary schools.   The smooth way that our new Foundation children settle into Bimbadeen is testament to the quality of our pre-school transition program and the feedback we receive from our past students and from the local secondary schools is that we are preparing our students well for the next stage of their schooling.

Transition isn’t just about Kinder to Primary School or Primary School to Secondary School.  It is also about the year level to year level transitions that happen throughout the Primary School years.  Some children can become anxious around these transitions and we have a number of activities to support and help the children.  Throughout Term 4 each year we talk to the children about the transition to the next year level and how this is an important part of growing up.  We involve the children and their families to help teachers develop the new classes, we have orientation visits with the new teachers and classmates and have additional transition sessions for children with special needs. 

It is not uncommon for families to move and children need to change school during their Primary School Years.  When this happens we find out as much as we can about the child and their learning needs and place them in the most suitable class.  Bimbadeen children generally love to have new students in their class as they see them as prospective new friends. It can be very daunting for some children to walk into an established class so we arrange for a brief visit prior to them starting so they can meet their new teacher and classmates and can see the friendly faces.  On the first morning they will be met by their teacher who will also arrange for other children to play with them and show them around at recess and lunch time for their first few days until they become comfortable here.  Our student wellbeing teacher and our School Chaplain will also check in with them to ensure they are settling in well.