Poplars Inclusive Education Centre
What is Inclusive Education?
The Poplars Inclusive Education Centre, as part of the Gilap Wanga Learning Community at the College, provides for students with significant needs, requiring a modified program. Inclusive Education is designed for students diagnosed with a disability, learning difficulty or high intellectual potential.
The Poplars Inclusive Education Centre recognises the worth and uniqueness of each student. Emphasis is placed upon planning and implementing programs based on individual need.
Students with particular learning requirements have supportive assistance provided by the teachers who modify content and expectations. Students who are diagnosed with a disability also receive support provided by Inclusive Education Staff. This supportive assistance is allocated according to disability and need. The assistance can be in a number of forms including:
- Being part of the Poplars Inclusive Education Centre.
- Working with Education Support Officers on programs offered by the school.
- In-class support from an ESO.
- Testing and observation by Inclusive Education Staff
A range of programs are run, depending on the need within the school at any given time.
The Poplars Inclusive Education Centre is also supported by the wider community through:
- Community Health – Speech and OT Departments
- Autism SA
- Down Syndrome Society
- South Australian School for Vision Impaired
- Catholic Education SA support – Disability Consultant and Behaviour Education Consultant
- Private practitioners sourced by the families through their NDIS package
The Poplars
The aim for all students that attend Tenison Woods College is to attend mainstream class; for some this is achieved quickly and for others this does not happen so quickly. Some students remain part of The Poplars Inclusive Education Centre for all of their lessons but this is rare and is only for students requiring all daily living skills. Within The Poplars Inclusive Education Centre there are three classes catering for between thirty and forty students.
Students in The Poplars Inclusive Education Centre have diagnosed disabilities, generally Intellectual Disability and Autism and struggle to cope in the mainstream setting. Each student has Individual Education Plans which are carefully prepared by their teacher in consultation with families. The special education staff meet regularly with families to ensure that the expectations and needs of all involved are being met.
As part of the Inclusive Education team we have three teachers and numerous support co-educators. The Poplars is managed by Alex Window and Natasha Davis.
Students in The Poplars Inclusive Educational Centre learn the basics of reading, writing and maths. They also learn a range of life skills through programs involving cooking, shopping, bowling, woodwork, gardening, dancing and swimming.
For further information about the Poplars Inclusive Education Centre
please read the Poplars Information Handbook.
