At Mount Carmel College, one of our Core Values is excellence. Through our Teaching and Learning programs, we support our students in the pursuit of excellence in all its forms through a range of additional programs. These programs endeavour to identify, support, encourage and unlock the potential of students with specific learning needs or special requirements.
The Mary MacKillop Unit is a specialist education facility supporting full-time students with a mild/moderate intellectual disability. This educational focus comprises students in both the Middle Years and Senior Years, which may include some SACE units.
Mount Carmel College expects that all students achieve their full academic, personal and social potential. Gifted and talented students exist in all cohorts and the College adheres to the Australian Government Quality Teacher Program (AGQTP) which recommends a multi-dimensional approach to identifying and meeting the needs of these students. This incorporates access to transition information including:
We understand that giftedness, potentiality in one or more domains, and talent, realisation and performance in a range of fields, (Gagne, 2006) can be both readily evident or masked by underperformance. We take this into account when identifying students for whom exceptional educational programming may be appropriate.
Teachers are made aware that the interaction of natural potential and environmental factors influences the manifestation of exceptional ability in the developing child. It is therefore imperative that teachers, counsellors, families, CESA consultants and external providers be collaborative in their approach to identification and programming.
All students are given the opportunity of expressing their abilities through the provision of high quality teaching and challenging curriculum and curriculum extension activities. As gifted students do not form a standardised group, a range of means of meeting their needs are considered including:
Mount Carmel College, in partnership with families and the wider community, provides support for students with a range of learning needs. Our approach is founded on the belief that every student is unique and deserves to be part of an inclusive learning environment that nurtures the development of their individual potential.
We are committed to providing relevant programs and support that caters for the needs of individual students at all stages and in all aspects of the curriculum. We encourage contemporary, creative and flexible practices to provide opportunities for success and to foster students’ lifelong learning. We aim to identify the specific needs of all our students through a variety of methods including transition meetings and internal observations and assessments.
Classroom teachers are supported in assisting students by providing clarification of tasks and the utilisation of visual and verbal cues. In some instances alternative assessment tasks are negotiated in order for students with particular disabilities or difficulties to demonstrate learning.
Relevant use of Information Technology including supportive software is of great value to specific students in accessing information and completing tasks.
We provide:
The Director of Inclusion works in collaboration with the College Leadership Team and accesses the services of Catholic Education South Australia’s (CESA) Special Education Team as well as many valuable external support providers.
Mount Carmel College aims to support Aboriginal/Indigenous students to be culturally strong, confident and successful in their learning, development and choices. Learning support is provided through individual education plans, tutoring and liaison with tertiary institutions and community organisations.
EAL support is provided to students whose first language is not English or those whose families speak languages other than English at home. This support is delivered via a structured language development program offered throughout the school year.
Students in Years 8 and 9 have the opportunity to attend after-school study lessons. These sessions allow students to complete homework tasks and undertake private study under the supervision of teaching staff.
As part of our ongoing commitment to student education at the College, we run a twice weekly Study Group for students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to develop independent study skills and provide some individual support to all students who wish to attend.
The Senior Years Study Group provides an excellent opportunity for students to complete work in a quiet environment, and with the additional support of teachers.
