Learning Centre

Programs

The Carine Senior High School Learning Centre Office is located downstairs in E Block. The learning centre serves students through a range of programs including Literacy Support and Numeracy Support for those who require it.

There is a range of support available for students with additional needs including the following Lower School programs.

Core English and Maths

Students, in groups of no more than 16, attend Core Mathematics in Years 7 to 9 and/or English in Years 8 to 10. Extensive testing is undertaken before and during the program to determine accurate placement, with Documented Plans outlining specific focus skills for students when required. Some students have specific additional needs, while others need a shorter term placement to “catch up” and re-enter mainstream classes during the year.

Education Assistants

Staff in the Learning Centre value effective, collaborative relationships with teachers. We are fortunate at Carine SHS to have a dedicated and committed group of education assistants. Having an education assistant working with teachers in classes provides many opportunities for enhanced support of group work and individual learning. Education assistants will not necessarily sit with an assigned student and work specifically with them, they will assist a range of students in the class. This not only allows all students to develop independence skills, but also allows teachers and education assistants to support all other students to extend the scope of their abilities.

If you would like to know anything further about the Carine Senior High School Learning Centre Programs, please contact Learning Centre Manager, Wendy Evans on 6235 7500 or via email
wendy.evans2@education.wa.edu.au.

Students with Individual Needs

Some students who have individual needs fulfil the criteria set by the Department of Education for allocation of additional funding for school-based support (often in the form of Education Assistant time). Support is specifically allocated to students, ranging from Level 1 to Level 3. It is part of the role of the Learning Centre Manager to both apply for the support funding through Disability Resourcing and allocate this funding to provide support according to students’ learning and safety needs. Each special needs student is required to have a Documented Plan and meeting times will be arranged throughout the year to allow all teachers and parents to have input into the plan. Staff will receive some information about the specific disability of the special needs student in their class. Time is always available to talk to Learning Centre staff further about specific information regarding students.

Extra Literacy and Extra Numeracy Programs

The Extra Literacy and Numeracy programs are Year 7 to 10 courses. These programs provide additional literacy and numeracy support for selected students. Students in the Year 7 Extra Literacy Program are placed in the Focus English class to maximise the support they receive in their first year of high school. The lower student to teacher ratios allow for intensive literacy support and skill-building. The Extra Literacy and Numeracy Program selection process begins when the students are in Year 6 and involves the collection and evaluation of information from Year 6 teachers, as well as results from the Carine SHS Placement Test and NAPLAN results. Selected students are invited to participate through a letter sent home to parents/guardians. Participation in this program is voluntary, conditional on parental consent. The Extra Literacy and Numeracy classes are timetabled at the same times as French classes in Years 7 and 8,
so students who do Extra Literacy or Extra Numeracy will not study an additional language. A student cannot undertake both Extra Literacy and Extra Numeracy.

Extra Literacy and Extra Numeracy are also offered as electives in Years 9 and 10 to continue literacy and numeracy support for students who would benefit from ongoing help in improving their reading and writing skills through targeted and engaging programs. As achieving Category 3 for the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) is a prerequisite for attaining a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), these electives will be appropriate for many students.