Disability & Inclusion

Courtenay Gardens Primary School has a number of students with special needs who are supported by the Disability Inclusion (DI) funding model (formerly Program for Students with Disabilities, or PSD). This support is provided by Education Support (ES) staff throughout the various grade levels and overseen by our Disability and Inclusion Leader Kate Kelly. ES support students by modifying work, helping students engage, offering movement and brain breaks or by supporting the classroom teacher. Students receive support for part of the day or week depending on their needs and funding level. Some students also participate in speech therapy or occupational therapy provided by the school.

In order to qualify for Disability Inclusion funding, students are required to meet criteria showing they need substantial and extensive adjustments at school in order to access the curriculum. Applications are completed through our Disability Inclusion team and provided to DET. Any funding is then allocated to the school to use as the school sees best to support that student. Individual learning goals are set at Student Support Group Meetings which are held each term. Parents are always invited to attend and work together with the teacher to discuss goals in their child’s Individual Education Plan.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Courtenay Gardens Primary School provides an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program for students from Prep to Year 6. Currently, approximately 55% of our students are identified as EAL learners. The program supports students to develop their English language skills so they can successfully access the curriculum and participate fully in school life.

EAL instruction focuses on oral language, vocabulary development, reading, and writing through explicit and targeted teaching. Students with higher language learning needs are provided with additional support through small-group intervention programs or targeted teaching sessions. EAL strategies are also embedded within classroom programs to ensure all learners can engage successfully with the curriculum.

Students are identified for EAL support based on their English language proficiency and learning needs. Progress is monitored using the Victorian EAL Curriculum, and eligible students receive EAL reporting as part of their academic reports, reflecting their development in English language proficiency.

Literacy Intervention 

CGPS provides a research-informed literacy intervention program to support students who require additional assistance in developing their reading, spelling, and writing skills. The program is grounded in a Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) approach, ensuring students receive explicit, structured instruction that follows a consistent sequence of phonics development.

Intervention is available to students across the school who have been identified as having gaps in their phonics knowledge and skills. Regular assessment and progress monitoring enable teachers to identify specific areas of need and provide targeted instruction aligned to each student's stage of learning.

Delivered in small groups, the program combines evidence-based teaching practices with focused support to build decoding, encoding, fluency and comprehension. Our goal is to ensure every student develops the strong literacy foundations and confidence needed to become a successful reader, writer and lifelong learner.