A unique Sydney Catholic Schools support structure is in place to optimise learning for all students. High-quality inclusive education is provided for students with diverse learning profiles relating to: giftedness, speech, language, communication, vision, hearing, literacy acquisition and post-school pathways. Central office diverse learning teams work with our classroom teachers to enhance their capacity to maximise learning outcomes for students. Specialists in these teams collaborate widely to consolidate an inclusive approach to learning. Each school also has dedicated learning support staff.

Sydney Catholic Schools provides reasonable adjustments to assist and support students with disability to successfully engage in learning. All Sydney Catholic Schools engage in the annual Nationally Consistent Collection of Data for School Students with Disability. Students with moderate intellectual disabilities and complex developmental needs may benefit from the educational program at Eileen O’Connor Catholic College Lewisham or our Specialist Support Classes located onsite at Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School, Hoxton Park and Good Samaritan Catholic College, Hinchinbrook.

Newman Selective Gifted Education Program

Exclusive to Sydney Catholic Schools, the Newman Selective Gifted Education Program provides a clear educational pathway, underpinned by contemporary research, for identified gifted and talented students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

The Newman Selective Gifted Education Program provides gifted learners with an authentically rigorous program of learning within the nurturing environment of their Catholic school. It caters to a variety of gifted learners by offering a range of opportunities that support students’ growth as a whole person, including their social and emotional learning and wellbeing.

Teachers experience high-quality professional learning in gifted education that allows them to engage in best practices to enhance the teaching and learning in their schools.

The Newman program at St Michael’s caters for students who have been identified as potentially gifted. The program offers students academic rigour, creative and critical thinking experiences and enrichment opportunities within a Catholic educational environment. Teaching staff are accredited in gifted education to cater for the needs of these students.

Each year the school hosts a Newman Symposium to showcase and celebrate the students enrichment projects across all learning.

Specific Learning Support

Through expert support and resources from Sydney Catholic Schools, we collaborate and deliver personalised plans for students who have cognitive or developmental disorders, sensory disability, autism, physical disability, and speech, language and communication disorders. These plans focus on specific educational goals and adjustments related to areas such as curriculum, communication and social skills.

Reading Recovery is a short-term preventative early literacy intervention that provides extra help to Year 1 students who are identified as the lowest achievers in literacy. It helps students catch up to the average reading and writing level of their class and become independent readers and writers. Reading Recovery is delivered by a specially trained teacher.

Students learning English for the first time are supported by dedicated staff within our school, staff from the Sydney Catholic Schools offices, and programs for new arrivals.

We are committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families to ensure students obtain a high-quality education as a platform for achieving their full potential.