At Gledswood Hills High School (GHHS), we believe education is important for all students, and regular attendance at school is essential for each student to achieve their educational best. 

Every day counts, as regular attendance helps our students to:

·         develop a sense of belonging

·         develop and maintain friendships

·         be more engaged at school

·         progress with their learning

·         be more aware of career and life options.

Supporting positive school attendance is a shared responsibility - everyone has a role.

When your child attends school every day, learning becomes easier, and each child will build and maintain friendships with other children.

Parents and carers can help foster positive attendance habits at GHHS by:

·         helping their child learn the importance of punctuality and routine

·         ensuring their child arrives on time from the start of the school day, ready to participate in learning

·         reducing disruption to learning where possible, by planning any necessary appointments outside of school time

·         promptly communicating any absence to the school (within 7 days of the first day of any absence)

·         working with the school to encourage and support regular attendance.

Please access the following links for further information about attendance

 Information for parents provides further information about compulsory school attendance.

Advice to parents and carers has further information about learning from home.

Read about the get ready for high school checklist to help with school 

All students are entitled to the right to learn in class and we work constantly to uphold a number of principles to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of all students at all times. Our students have all been introduced to our GRIT framework in which we have utilised the Positive Behaviours for Learning framework (PB4L) to support and reward students for working committedly in upholding our school values.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) is an evidence-based framework that brings together the whole-school community to contribute to developing a positive, safe and supportive learning culture. The framework assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people.

When PBL is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from:

·         reduced inappropriate behaviour

·         increased time focused on instruction

·         improved social-emotional wellbeing

·         positive and respectful relationships among students and staff

·         support for teachers to teach, model and respond effectively to student need

·         a predictable learning environment where staff and students know what is expected to deliver effective practices that can be sustained over time.

At GHHS, our staff will assist with attendance by applying strategies of support as necessary. 

Additional information

For further information, please read:

· the Behaviour Code for Students

· about PB4L

- Our School Behaviour Support and Management Plan (2025)

Consistent with the Department of Education’s policy regarding Child protection - responding to and reporting students at risk of harm, all NSW Department of Education staff are responsible for providing safe learning environments for students.

All staff at GHHS are required to recognise, respond to and report safety, welfare and wellbeing concerns for all children and young people in NSW Government schools and preschools regardless of their identity, location, cultural and/or linguistic background or disability status.

All staff are required to report any suspected risk of harm concerns to their principal, workplace manager or a delegated staff member.

The principal is responsible for ensuring all staff adhere to the policy and are aware of their obligations as mandatory reporters. Staff must ensure any suspected risk of significant harm concerns are reported to the Department of Communities and Justice and suspected risk of harm concerns are reported to the department’s Child Wellbeing Unit.

All staff must complete mandatory child protection training. This is completed every 12 months.

Mandatory reporting helps staff to identify the level of intervention and targeted support a student may require in assisting them manage a particular risk of harm. 

Additional information

For further information, please read the Child protection - responding to and reporting students at risk of harm policy.

Families are the first educators of their children and have a key influence on their learning and development. Schools also have an important responsibility in teaching and shaping the lives of young people.

Our partnerships with families and community organisations can help to create a consistent and supportive approach to student safety and wellbeing. At GHHS, we seek to develop sustainable partnerships with the community by:

·   proactively building collaborative relationships with families and communities to create a shared understanding of how to support student learning, safety and wellbeing

·   developing strategies to sustain culturally respectful partnerships with families and communities that are welcoming and inclusive

·   building partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and community organisations, such as the AECG, to ensure a culturally safe environment and a two-way reciprocal exchange of knowledge on wellbeing issues

·   building links with community organisations, services and agencies to assist in the early identification of need and to collaboratively plan targeted support for all students and families, including those from vulnerable groups

·   regularly monitoring and reviewing school capacity to respond to specific instances of student and family need to protect their safety and wellbeing.

Community partnerships support the development and wellbeing of young people. This is reflected in The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration 2019. Partnerships between students, parents, carers and families, the broader community, business, schools and other education and training providers bring mutual benefits and maximise student engagement and achievement.

The Family-School Partnerships Framework encourages sustainable and effective partnerships between all members of the school community. The Framework identifies seven dimensions of partnership building. These are:

·         communicate

·         connect learning at home and school

·         build community and identity

·         recognise the role of the family

·         consult on decision-making

·         collaborate beyond the school

·         participate.

At GHHS, we provide a curriculum that meets the requirements for all NSW public schools in line with the Education Act 1990, the NESA syllabuses, credentialing requirements, obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005.

Curriculum planning and programming aims to meet the needs of every student. Curriculum options and adjustments are negotiated through collaborative curriculum planning to reflect the learning and support needs of students whose learning is impacted by disability or disadvantage, and those identified as high potential and gifted students.

Schools and teachers use syllabuses to develop educational programs for students.

A syllabus is available for each course developed by NESA. These can be found on the  NESA website. NESA Syllabuses describe the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes that students are expected to develop at each stage of learning as well as:

·         an aim and rationale for the learning

·         outcomes and content

·         cross-curriculum priorities

·         general capabilities

·         specific requirements for delivery and

·         Australian Curriculum content inclusions.

Additional information

·         NESA website

Inclusive education at GHHS means all students, regardless of disability, ethnicity, socio-economic status, nationality, language, gender, sexual orientation or faith, can access and fully participate in learning, alongside their peers, supported by reasonable adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet their individual needs.

Inclusion is embedded in all aspects of school life, and is supported by culture, policies and everyday practices. We aim to build school in which every student is known, valued and cared for, and receives a high-quality education that enables them to excel.

We focus on providing students with an education that best meets their individual needs and supports them with learning to their fullest capacity. We also acknowledge the importance of parental choice refarding the type of education provided to their child. 

Additional information

Further information regarding inclusive education can be accessed via the Inclusive education for students with disability policy or the Inclusive learning support hub.

Planning for your child’s learning needs may require the school to work in partnership with you to identify their educational needs. Through discussing your child’s needs, you can work with us to determine how the school will provide adjustments and support to better cater for your child.

Planning for your child’s education should consider their strengths and interests, which are important for engaging your child at school. You might find it helpful to think about how you see your child's future at school and their life after school. You can also talk to your child about how they feel about going to school and any worries they might be having. Their friends and siblings might also be able to give you some insights into how they are progressing.

At GHHS, we will provide support for your child, although personalised planning may not be necessary in all cases. Planning for your child will be reviewed regularly, in consultation with you, and adjusted to meet your child’s needs over time. Usually, this is once a year.

We will also consider things like your child’s reading and numeracy skills, their language and communications skills, social skills, their school attendance, their health care needs, their wellbeing needs, their personal and cultural background, and their emotional wellbeing. Any documentation you have from health and other professionals such as doctors, nurses, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, audiologists or early childhood educators will also be taken into account.

Staff at our school will:

·         discuss your child’s strengths, interests and areas of need with you

·         help to explain what personalised learning and support for your child might look like

·         discuss specific learning adjustments that could be made to support your child, for example to the curriculum, to learning resources, to the way the curriculum is taught, assessment,or your child’s classroom environment

·         develop a personalised plan for you child’s learning and support, and

·         suggest any support groups or external providers who may be able to support you and your child.

Additional information

Further information can be found by accessing the following links:

• Identifying and assessing your child’s needs
• Adjustments to support your child

Through the process of social-emotional learning (SEL), students develop self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are important for school, work and life outcomes. Social-emotional competence helps students cope with everyday challenges and improves learning and wellbeing.

SEL develops understanding and skills to nurture a positive sense of self, promote respectful relationships, and build capacity to manage emotions, behaviours and interactions with others.

There are five broad areas of social and emotional learning that can be modelled, integrated across all key learning areas, and reinforced at school. They are:

·         Self-Awareness Recognising and understanding our feelings and our strengths.

·         Self Management - Regulating and expressing our emotions appropriately.

·         Social awareness - Understanding what others are feeling, being able to take their perspective and appreciating and interacting positively with diverse groups.

·         Relationship skills - Establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, constructively resolving interpersonal conflict and seeking help when needed.

·         Responsible decision making - Being aware of the consequences for ourselves and others when we make decisions.

SEL skills are reflected in a range of programs that promote working collaboratively, showing respect for others and managing emotions and behaviour. These programs support students across the care continuum and include:

·         social skills programs that target cooperative learning, collaboration, positive peer relations and emotional regulation

·         classroom management strategies that focus on teacher behaviour, student behaviour and teacher-student relationships

·         mindfulness-based programs, including cognitive-behavioural strategies and relaxation skills

·         programs that aim to develop personal and social skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, responsible decision-making and self-esteem building.

Additional information

Further information can be found by accessing the following links:

• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Be You Social and Emotional Learning

Transition to high school

Many schools begin a transition program during Term 3 and 4 of Year 6, or even earlier. Make sure you attend any orientation or ‘meet the teacher’ events offered by your school. It will make Year 7 easier if you know what to expect, how the school works and who to talk to about issues. In high school, staying in touch with your child’s progress may be harder than primary school as they may have a different teacher for each subject.

Going to high school can seem overwhelming for all students, but there are great support options available to help your child make the transition.

Support and additional needs

If your child has additional learning and wellbeing needs, talk to your primary school about their transition to high school. They can help you start a conversation with the high school to discuss and arrange your child's support. Your primary school can provide additional information to assist with this discussion.

Additional information

Please access the following link regarding the support we can offer for students with additional needs.

Rationale and Objectives

The High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) Policy promotes engagement and challenge for every student, regardless of background, in intellectual, creative, social-emotional, and physical domains. It ensures all students are supported to achieve their educational potential through talent development opportunities and differentiated teaching practices that address their specific learning and wellbeing needs. Inclusive HPGE practices ensure students from diverse backgrounds have equitable access to programs that challenge and extend them. At Gledswood Hills High School, our commitment to excellence is grounded in evidence-based approaches to identifying, developing, and supporting high potential and gifted students. It is best demonstrated through our Growth Framework and approach to learning.

School implementation

HPGE

Comprehensive identification of students

·       High potential and gifted students are identified across all domains (intellectual, creative, socio-emotional, physical) using a range of measures, including academic performance, teacher and peer observations, standardized assessments, and parent input. It occurs through year 6 to 7 transition, at enrolment, and within our Learning, Wellbeing and Inclusion framework.

Differentiated Teaching and Learning

·       Teachers embed differentiated practices into teaching practices to provide appropriate levels of challenge and support. This includes providing extension and enrichment opportunities around the four HPGE domains. The school’s Integrated Curriculum is an example of HPGE across the curriculum.

Talent Development Opportunities

·       GHHS facilitates enrichment programs, competitions, and extracurricular activities that allow students to develop their unique talents. These opportunities will be coordinated through the school Executive and Learning, Inclusion and Wellbeing teams.

·       GHHS aims to build partnerships with external organisations to provide additional opportunities for challenge and growth.

Wellbeing and Holistic Support

GHHS addresses the social-emotional needs of high potential and gifted students through programs that build resilience, collaboration, and self-regulation skills. This includes a dedicated weekly lesson that is dedicated to wellbeing and/or HPGE.