Jesmond Public School is committed to providing high quality teaching and learning for every student. This aligns with some of the goals in the NSW Department of Education’s (DoE) Strategic Plan for 2021-2024.
- All children make a strong start in life and learning and make a successful transition to school.
- Every student is known, valued and cared for in our schools.
- Every student, every teacher, every leader and every school improves every year.
- Every student is engaged and challenged to continue to learn.
- All young people have a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy; deep content knowledge; and confidence in their ability to learn, adapt and be responsible citizens.
- All young people finish school well prepared for higher education, training and work.
We work towards achieving this by respecting diversity and the views and contributions of others and by treating people fairly.
Situated close to the University of Newcastle and as a settlement area for newly arrived refugee communities, Jesmond Public School has a long history of diversity within its school community and student population. As a result, the school has one of the highest student numbers of Language Background other than English (LBOTE). We cater for and provide quality English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) programs and WELLBEING programs that address the diverse needs of newly arrived students to our school. For our EAL/D learners, there is a specific need to support and build the English language skills required for effective communication and access to the Australian Curriculum.
Within the EAL/D team, specialised and experienced staff work collaboratively with the Leadership team and classroom teachers to coordinate tailored programs that deliver English language support to increase student’s English language proficiency in order to be able to access the NSW Curriculum. In Australian schools, learning is accessed through English, and achievement is demonstrated through English. Each area of the curriculum has language structures and vocabulary particular to its learning domain, and these are best taught in the context in which they are used. All teachers are responsible for teaching the language and literacy demands of their learning areas.
EAL/D staff develop strategies and support programs when working with targeted students in a variety of settings. They include individual withdrawal, group withdrawal, in-class support, team teaching as well as building resources and collaborative planning. Student outcomes are aligned to the EAL/D Learning Progressions at either Beginning, Developing, Emerging or Consolidating based on the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority guidelines.
