Supporting Additional Needs

Supporting Student Needs at Ferntree Gully North

At Ferntree Gully North Primary School, we pride ourselves on getting to know our students and their needs. In term 1 of each year, we have a strong focus on establishing positive classroom communities as teachers and staff get to know their students and how they can support them academically, socially and emotionally. We encourage parents /carers to discuss any concerns they have about their child’s needs and progress with their child’s classroom teacher or leadership at any time.

At Ferntree Gully North we have a number of measures in place to support our students, and encourage families, in need to reach out. We are fortunate we have worked to build a team around the learner approach and use the following internal and external measure and supports to ensure the best outcomes for our students. 

Student / Parent / Teacher Interviews

In terms 1 and 3 of the school year we host Student / Parent / Teacher conferences. In term 1 interviews are an opportunity to meet teacher and collaborate with parents, sharing information and observations about students. In term 3 we continue to focus on appropriate goals for students.

Student Support Group (SSG) meetings 

Where a child has additional needs the class teacher in consultation with the Assistant Principal may arrange a Student Support Group (SSG) meeting with parents/carers/ specialists, to share in the development of an appropriate learning and wellbeing plan for individual students.

SSG meetings are an essential strategy to build the partnership approach between home and school, providing an opportunity to share all the important information about a child’s learning and wellbeing, interests and needs, is shared and used for planning their development.

Individual Education Plans

Using a ‘Team Around the Learner approach’, our teachers may create an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students with additional learning / wellbeing needs or for students who reside in out of home care or identify as Aboriginal. An IEP is a written statement that describes the adjustments, goals and strategies to meet the educational needs of an individual student to enable them to reach their potential. An IEP is essential in guiding the educational planning and monitoring of a student’s unique learning needs. IEP goals are created and reviewed on a term-by-term basis, having input from teachers, parents and external therapists involved with the student.  

Levels of Adjustment Support

Students at times in their learning journey may require individual levels of adjustments, within the classroom. Teachers will work with students to create a level of adjustment sheet to support learning on an individual basis. These will be discussed with eligible students and parents at interviews and will be monitored throughout each term.  

Tutoring Learning Initiative

In 2026 we will continue to run a TLI program. Students selected for support through TLI may have complex learning and other needs. Tutoring through TLI is intended to build upon and be integrated with existing supports in the classroom. Students in the TLI program will be supported across the week, with explicit teaching in areas of need. Tutoring is delivered to small groups of students, and will be flexible across the year, with students moving in and out each cycle based on learning needs and data collected. This program initially will focus on supporting grade 1 and 2 students, a key learning time of foundation skills, before moving to other grade levels.

Disability Inclusion

Students who require adjustments under the National Consistent Collection of Data standards, and students eligible for NDIS, will receive appropriate and sensitive adjustments to their learning program. We use inclusive practices, and teachers will individual goals and strategies for each child that will be included in their Individual Education Plan. We apply for funding for students through the Disability Inclusion funding application process for eligible children. This process is overseen by the Assistant Principal working with teachers and families.

Therapeutic Assessments

Students who have been identified as requiring assessments (Cognitive / Speech / OT ), are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and must met criteria to have an assessment carried out by the Department of Education. Please talk to your child’s teacher or our Assistant Principal to discuss individual needs.  

Welfare Support

Our Wellbeing Officer provides needs-based and additional support to students and families in various ways. They offer some one-on-one support to students, refer families to external support services and when necessary, facilitate classroom workshops catering to specific needs, and provide resources for teachers and families to enhance their understanding and support system. They are here to ensure that every student and family feels supported and nurtured throughout their educational journey. Ang will be a presence in our prep rooms during the year as she runs our Kimochis social and emotional learning program. 

External Therapist supporting students At Ferntree Gully North

At Ferntree Gully North we are fortunate to have built a team of support workers with extensive experience that work with students with additional needs at our school. We encourage families to transition to use our services. There are many advantages to using our therapists.  Therapy can be carried out at school during the day, and our therapists liase with your child’s classroom teacher or teacher’s aide, ensuring consistency and support is carried through to the classroom. To access our therapists please contact Assistant Principal Priscilla Salter.

Speech Therapist

Meet Renee Singleton

I have had the privilege of working with students at Ferntree Gully North Primary School for more than 15 years, providing speech-language therapy and witnessing the school’s remarkable growth and development during that time. Since beginning my career as a speech pathologist in 1998, I have gained 25 years of experience supporting children with a wide range of abilities and needs, including:

• Speech-sound disorders
• Stuttering
• Learning difficulties
• Intellectual disability
• Receptive and expressive language disorders
• Written language and literacy difficulties
• Auditory Processing Disorder
• Social skills challenges
• Autism Spectrum Disorder

I believe that all learning is grounded in language, and I strive to help my students become lifelong learners equipped with the communication skills they need to engage confidently with their peers and the wider community. I am passionate about my work and value the collaborative approach—working closely with students, their families, and their teachers to support each child’s learning journey and help them connect meaningfully with the world around them.

Occupational Therapist

Meet Rhonwen Benn

Hi, I'm Rhonwen, and I’m an occupational therapist at Ferntree Gully North. This year marks my 13th year being part of this wonderful school community—both as a parent and as an occupational therapist—and I feel very fortunate to continue supporting our students in their learning and development.

In my role, I work with children who may find certain everyday tasks a little tricky. This can include practical skills such as tying shoelaces, using scissors, handwriting, catching and throwing balls, and developing strong fine-motor and coordination abilities. I also support students with social skills, play interactions, sensory needs, and emotional regulation—helping them understand their feelings, build resilience, and find strategies that work best for them.

One of the things I love most about my work is seeing children grow in confidence as they discover what they’re capable of. Every child has unique strengths, and my goal is to help them use those strengths to overcome challenges and thrive both in and out of the classroom. Working closely with teachers, support staff, and families allows me to create consistent, meaningful support for each student, and I truly value the collaborative spirit of our FGNS community.

I look forward to another fantastic year and to continuing to help our students reach their full potential.

Psychologist  

Meet Bonnie German

Hello, I’m Bonnie. I am a qualified psychologist and registered Interplay Facilitator/Therapist with a deep commitment to supporting children, young people, and families through relational, play-based, and trauma-informed approaches.

My path into this work began during nine years of part-time study while raising my three children. Balancing study and parenting shaped not only my professional identity but also my understanding of the profound importance of connection, co-regulation, and supportive caregiving relationships. By the time I completed my studies, I felt strongly motivated to bring what I had learned into meaningful practice.

I initially worked across a wide range of mental health settings, gaining experience with diverse presentations, needs, and developmental stages. Over time, I found myself increasingly drawn to the disability sector, where I encountered children whose strengths, needs, and ways of communicating invited creativity, patience, and attuned therapeutic presence. This work aligned naturally with my interest in play-based modalities and relational approaches to healing.

I have had the privilege of working with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, supporting children and adolescents across multiple care settings—including residential and secure welfare environments. These contexts often involve young people who have experienced significant adversity, disrupted attachment, or instability in their early relationships. My work in these settings has deepened my commitment to trauma-informed care and expanded my capacity to support young people with complex behavioral, emotional, and developmental needs.

Interplay therapy resonates so strongly with me. Its focus on connection, attachment, and co-regulation reflects the heart of what I value as a practitioner. Interplay offers a framework that brings children and caregivers together in the therapeutic space, opening opportunities for shared experiences, strengthened bonds, and greater understanding. It also ensures that the insights gained in therapy extend into the home environment, where everyday interactions become part of the healing process.

My practice is grounded in the belief that every child—and every family—holds inherent strengths and the capacity for growth. I strive to create a therapeutic environment that feels safe, playful, and collaborative, where children and caregivers alike feel supported, seen, and empowered. Through Interplay therapy and trauma-informed psychological practice, my focus is on helping families rebuild connection, deepen trust, and develop the relational foundations that enable children to thrive.