EDU20023 Placement Setting

Understanding the School’s Demographic

Students:
- Large portion of students have mental/health issues

• Big emphasis on wellbeing

- Come from 150 postcodes

• Large travel times

• Possible family disconnect from being so far away from their student’s school

- Medium to high socioeconomic backgrounds

- Varying amounts of genders

• Higher proportion of females to males

• Also a high number of students who do not identify as ‘male’ or ‘female’

- Majority of students are caucasian descent

• Minimal amount of diversity

- Cultural

- Linguistic

- Religious

- Students have varying dietary requirements

- Large portion of the student demographic are progressive

- Did not come from feeder schools

• Some students come from private schools

• Most students are here as a result of not being accepted in ‘traditional’ school settings

- Students are treated as if they are adults

• A ‘university’ setting

• Casual clothes

• First name basis with all teachers

Teachers:
- Small amount of full time staff

- Teachers are designated to their department and year levels

- Teachers often liaison about student issues

- Wellbeing staff are always available

• Drug and alcohol counsellor

• School nurse

• School counsellor

• Careers counsellor

- Expected to act professionally, but there is always a casual element to the manner in which they
present themselves to students and fellow staff

Structure of school:
- VCE, VCAL and VET subjects only

• Year 10s, 11s and 12s

- Wednesdays are not compulsory for students

• Staff use the day for meetings, catch up on administrative work and planning

• Students use the day to make up missed work/assessments or to study