First Nations students and

OOHC
 Varsity College –
Acknowledgement of Country

• Nabil Albarqouni (Yr 1)

• Vera Austin (Yr 3)
• Kainoa Tefaatau (Yr 5)
• Angelina Davis (Yr 6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHDpQX58OOU&feature=youtu.be
Focus of today
Learning Intention
• Review the Barna Jarjum Framework
• Share information on students identifying as Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander and students in out of home care

Success Criteria
• You will be aware of the SER Regional Office Barna Jarjum
Framework
• You will be aware of students identifying as Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander within your classroom
• You will be aware of students in out of home care within your
classroom
Out of home care (OOHC)
Out of home care (OOHC)
• For students in out-of-home care (OOHC), learning and achieving
good educational outcomes can be extremely challenging.

• Experiences of abuse and neglect, trauma, disrupted

attachments, removal from family and placement changes can
impact negatively on their functioning.

• Research shows that children in OOHC often experience poor

educational and life outcomes compared to other children.

• Long-term impacts: - lower rates of achievement in NAPLAN and

are more likely to not be in the workforce, earning or learning 6
months after completing Year 12.
 Varsity College OOHC students

Year 1 (1B) Year 4 (4H)

Bellaqueen Littlejohn Kayla Heydon
Support OOHC students
Education Support Plan (ESFP) is developed Term 1 each year

• Stakeholders Meeting with Carer(s), Child Safety Officer (CSO), relevant

external support agencies and Guidance Officer
• Collaboratively Identify student’s strengths/ weakness.
• Collaboratively develop goals in the areas of

• Participation – attendance and engagement

• Well-being – social, emotional, physical
• Academic – learning support, extension

Once completed the ESFP is signed by all stakeholders. This is then uploaded in
ONESchool under Support  Support Provisions  Education Support Plan
Varsity College Jarjums
(children)
Varsity College - Indigenous Champions
Sharon Ricardo
Beth Mitchell
The Barna Jarjum Framework provides a structure, vision, purpose and direction for
all SER staff to work with purpose and precision to ‘Close the Gap’ for every
Indigenous student.
 Varsity College
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Jarjums
Year Level Number of
students
Prep 2
Indigenous students = 2.1% (total 72 students P-12)
Year 1 5
• Primary Campus: 24 students Year 2 3
• Secondary Campus: 48 students Year 3 2
Year 4 3
Year 5 3
Year 6 6
Year 7 13
Year 8 10
Year 9 7
Year 10 6
Year 11 7
Year 12 5
Prep and Year 1
Year 2 and Year 3
Year 4 and Year 5
Year 6
 Further information

Primary Campus = 24 students

• 10 males
• 14 females
• 2 x students on ICP’s
• 1 x verification (ASD)
• 1 x FASD/ADHD (dual enrolment/transitioning to Toogoolawa)
• 2 x Specific Learning Disorder & ADHD (diagnosed)
• 3 x Identified EALD on enrolment
• 1 x medical (diagnosed anxiety)
• 1 x STEM Solid Pathways enrolment (Year 4)
• 3 x current court orders (trauma; transient and unstable care;
exposure DV)
• 1 x retention Prep (2019/2020)
 LOA English overview – Primary Campus

P-6
LOA data
D-N
Total
Total percentage
students - Total D-N D-N
Aboriginal Aboriginal Aboriginal Total students Total number Total
and Torres and Torres and Torres - Whole of D-N Whole of percentage D-N
Strait Islander Strait Islander Strait Islander School School Whole of School
Sem 1 2017 27 7 26% 1499 252 17%
Sem 2 2017 26 5 19% 1502 202 13%
Varsity Sem 1 2018 22 6 27% 1479 285 19%
College Sem 2 2018 24 5 21% 1489 205 14%
Sem 1 2019 29 9 31% 1514 227 15%
Sem 2 2019 33 9 27% 1531 190 12%
Sem 1 2020 22 4 18% 1506 222 15%
** Data does not include students on ICP
 2019

• Cultural audit
• 2019 planning document developed and
aligned with Barna Jarjum Framework &
Reflective of cultural audit.
• Respectful of contextual history of the College
and staff members
• 2019 Focus – Language, enhancing staff
awareness, environmental audit/planning,
creating momentum through planned and
continual engagement across the College.
Focused Operational Plan
2019 outcomes
2019 Outcomes
- Indigenous students data reviewed termly as part of Termly
data days and identification of whole of school support
- QLD Gov Acknowledgement of Country poster in each classroom
- Development of a Varsity College Acknowledgement of Country PD by RO staff. Attended by leadership,
student leaders in year 5 & 6; Indigenous students in Years 4-6
- Staff PD Cultural competence delivered by Ken Brown
- P-6 all staff, admin and leadership Trauma Informed Practice PD
- Development of Indigenous students Class Dashboard P-6 & 7-12
- Framed National Apology/Commitment Statement and on display across P-12 office environments
- New Flags and reintroduction of flags being up daily
- Desk flags: - Guidance Officers, Administration, Student Services, Executive Principal,
- Introduction of Acknowledgement of Country at meetings
 2020
• Cultural Audit to guide progress and direction
• 2020 planning document aligned with Varsity
College Success Strategy & SER Indigenous
Education Priorities Every Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Student Succeeding

• Data gathering
- Teacher AITSL standards (initial data
collection with view to more
comprehensive data in 2021 through
APDP process)
- Student Data termly reviews ongoing
- Bandscaling Indigenous students to
explore I/EALD
 2020 celebrations
• Development of Varsity College P-6 Acknowledgement of Country video
• Video in development –Yugambeh National Anthem sung by Year 2 class.
Shared with P-6 school community during Cultural week (Music on the Green)
• Acknowledgement of Country at end of signature block
• NAIDOC planning - P-12 competition artwork to be utilised for signature
block. Development of a video with Jarjums – celebration of country. Always
Was Always Will Be theme.
• Inclusion of Yugambeh word of the fortnight (Year 5-6 Bulletin)
• Distribution of services information re: covid-19 to families and check in emails
exploring support and access to online learning
 2020 Continues…

Student focused
• Primary
• Initiation VC Jarjums fortnightly yarn/lessons (Friday afternoons)
with Indigenous Champions (Beth & Sharon Ricardo). Develop
connection with students, establishment student voice, celebration
of culture, teaching dance/art/craft

Staff focused - Professional Development

• Primary
• Staff Meeting. Sharing of information, student information and
increased awareness
• I/EALD Professional development attendance by EALD staff member
• https://staff.learningplace.eq.edu.au/lp/pages/default.aspx?cid=265
561
• Whole school Cultural Intelligence PD (2020/2021) Previously called
Hidden Histories
2020 Continues….

2020 focus and ongoing work

• Employment of Identified Teacher Aide – 5 hours per week (Friday)
focus on Community engagement and relationships with students
• Student and community partnerships to guide future planning.
Restrictions permitting – Community partnerships morning teas/yarns;
families; Elders; Local community organisations
• Curriculum audit and planning 2021
• Varsity College Reconciliation Plan
• Development of Varsity College First Nation Jarjum Framework with
identified targets -
• aligned with SER continued focus not led by Indigenous
Champions – school driven
 Resources
https://indigenousportal.education.qld.gov.au/

Curriculum
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-histories-and-cultures/

Healing Foundation
https://healingfoundation.org.au/

Languages
https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/discover/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-cultures-and-stories/languages

My Language Matters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmS09FOobIA&t=2s

Little Yarns podcast (early years)

https://www.abc.net.au/kidslisten/little-yarns/

Dandiiri Library
https://issu.softlinkhosting.com.au/oliver/home/news?SAMLResponse=&clientAlias=&time=&digest=&corporationAlias=ISSU

Yugambeh Museum - learn the language

https://www.yugambeh.com/
https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/