Southern Peninsula
The Southern Peninsula Education Cluster is a collaboration between Rosebud Secondary College and three local primary schools – Tootgarook, Eastbourne and Rye. It has come together since mid covid discussions in 2020 and emerged as a strong partnership working to increase educational attainment and long term opportunities for children and young people in the area.
All schools have collectively embraced a transition to the Science of Learning. The two areas of focus initially are behaviour and literacy. MPF is supporting these developments in partnership with the Knowledge Society and their leaders in school improvement, Dr Tim McDonald who specialises in evidence based classroom mastery and Simmone Pogorzelski, who specialises in literacy and early years oral langauge.
Stage
Activity
Key Measures
Opportunities
Preschool
No Limits – speech and oral language intervention responding to low oral language levels in early years that inhibit access to reading and learning.
Oral language, phonemic awareness, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary and foundations required for learning to read.
Training and coaching of early years education staff in intentional play-based instruction, linking preschools with primary schools to support transition with shared systems, assessments and resources.
Primary Schools
Transition to Science of Learning – systematic synthetic phonics, direct explicit instruction, diagnostic assessments, core knowledge curriculum, classroom mastery.
Reading to learn by the end of year two. Reading at expected levels on entry to secondary school. Socially and emotionally ready for secondary school.
Evidence based practice adopted by all primary schools. Primary schools collaborate, share resources, information and training, linking with secondary school, streamlining transition.
Secondary Culture and Behaviour
Classroom mastery – whole school approach to teaching behaviour as part of the curriculum using direct explicit instruction.
With consistent explicit instruction classes are more focused and ready to learn. There has been a reduction in time spent settling classes and less student disruption.
An optimised learning environment benefiting teachers and students.
Secondary Literacy
Literacy – Training teachers in the Science of Reading working with year 7 and 8 cohort.
Ensuring all students are reading at expected levels and able to access the curriculum.
Secondary and primaries working together on similar strategies to ensure all children and young people are literate.
In Tune WithU
Music and Mental Health – Individual music lessons combined with emotional and social support for students and families.
Engagement in learning music, leading to engagement back in mainstream education. Wellbeing stability.
New ways of approaching major issues for young people with mental health and family instability.
Family Support
Family support and case management for families including mental health, material, referrals and advocacy, integrating with local schools and services.
Working with families on individual goals with financial management, education, physical and mental health.
Client led, locally based services that meet the needs of individuals and families in a timely, non judgemental way, connected with other local services.
Housing and Homelessness
Homeless Connections – intensive outreach for people who are homeless. SPLaSH bi-weekly laundry and shower program for people who are rough sleeping in rooming houses, cars or tents.
Building connections within community and with services, supporting pathways into stable housing.
Local support filling gaps in services in this area, responding as well as possible with very limited resources.
MPF is a Public Benevolent Institution with Deductible Gift Recipient Item 1 tax status. All donations are tax deductible. In 2017 the George Hicks Foundation made a ten year commitment to fund the operational costs of the MPF. Projects are funded with donations from our wide range of donors.