MPF is excited to acknowledge and celebrate an outstanding donation of $300,000 from The Ross Trust, supporting the Learning Enhancement Program – part of the Western Port Learning Guarantee. With 70% of students enrolling in year 7 not at expected levels in some schools on the peninsula, this funding is an enormous contribution to an initiative directly addressing very low rates of readiness for secondary school.
Through assessment and targeted intervention in literacy using evidence based systematic synthetic phonics, the Learning Enhancement initiative is a consistent whole school response to learning intervention. But wellbeing is central to secondary school readiness too, so a key component of Learning Enhancement is dedicated coordinated response to child trauma and family stress. It’s about supporting the wellbeing of students and families in the primary schools, identifying issues of concern early, working directly with students and families in partnership with local family services to assist with the transition to the secondary school environment.
On behalf of participating schools, Western Port Secondary College, Tyabb Railway Station Primary School, Crib Point Primary School, THANK YOU to Sarah Hardy, Meghan Weekes and the trustees of The Ross Trust for your understanding and endorsement of the core principle of literacy being at the heart of disadvantage. MPF is proud and delighted to also partner with Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, Igniting Change and the Mellett Family Foundation, along with our community partner Western Port Community Support Centre and participating schools, in the Westernport Learning Guarantee and Learning Enhancement.
Photo: (From left to right) Chris Quinn – Principal WPSC, Tina Coumbe – Principal Crib Point Primary, Emma Slater – Principal Tyabb Railway Station Primary, Ross Wettenhall – Lead teacher, Learning Enhancement.