Education Southern Peninsula
Over the last few years Eastbourne Primary Principal Stephen Wilkinson has been quietly leading a team of primary and early years staff to create a precinct of educational excellence in this area of the Southern Peninsula which has traditionally experienced poor educational outcomes.
One of the key developments has been the creation of the Seawinds Community Hub adjacent to the school and including the quality early education centre for 0 – 4 year old children. MPF is proud to continue the support of Foundation 59 and the George Hicks Foundation of the Capel Sound Children’s Project, a speaking and listening project that incorporates the Abecedarian program into all pre school work.
The Abecedarian project was developed in the United States in the 1970s, using a randomised control trial which revealed startlingly different outcomes for children in the program compared to a similar cohort not in the program over 25 years with respect to salient life measures including educational attainment, employment, relationship and housing stability.
This program dovetails beautifully into No Limits which both the kinder and school are a part of. Interestingly we note initial testing of No Limits children shows a significantly higher capacity in children in Capel Sound compared to other sites and we think this may be directly related to the Abecedarian work.
In addition to this, MPF supports the After School Tutoring provided by volunteer current or retired teachers and coordinated by Anglicare Victoria’s parent engagement worker. Individualised learning plans are created by lead teachers following individual assessments and implemented by one on one weekly tutoring.
MPF also supports the $500 transition scholarships which assist families facing the massive increase in school fees when children move from primary to secondary. In some cases the scholarships are also provided to students at the local secondary schools facing unaffordable fees for elective courses.
Scholarships of a different kind are supported at Seawinds Community Hub. These subsidise child care and kinder for children who are identified by specialist staff as having potential to significantly benefit from this support.