Support Services
CHAPLAIN
Canberra Grammar School is an Independent Anglican school that welcomes students of all backgrounds and faiths. Canberra Grammar School recognises that our student body is diverse, and we respect the variety of religions and traditions within our community. We seek to be sincere, open-minded and reflective in spiritual matters, rather than assertive or dogmatic. The School Chaplain assists educators to nurture the spiritual dimension of our children.
The Chaplain cares for the entire School community, from students in the Early Years through to Year 12, their families, former students, members of staff and their families.
SCHOOL COUNSELLOR
Complementing and working closely with the Individual Learning Team is the Primary School Counsellor. The Primary School Counsellor is dedicated to assisting educators as they undertake their responsibility for enabling student care and development. Our Counsellor is available to students and families to support student development, help them to find useful strategies, and to assist with the entry of new students into the School. Providing individual counselling, students’ social, personal and learning capabilities are strengthened through involvement with the Counsellor.
Referral to the Counsellor is undertaken via the class teacher, Campus Director and the Head of the Individual Learning Team, in consultation with families.
DEFENCE SCHOOL MENTOR
The Defence School Mentor supports Defence family students through a Defence School Mentor Programme which focusses on four pillars: welcoming, integration, farewelling and absence support. The programme recognises that, due to the Defence lifestyle, children of Defence families may at times be impacted by mobility, parental absence, uncertainty, isolation from extended family support, and fractured friendships. This includes supporting children of full-time members, Reserves, lateral recruits, members who have recently transitioned out of Defence and foreign members, if required.
Parents can contact the Defence School Mentor to discuss a student’s transition into the School, Defence-related issues that may affect a student (such as parental absence on service), or to obtain information if they are relocating by emailing defenceschoolmentor@cgs.act.edu.au
LEARNING DEVELOPMENT TEAM
The members of the Individual Learning Team focus their work on supporting teachers and Campus Directors in the presentation of learning programmes, that are responsive to the needs of all students. Consisting of a variety of teachers with complementary experience and qualifications, the Team monitors student progression – encouraging excellence, the attainment of potential, and the promotion of self-confidence.
The Individual Learning Team delivers targeted individualised and small group intervention programmes, oversees the summative assessment programme of the School, supports class teachers in the differentiation of the learning programme, and works closely with parents and out-of-school health professionals to provide a holistic approach in the augmentation of student achievement. The Team uses a ‘Response to Intervention’ framework including universal screening, tracking and a three-tiered model of intervention. In particular, the Team is focused on meeting the diverse learning needs of:
- Students who require academic support
- Gifted and talented students
- Students with a disability; and
- Student for whom English is an Additional Language or Dialect.
The team creates and contributes to the Primary School Procedures for the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with a Disability centered on the Disability Standards for Education 2005 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
The Team also oversees opportunities offered by CGS, including the da Vinci Decathlon, Gateways, Maths Challenge, and ICAS.
HEALTH CLINIC
Canberra Grammar School runs a fully operational Health Centre on its Southside Campus. The centre is staffed by registered nurses who offer advice and assistance to other members of staff as they provide care for our students. Students who become unwell while at School are provided assistance by the nurses at the centre, with parents informed of the care provided. The Health Centre staff also liaise with and assist parents in ensuring that current and necessary health plans are in place for students with identified medical needs.
