The AEDC takes place every three years and measures five ‘domains’ of early childhood development when children enter primary school: physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills; and, communication skills and general knowledge.
In 2012, 15.4 per cent of children in the suburb of Chapman were reported in the census as developmentally vulnerable in the domain of physical health and wellbeing.
Chapman elementary school principal Anne Simpson tells Teacher two018 census knowledge show that figure has currently fallen to simply 2.9 per cent.
According to the AEDC, being developmentally vulnerable in this particular domain means children may experience challenges that include ‘being dressed inappropriately, frequently late, hungry or tired.
Children ar typically clumsy and should have weakening energy levels’.
Chapman is a suburb in Weston Creek. In 2012, 12.7 per cent of Weston Creek’s children were developmentally vulnerable in the physical health and wellbeing domain – in 2018 the figure had dropped to 6.6 per cent. Nationally, over the same period, the figures saw a slight increase from 9.3 per cent to 9.6 per cent.
Two years agone, Simpson spoke to Teacher about programs and processes she introduced in response to the learning needs of the local children, in particular in relation to physical health
and wellbeing.
Among different things for preschool students (those within the 1st year of primary school), Chapman Primary set up a specific fundamental motor skills program and, after researching information on forest
schools in European nation, set up a Bush Kids program.
Reflecting on progress since then, Simpson says: 'Bush Kids and fundamental motor skills are now well embedded in our school curriculum with a strong focus on respect, resilience and independence.’
The school introduced a program referred to as Active Play, for which it won a grant.
'It enables the kids to develop gross motor and fine motor skills out in the playground while they are actively playing. We have also purchased equipment for the preschool children.
‘We have upgraded the playground to create it associate atmosphere wherever they need a giant house wherever will|they will|they'll} gambol and that they can do exercise.
‘Since 2015, we have had a whole school approach to health and wellbeing from preschool to Year 6 under the KidsMatter.
‘All staff have engaged in professional learning, our community has been immersed in the journey through workshops, our newsletter and Facebook posts, and children have participated in weekly social emotional learning activities. And, each fortnight children are rewarded for positive contributions to our school through our FRIENDS values.’
The latest AEDC data have not only confirmed strong improvement in the development of the children starting their first year of primary school but also shone a light on a
different domain on that to focus – and Chapman elementary school is doing this from educational institution and together with the parent community.
Simpson says the school-based domain results for Chapman show that the live of vulnerability for Language and psychological feature skills was eight.8 per cent in 2018.
‘Results were shared with educational institution and preschool workers by the team leader, the executive teacher of preschool and kindergarten, as a component of our data conversations,’ she says.
‘Each professional learning team at Chapman is released from face-to-face teaching.
This time is devoted to cooperative conversations concerning what the info is telling United States of America.’
Simpson says the AEDC is just one piece of the puzzle. ‘We use multiple sources of data and are not limited to AEDC, therefore [the results] were discussed in relation to other data.'
Each kinder teacher administers the PIPS (Performance Indicators in Primary Schools).
‘Therefore their observations and conversations with every kid were extremely relevant – the info profile came later.
‘This data, our PIPs knowledge and anecdotal and data-based knowledge provides academics with insight into each child’s learning capabilities.
‘Oral language skills may be a focus for educational institution and that they have recently run workshops with folks with attention on the importance of oral language.
The school has also purchased reading support materials that focus on decoding and phonemic awareness.’
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