Supporting your child
How we help keep your child safe and supported at school.
Your child’s teacher is your partner in supporting their education. They will let you know the best way to keep in touch with them and find out about your child’s progress. Keep your child’s teacher informed of any changes in your child’s life that may affect their learning or enjoyment of school.
Additional support staff at school
Public schools provide a range of other staff who contribute to personalised learning and support for students where needed.
These positions can include:
Learning and Support teachers and School Learning Support Officers
Specialist Vision and Hearing Itinerant teachers
English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) teachers
Community information and Liaison Officers
home school liaison officers
Aboriginal Education Officers
Aboriginal Education Committee.
Contact your school office if you think your child would benefit from these support services or you would like to know more.
Students with disability and additional learning and support needs
NSW public schools provide a range of specialist services to support students with additional learning and support needs. This includes support for students’ diverse needs in learning or behaviour, students with disability, students with additional health and wellbeing needs.
Every mainstream NSW public school has a learning and support teacher who works in the school to support students with disability.
If your child has a disability or additional needs, start by talking to your school. The school will have a meeting with you to find out more and talk about how they can help.
A school can make reasonable adjustments for your child – for example, changes to lessons, or to the classroom, or even big changes like putting in ramps or doing building work. You know your child best, so it is important to have early conversations so that you and the school can work together to come up with a plan.
Your child might do well in a mainstream classroom with a bit of extra support, or the school might suggest applying for a placement in a support class. These are classes for children with much higher levels of need. They can be at a local public school, or at a school for specific purposes. The school will discuss the options with you and will help you with the application process.
School counselling and support services
All NSW public schools have access to psychological expertise through the school counselling service. School counselling staff can help students who are having difficulties at school or home. They can connect families with services outside of school if needed. You may make an appointment to access the school counselling service by contacting the school.
Inclusive education in schools
Inclusive education ensures all that students, regardless of differences, can fully participate in learning with their peers.
The NSW Department of Education values diverse school communities and is dedicated to creating an inclusive education system that includes every student, regardless of disability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, nationality, language, gender, sexual orientation, or faith. This is done by making customised changes and using teaching methods that address the specific needs of each student
Our culture, policies, and everyday practices support the integration of inclusion throughout school life.
Find out more about starting school with additional needs.
Anti-bullying environment
All NSW public schools actively prevent student bullying and encourage appropriate behaviour by helping students build social skills and respect for others.
Schools develop their own anti-bullying plan, which include strategies to reduce bullying behaviour, cyberbullying or harassment, and school staff are trained to respond to these situations. Contact the school for a copy of your school’s anti-bullying plan or to report a concern.
Support services
Discover free mental health support tools, helplines and services available to your child and the family.
Next up ➜
You have a legal responsibility to send your children to school every school day. Learn more about attendance and reasons for absence in primary school.