School School 08

From

South Australia, Australia

Functions

Government Primary School and Primary School

School 08 is a government, co-ed school in the suburbs of a South Australian city that was visited in Summer 2008. The school principal has worked very hard to improve the culture of the school over the past decade. A rise in enrolments to 250 and the improved morale of the school's fourteen classroom teachers are indicators of success.

10% of the students have an Aboriginal background, but most children speak English at home. 60% of the students come from low income families. Approximately 25% have a verified learning disability. There are special classes for hearing impaired children and those with disabilities.

The playground is large and there are a variety of playing spaces that the children use peacefully and imaginatively. There are a number of very strict playground rules that are policed vigilantly, within a context of a school-wide behaviour management system in which social education and conflict resolution are explicitly taught across all year levels. The students were happy and engaged, and they were clear about the expectations of their behaviour in the playground and confident and articulate when describing their favourite games. Students also appeared to enjoy the physical environment of the playground.