Post by Queensland Department of Education

When Wendy started teaching more than 20 years ago, she remembers maybe one student in the whole school with complex needs. Today, it can be 20-30% of the kids. Wendy is a Head of Special Education Services (HOSES) at Northern Beaches State High School. HOSES are responsible for the special education programs that deliver educational services to students with disability. She, along with colleagues Jasmine, a HOSES from Varsity College, Australia, and David, Deputy Principal at Redlynch State College, have spent more than two decades watching that shift happen. What hasn't always kept pace is the training. When Wendy was at university, disability wasn't a focus of her degree, and she finished it with no real training to support students with disability in the classroom. It's a story Jasmin knows well. She recalls her own studies the same way. 'I remember doing one unit on diverse learners. It really wasn't targeted for students with disability though,' Jasmin said. With up to one in four students living with a disability, that gap matters. It's what our new Investing in Teachers: Boosting teacher capability for students with disability plan is built to close. We're partnering with Griffith University and QUT (Queensland University of Technology) so teachers can earn a Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies or Special Education, or a microcredential in Inclusive Education Essentials. We're also launching three new capability programs for teachers and leaders through the Education Futures Institute, our professional learning branch. 🎓 It's something Wendy is keen to take up. For her, this work has always been personal. 'I have two children who have medically complex needs that I have been advocating for, and I feel that all students should have the same access as their peers,' she said. Ask Wendy what she loves most about the job, and the answer is refreshingly simple. 'It's actually the simple things. It's seeing the kids who struggled with something who have success,' she said. To our HOSES across Queensland doing this work each day, thank you. 🫶