Aboriginal Education

We are Ingle Farm Primary School. We respect that we are on Kaurna land, a place where we live and learn. We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional owners and respect their spiritual relationship with Country and acknowledge that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important today. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and support the leaders of the future. We acknowledge their deep feelings of attachment and relationship to country and make it our responsibility to learn and grow from their knowledge.

Ingle Farm Primary School are fortunate to have Aboriginal families attend out school from all around Australia. We have families from South Australia, including Kaurna, Narangga, Wirandu, Meru, Ngarrindjeri, Andyamathanha and Pitjantjatara. Outside of the state we have families from Mangala, Pindjarup, Wergaia, Barkindji, Dharug, Wiradjuri, Butchulla and Yuru.

Aboriginal students and families are supported by the Aboriginal Education Team, Leadership Team, classroom teachers and Education Support Officers (ESO).

Aboriginal Education Team:

Annette (Wangu) Buckskin (Kaurna Elder)
Aboriginal Education Community Officer (ACEO)
Shaun Klingbiel
Aboriginal Education Teacher (AET)

Our current school priorities are:

Aboriginal learners build on their identity
Aboriginal learners see their culture in their learning
Aboriginal learners bring their culture to their learning
learners recognise the significant knowledge contribution Aboriginal peoples have made to humankind over millennia

Aboriginal Culture and Understanding is taught through:

Australian Curriculum
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority
South Australian Curriculum
Areas of Impact Action Cards- Equity and Excellence
Aboriginal dances and storytelling are incorporated in the Preforming Arts program
Songs by Aboriginal artists are performed by the choir

Teacher expectations are to:

incorporate Aboriginal perspectives into units of work
utilise the Aboriginal Resource website
add Aboriginal perspectives to planning overviews

School Events:

Reconciliation Week- assembly, cultural activities, open morning, parent morning tea
Village Fair- Aboriginal stall
NAIDOC Week- classroom activities
Support structures for Aboriginal students
Aboriginal girls groups
- Stars Foundation Big Sister Little Sister
- Students join their ‘big sister’ Stars for activities. These sessions are designed to familiarise the younger girls with Stars and help them bond with Mentors and older Stars students from Para Hills High School.
- Cultural Inclusion-Girls’ Group
Students work in small groups with Annette
- Gardening
- Story sharing
- Cultural activities- art, weaving, making
- Cooking
- Aboriginal boys
Nunga Boys Group
- cultural activities- traditional Aboriginal painting styles, dance, storytelling, games, Kaurna language for greetings, numbers, native animals, family members and seasons.
- learning about their own country- such as location, land formations, native animals, traditions, dreamtime stories, tools, ceremonies and hunting and gathering practices.
- yarning circles- to share positive life experiences, problem and solution sharing, values and social stories

Excursions and Incursions:

Didgeridoo making - boys
Weaving- girls
National Indigenous Tennis Carnival
Tea Tree Gully: Reconciliation river walk
Adelaide Kaurna Walking Trail
South Australian Museum

Targeted intervention implementation- Literacy and Numeracy

All Aboriginal students are assessed in spelling, reading, writing and numeracy. Support is assigned to where it is needed most. Progress is monitored to ensure intervention is timely and relevant. Students requiring the most support work with the teacher in small groups, and individually with an Educational Support Officer or Aboriginal Education Teacher and in targeted Waves groups.

Support structures for Aboriginal Families

Nunga Room Drop In- the Nunga Room is open every Friday afternoon for Aboriginal parents to freely chat with other parents, Annette (ACEO) and Shaun (AET) in a causal setting.

Yarning Circles- is an opportunity for families to meet with other families and Annette to discuss topics that are relevant to them. These include sharing information about support services, volunteering opportunities, school structures, external agencies, family backgrounds and general issues effecting Aboriginal families. Support agencies are also invited to share relevant information and answer questions.

Volunteer training- provided to Aboriginal parents, giving them the opportunity to work in the school.

Get-togethers- include picnics, BBQs and morning teas where families can meet and chat with other parents, leaders and the Aboriginal Education Team.

Family cultural activities- school based activities where family members work with their children to paint, weave and make bracelets and headbands.

Parent input

We have Aboriginal parents working on the Governing Council Committee and Reconciliation Action Plan Committee. We are always looking for more members to join. Parents also have a voice in yarning circles, parent and teaching meetings and by booking a catch up with the Aboriginal Education Team.