27 October 2026

Each year the Public Education Awards recognise the vital role our people and communities play in helping children and young people to learn and thrive. In this episode of Teach, you’ll meet the 2026 finalists for the Inclusive Practices in Education Award. This award celebrates the people and teams helping every child feel included, supported and able to thrive at school. It recognises those who build strong relationships with students, families and colleagues, and create a real sense of belonging in their communities.

Show Notes

Established in 2011, the Public Education Awards recognise the vital role our people and communities play in helping children and young people to learn and thrive. The Awards recognise excellence across every role in public education, including educators, leaders, support staff and employees working in corporate teams across the department.

Inclusive Practices in Education: This award recognises the people and systems that exemplify inclusive education and demonstrate outstanding practice to improve outcomes for learners with diverse needs regardless of their backgrounds. They personalise learning, value individual strengths, and build strong relationships with learners, families, and colleagues. They are inspiring role models within and beyond their sites, who also work collaboratively with their colleagues. They encourage a sense of belonging with our children and young people by partnering with families and communities to increase safety and build wellbeing.

About the Public Education Awards

Public Education Awards – 2026 finalists

The 2026 Public Education Awards ceremony will be held on 27 November 2026.

Transcript

Dale Atkinson: Hello and welcome to Teach, a podcast about teaching and learning in South Australia. My name is Dale Atkinson from South Australia's Department for Education, and today we are very fortunate to be joined by some people from right across the state. We're talking about the Public Education Awards, and in particular, the Inclusive Practices in Education Award. I've got some shortlisted candidates for the awards joining me from... We've got Dianna Pickett from Long Street Primary School. Hello, Diana. How are you?

Dianna Pickert: Hello. Good, thank you.

Dale Atkinson: Very good. Belinda Smith, who's the principal at Highbury Primary School and Disability Unit. Belinda, welcome to you.

Belinda Smith: Thank you

Dale Atkinson: And welcome also to Michael Hewitt, who's Deputy Principal at Kidman Park Primary School and Disability Unit. Welcome Michael.

Michael Hewitt: Thank you very much.

Dale Atkinson: Now, the Inclusive Practices in Education Award recognises the people and systems that exemplify inclusive education and demonstrate outstanding practice to improve outcomes for learners with diverse needs, regardless of their backgrounds. That's a big sentence but it's a very important topic.

Might throw first to you, Diana. You talk about embedding inclusion into every learner's experience. What does that look like at Long Street Primary School?

Dianna Pickert: For us, we want to make sure that everybody has a sense of belonging and has their needs met. We make sure that when students join our school we check in, we don't try and make the student fit a box. We work out need, functional impact, and then make changes to be responsive so that every child has an opportunity to learn, to thrive, and to have success.

Dale Atkinson: And what do the multi-tiered systems of support look like in, in your context?

Dianna Pickert: So we developed an intervention matrix to outline all of the different interventions that we run from tier one, two, and three across the school in literacy, numeracy, social programs. And so we use that to analyse data and inform practice. It has entry criteria and exit criteria, and check-ins with families along the way so that we're really structured and purposeful in responding to student data and student need.

Dale Atkinson: One of the markers that really jumps out when you look at some of the data sets that, that you present within the application that that's been received is around the number of reception students identify with those oral language concerns. Why was that a focus? Or what was the focus for you that's allowed you to achieve that outcome?

Dianna Pickert: So that work started in 2025 with our department speech pathologist. We had a growing need for language intervention, and so we looked at the specific cohorts of students and found a program which we implemented with their guidance and support. So we delivered it at whole class tier one intervention, and we have trained up an SSO who does double dosing for small groups. We've identified additional needs, and then we track and monitor that data. And so, we had the students learning, running through the program, and then meeting benchmark and exceeding that. One of our classes no longer has to do that program at all at tier one because they've met their need. For some of them, we've just got them running in a small group rather than whole tier one class instruction now. So that's been a huge success for us that we're really proud of.

Dale Atkinson: How have you balanced that, the personalised support with staying connected to the classroom and classroom learning? How have you navigated that space for your students?

Dianna Pickert: It has been a challenge, but it's all... We have a real focus on regulation before education. And so, we make sure that the child is regulated before they re-enter a classroom and so for some who are on really personalised timetables, it's based on where they are most confident in themselves, where they can have success, and so we timetable the classes with peers, either in small group or in whole class instruction, where they feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. When we withdraw, it's when we're really trying to hit a targeted niche specific for that child to build the skills for them to be able to integrate back in.

Dale Atkinson: And in terms of structurally, how have you managed your staffing and your resources to allow that kind of flexibility and nuanced support?

Dianna Pickert: In 2024 we funded our own version of a special small class. And we had a lot of people come in and do a tour, and speak to them about our journey. And so we've been funded this year to run a bespoke inclusion model from the department. That has been a huge help. Finding the right staff then to run our in-and-out model of interventions has been so important, and it's helped build the growth that we've seen across the classes and across the school this year.

We have put a lot of time and effort into upskilling our SSOs. We've moved away from being reactive. Our SSOs are partners, so each of them workout as I said before, the need for the child. Do they need a toileting partner? Do they need a regulation partner or a communication partner? And then teaching those skills. So yeah, lots of work has gone into upskilling and unpacking barriers and functional need, and then responding to, yeah, every, every child individually.

Dale Atkinson: You can really see the outcome from that effort. It's really impressive.

Can I throw to you now, Belinda Smith at Highbury Primary School and you've got your disability unit as well. What's the model that you use within your specialist settings to allow them to participate fully in school life?

Belinda Smith: Over time, we've created structures that, that's happened… so lots of things that we've put in place around, to start with, a governing council model. So we have a specialised position on our governing council for inclusion. For our kids, we've created our mainstream kids learning leaders, play leaders, where they can interact with our special options. We have buddies that they come across and work alongside their mainstream peers. It's working with the families and also a lot of professional learning for our staff, both our ones that are in our special options and our mainstream teachers and co-educators as well.

Dale Atkinson: Could be really interested in the in having this, the position within the governing council. What, what importance and how has that kind of shifted the focus for you as a school by elevating that within, within your governance structure?

Belinda Smith: It's certainly given a voice to our families and knowing that their voice is valued in having a designated spot. It's also had a flow-on effect to some of our sub-committees. So for an example, in our sports committee there, like we do our SAPSA and we do our after-school sports teams, but we also have another lens now that comes to go, "What are things that we can do? What partnerships can we create?" and we're a trial model now for an inclusive program through a uni to create opportunities for kids. So it's given a real validation that it's an important part of our community.

Dale Atkinson: And one of the things that's happened within your setting is you had your first specialist class in 2021, and that's now grown out to five over the last five years, four and a bit years. What have you learned across that journey?

Belinda Smith: That we make mistakes, and improvement is not linear. And, the important part is to reflect, come with a solutions mindset and try again. One of the things, and I think Diana spoke about it as well, we take the lead of the kids and their families. They know, especially the families, they know the, their child the best. Listening to what they're saying is really important. The other thing is to support staff and build relationships. They're the crucial ones. It's, like Martin says, the last three feet that matter and, and my role is to support that so that can happen in a positive way.

Dale Atkinson: Have there been things that have surprised you across that journey? Solutions that you didn't think existed but emerged?

Belinda Smith: Yeah, probably daily. Working as a team makes all the difference in a special options setting, whether that's special class disability unit or supporting learners in mainstream. Some of the things that surprise us are the little things that sometimes you think everything's gotta be this big, huge thing. But sometimes just saying hello and having a conversation. We have one mum… They've been with us for a term, and she just burst into tears at the end of last term. She said, "I just can't believe it. Adults in the school want to talk to my child." She said, "It's just so special." So I think, the little things make the biggest difference sometimes.

Dale Atkinson: It sounds... that's the kind of reward that you need to keep going sometimes, isn't it? That's, that sounds very affirmative. Now you've created opportunities specifically for students to take part in the camps, excursions and other leadership roles. How have you tackled that? What's been the approach?

Belinda Smith: So like with all of it, it's building upon what works. So this year we've introduced a House Cup ambassador, and one of our year six boys in our DU has that role this year. He applied for it, he won it, and he works alongside our House Cup leaders, sports days, special events. We’ve just had a Variety grant, and we have the opening of our playground, and he was there representing the school in his special top. We always make sure that when we're planning something like a camp or excursion, we have a lens of inclusion and how do we make it accessible for everyone. So, with our year three camp this year, we had our disability unit attend. Some attended for a day. One little boy stayed overnight, and our staff just go above and beyond to make that happen. So we had two of our staff members sleep outside the dorm so he could attend. People surprise us. Our staff surprise us, and they go to the next degree just to make sure that inclusion is a part of everyday life.

Dale Atkinson: And what does that feel like in the classroom and in the school environment? That must change the entire culture of the place, right?

Belinda Smith: It does. It certainly gives a, a better understanding for all our families, our learners, our teachers, that everyone's different and everyone matters and their journey's different. We had a Highbury Hub Day at the end of term. A lot of our families can't... They find it really difficult to take their kids to an experience like the Royal Adelaide Show, so we recreated that here for them where they could have that experience. So I think it's just responding, listening, and, enjoying those moments where family goes, "Thank you for creating these moments that they can have," and make it accessible to where the kids are currently at.

Dale Atkinson: Yeah. That's a very powerful message, Belinda, and I might throw off that to Michael. Is that something that you recognise within your setting at Kidman Park Primary School?

Michael Hewitt: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Our DU is very much an integrated part of the school, for sure, and they're involved in everything that we do, and we want to make sure that that continues as well. So that's incredibly important to us.

Dale Atkinson: And so what's been the approach and the journey for you, Michael, since you've been at Kidman Park? I mean obviously there's embedded inclusion that you're working on across the mainstream and specialist settings. What does that look like in your context?

Michael Hewitt: When I came on board, we were always doing inclusion really well. So it's about how we could take it to the next level. We wanted to make sure that it became that mindset of the whole community, so it wasn't just the individual teacher, it wasn't just the disability unit, it wasn't just the wellbeing leader or the team. It was everyone had a role to play including our students also. So I've set about embedding neuro-affirming language as well across the site, so that's making people aware of, our language is what we carry with us all the time. So we're able to, to up-skill everybody about how to interact with each other and ensure that, everyone has an understanding of where we're at and how people engage with each other.

So we did short little staff sessions as well around adapting our language using things like declarative language we're going for more strength-based language compared to that medical model as well. So that's been really important and students are also becoming more aware now of things like masking and dysregulation, so then our students are now noticing different things as well and being able to go to the adult or go to a trusted person and say, what do you need from me to be able to help and support you?" So that's, that's been really beneficial for us as well.

Dale Atkinson: How important have the daily wellbeing check-ins been to creating like a really cohesive and smooth environment for you?

Michael Hewitt: Yeah they've been incredibly important. What the wellbeing check-ins allow us to do is be quite proactive as well. So through these, it's a Google Form that students complete each morning. We've been able to find out, if there are friendship issues or if they're not sleeping or if their diet is a little bit off and that type of thing as well. All these little things that can affect our wellbeing and affect how we might interact throughout the day. So we've been able to then address that with the students and the teachers as well, SSO team also. So then being able to do these little things throughout the day for a student helps them engage at school. But we're also very aware and focused on that transition back to home also. So ensuring that we do all these little things where they might have breaks throughout the day, so then they've got enough cognition, enough regulation to be able to go home and have quality family time as well. So we're very aware and very embedded into ensuring that the whole community is catered for.

Dale Atkinson: And how are you able to structure that in terms of your staffing and management of the school day?

Michael Hewitt: Yeah. It's a juggling act, same with everything. But the… so it's, because it's first thing in the morning then all of those results go to the wellbeing leader and the wellbeing team. And then from there we're able to plan out throughout the day. There are a few key students in particular that will have regular check-ins, so that's all scheduled in. And then the ones who are a little bit more, they've come up out of the blue, as a leadership team we'll triage that and go and support that as soon as possible as well. And also checking in, sometimes it's just a quick little check-in with the teacher and a, a short little conversation with them, and then they're able to put different things in practice straight away within the classroom to be able to support them at that particular time.

Dale Atkinson: Oh, it's so incredibly powerful and what I'm hearing across all three of you is the kind of contextual nuance within your environment and your care and interest in each student as an individual. It's really impressive.

Might do a quick round the grounds. So, looking back on your school journey and your time in your roles, what are you most proud of?

Diana, I'll throw to you first.

Dianna Pickert: This… this is a tricky one to pinpoint one thing. My staff know every time I talk about what I'm proud of they take bets on how long it will take for me to start crying, because there are just so many great things happening. I think it's around the collectiveness and the school culture, and that's not just with staff, that's with families as well. Seeing the students make sure that everybody is involved, help them out if they see them struggling at a break time.

We've got a number of students who are eligible for special class or special school, and at the time of enrolment they didn't have a place in those other settings. And since they've enrolled with us, they've decided they don't wanna be on a wait list anymore. They've seen their children succeed. They're thriving. They're communicating things that they didn't think were possible in a mainstream setting. And for us, that is just huge, and to celebrate that collectively as a staff with the families and the services that come in and support and work with these students, we're, yeah, we're just so very proud of that.

Dale Atkinson: And so you should be, Diana.

Belinda, what about you at Highbury Primary School?

Belinda Smith: I'm really proud of our staff, our teachers, and our co-educators, how they support each other, the experiences they give the learners. We talk about, as a staff, we work to be the best versions of us, so we give the kids the best of us, and how they do that, support each other, especially if there are critical incidents and there are moments or medical things, and everyone gets in and supports each other, resets, like I could not be more prouder of them.

I'm proud of all of our learners and how inclusive and welcoming and caring they are. And I'm really proud, I think, of our families and the trust that they have in us, that we will do the very best for their kids. There's so many little things along the way you can mention, but so proud of the people in our community.

Dale Atkinson: Yeah. Beautiful. That's so beautiful.

And last but not least, Michael, Kidman Park Primary School, what are you proud of across your journey?

Michael Hewitt: I think I'm most proud of how just embedded our practices across the school really. How everyone is willing and has taken up the importance of inclusion. All of our teachers are amazing. They're very open-minded to, to trying new things. And yeah, it's, it can be challenging to ask people to change the little nuances in their language, and that's a hard thing to do, and they've picked that up, and they've run with it. And, our disability awareness sessions that happen across the school, and everyone's very willing to throw their classrooms open to anybody as well to come in and to, to be a part of that.

And our SSO team are very dynamic and amazing in what they do and how they've worked with everybody as well. And our students, the way that they've taken on board that neurodiversion and neurodiverse language is, as well, has been really good. And they're noticing things and ad supporting their friends and people along the way as well. So it's very something, it's very much something that that we are and not just what we do as well. So it's all, it's just part of our everyday life.

Dale Atkinson: I think that's a pretty good summary for all three of you. It's what we are, not just what we do.

Three incredibly worthy finalists in the Public Education Awards, Award for Inclusive Practices in Education. Joining us from all over the state, which is why there was a little bit of a crackle on the line. But Diana from Long Street Primary School, Belinda from Highbury Primary School, and Michael from Kidman Park Primary School, thank you very much for your time.

Dianna Pickert: Thanks for having us.

Belinda Smith: Thank you.

Michael Hewitt: Thank you very much.