First Nations Education

Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive learning environment for First Nations students across our thirty schools. Our approach infuses the rich cultural heritage, languages, and histories of First Nations peoples. Leading the infusion of the ACARA cross-curriculum priorities, and the provision of culturally responsive learning environments that nurture and grow the genius of students – First Nations is a team of dedicated Consultants First Nations Education in the Directorate First Nations Education.

The Directorate ensures that students – First Nations, and their families, have access to and receive a world-class education that acknowledges, respects and celebrates their identities, promotes academic excellence by nurturing and growing their genius.

The work of the Directorate First Nations Education is woven through the Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns First Nations Education Policy which highlights a shared responsibility and accountability, effective procedures are in place across CEDC fostering the domains and descriptors outlined in the School Effectiveness Framework to have:

  • A strong improvement agenda for First Nations education grounded in evidence from research and best practice and expressed in term of improvements in measurable outcomes.
  • Focussed analysis and discussions of First Nations student academic, attendance, behavioural and wellbeing data to inform performance and measure growth across the system.
  • Culturally safe environments which promote community partnerships with parents, parish, and the wider communities to enhance student spirituality, wellbeing, and learning.
  • Effective stewardship of resources which aligns local and system priorities, focussing on just, equitable, and responsible decision-making and allocation.
  • Flexible structures and processes that enable schools to respond appropriately and effectively to the needs of First Nations students.
  • A culture of continuous professional improvement for First Nations education that includes on the job learning, collegial feedback, mentoring and coaching arrangements.
  • An active focus on the cross-curriculum priority of First Nations histories and cultures embedded in the systemic delivery of the Australian Curriculum.
  • Research and evidence-based practices that promote differentiation to support and monitor the progression of First Nations students, identifying their individual learning needs and tailoring the learning activities to their level of readiness.
  • Effective pedagogical practices including culturally responsive pedagogies, grounded in research and evidence-based, to ensure First Nations students are engaged, challenged, and learning successfully.
  • School community partnerships fostering the engagement of First Nations families and communities to improve opportunities and outcomes of First Nations students.
  • Evidence based practices in place to effectively transition students at appropriate transition points.

The Directorate First Nations Education has a strong focus on:

  • School Effectiveness
  • Early Years
  • Transitions – at all points of engagement
  • Student agency – this includes student voice, agency, leadership and social capital
  • School and community partnerships
  • Parents as learning partners
  • Attracting, nurturing and growing First Nations employees across the Diocese
  • Professional learning experiences that nurture and grow Culturally responsive Catholic Education staff
  • Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Properties (ICIP)
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