Noah’s Ark and Dinjerra Primary School

Inclusion in action: a school partnership built on trust, expertise and everyday practice 

At Dinjerra Primary School in Braybrook, inclusion starts early. Before new Prep students have even settled into their first year, the school is already asking what each child may need to feel safe, welcome and ready to learn – and that is where Noah’s Ark has become an essential part of the school’s rhythm. 

Noah’s Ark’s Occupational Therapist Kimberly Doidge and Speech Pathologist Mary Lin work closely in the Prep year level and Prep transition, alongside Assistant Principal Catherine Robertson and Prep teacher Nerissa Hatton. Together, they observe, plan and think through challenges in the classroom, weaving support into everyday teaching. 

For Catherine, that is the point of true inclusion.  

“At Dinjerra, we believe every child has the right to be part of their classroom – not just physically present, but genuinely included,” she says.  

That means building a school where teachers, education support staff, families and specialist partners share the same goal: helping every child participate and learn. 

Starting before the first day 

Kim and Mary observe the students before they even start school – during Prep transition sessions – which means they can collectively identify what supports a child might require. Nerissa says this helps the Prep team “hit the ground running”. Teachers begin the year with a clearer sense of what is likely to help each child, and the whole class benefits from strategies that make the classroom more predictable and settled. 

“In Prep, children arrive with different strengths, needs and ways of engaging,” says Prep teacher Nerissa Hatton. “Some are ready for the routines of school. Others need more support with regulation, focus, communication and sensory processing.”  

If Nerissa is unsure what will help, Mary and Kim observe together, talk it through and trial strategies in real time. That might mean adjusting where a child sits, introducing a movement break, using visuals to support transitions, or offering a sensory tool. 

“Sometimes it’s as simple as a wobble cushion or some earmuffs,” Kim says. “I’ll just go and grab something and try it with the child – and if it works, I’ll feed that back to the teacher.” The strategies are practical and immediate, tried in the room, in the moment. 

A partnership built on trust 

Noah’s Ark’s relationship with Dinjerra began through support for individual students under the NDIS. Catherine had already seen how the team worked in classrooms – they understood the reality of school life, not just the theory. When Victoria’s Disability Inclusion Funding model was introduced three years ago, Dinjerra saw an opportunity to bring that expertise closer to the centre of its inclusion work. 

The school first engaged Kim for occupational therapy support, with a focus on classroom observation, practical strategies and building teacher capacity. As the partnership grew, Mary joined to bring a speech pathology lens to language, communication and social participation. The decision, Catherine says, was an organic one. The team already understood Dinjerra, and they approached therapy in a way that complemented teaching and learning rather than cutting across it.  

“They understand schools. They understand classrooms,” she says. “And from day one, they felt like part of the team.” 

Working alongside teachers 

A key strength of the partnership is that Noah’s Ark’s work happens within the classroom. Rather than taking children out for isolated sessions, Kim observes students in their everyday learning environment – noticing how they engage, what may be getting in the way, and what small adjustments could help. 

Mary takes the same embedded approach to speech, language and social participation. For her, building teacher capacity is central to the work – because the teachers are the ones in the room every day.  

“If I can build a teacher’s understanding of what supports communication and participation,” she says, “the impact continues long after I’ve left the room.” 

For Nerissa, this has turned support into something that feels less like a service and more like a genuine working relationship.  

“It’s not just me on my own,” she says. “We work together to solve things.” 

Building capability that lasts 

Noah’s Ark’s role at Dinjerra is not to replace teacher expertise. It is to add another lens. 

“Teachers bring a deep knowledge of curriculum, learning and classroom relationships,” Catherine says. “Noah’s Ark brings an understanding of regulation, sensory processing, communication and functional participation – it’s a different lens, and that builds teacher confidence to include every child.” 

That shared perspective has changed practice well beyond the Prep room. Kim and Mary support education support staff, contribute to Student Support Group conversations, and have become the people teachers seek out in the corridor when something’s on their mind. 

Nerissa says her own language and confidence have grown in ways she didn’t anticipate.  

“I can describe more clearly what I am seeing in the classroom, write more specifically in reports, and speak more confidently with families,” she says. 

Turning observation into meaningful support 

Each week, Kim and Mary complete a record of their visit – noting observations, strategies trialled, and recommendations made. Over time, those records build a detailed, evidence-based picture of how individual students are participating in the classroom and what adjustments are already in place. 

For schools navigating Disability Inclusion Funding, that documentation has real, practical value. It supports Disability Inclusion Profile applications, informs Student Support Group conversations and helps school leaders clearly articulate the work already happening around individual students.  

Catherine has seen this play out directly at Dinjerra.  

“What’s been the best outcome from working with Noah’s Ark is that we’ve been hugely successful with obtaining funding to take our support to a deeper level,” she says. “We’ve been able to employ Noah’s Ark to provide that deeper inclusion expertise alongside our educational expertise.” 

What inclusion looks like in practice 

At Dinjerra, successful inclusion often looks quiet. It looks like a child who can stay with the group a little longer, a teacher who has one more strategy to try, a family conversation grounded in shared understanding, or a classroom where support is woven naturally into the routine. 

The benefits extend beyond individual students. Visual supports, movement breaks, thoughtful room layout and clearer routines help the whole class. They create a calmer learning environment where all children can participate with more confidence. 

“If you walked in as a visitor, everything is just running seamlessly,” Nerissa says. “That’s not by chance. That’s from a lot of hard work put in place.” 

A model other schools can learn from 

Catherine is quick to acknowledge that every school is different, and has its own context. But she believes the model Dinjerra has built with Noah’s Ark offers a strong example of what is possible when allied health is embedded in school life – expertise working alongside the school’s own educational knowledge. 

“Find partners who understand your environment and who build your team’s capacity,” Catherine recommends. “This leads to more timely support, growth in teacher confidence, and students who are understood earlier. Inclusion becomes something that happens in ordinary classroom moments, every day.” 

“Noah’s Ark does that. It’s not about having someone come in and fix things. It’s about building the school we all want to work in.” 

Understanding the Disability Inclusion Profile (DIP) 

The Disability Inclusion Profile is a Victorian Government process that helps schools and families understand a student’s strengths, functional needs and the adjustments that may support them at school. It focuses on what a student needs to take part in school life, rather than relying on a diagnosis alone.

Schools gather information about the student, the supports already in place, and the adjustments needed. This evidence can inform individual education plans, Student Support Group discussions, learning goals and school-wide planning – and, where relevant, Tier 3 student-level funding.

Disability Inclusion funding has three tiers:

Tier 1 – core funding that supports all students through quality everyday teaching.

Tier 2 – school-level funding to strengthen inclusive practice and support groups of students.

Tier 3 – additional student-level funding for adjustments for students with complex and high needs.

At Dinjerra, Noah’s Ark supports this work by helping teachers and leaders observe, describe and document the practical adjustments students need in the classroom – building the evidence base that supports successful DIP applications.

Sources: Victorian Department of Education Disability Inclusion Profile and Disability Inclusion funding guidance.