Carly Barnes
The Grove Education Centre, SA
Kaurna
Teaching Fellow
Many successful teachers break down barriers for their students, and this is where Carly Barnes, a Highly Accomplished Teacher at The Grove Education Centre, a F-12 Special School in outer Adelaide, has found her stride. Carly’s school educates children and young people with disabilities at the profound end of the spectrum. Students also present with complex communication needs, Autism, and diverse sensory needs.
Despite these challenges, Carly wanted her students to have access to quality mathematics education. She developed evidenced-based tools and resources specifically designed for young people with diverse and special needs. Her initiatives enable all students to achieve personalised goals, and all teachers to use consistent language to plan and collect data.
Carly’s efforts have achieved some incredible results. 90% of students have achieved their goals, including 100% of First Nations students. Her drive to support student independence comes from her passion and dedication to maximise post-school pathways and expand life opportunities for all her students.
Carly regularly shares her practice with other staff at weekly meetings and through classroom observations, as well as with teachers in other areas and interstate. Her incredible work is credited with not just breaking down barriers in mathematics for her students, but creating equitable education that helps to break down the special school/mainstream school divide.