Natalie Wise
Belle Vue Park Primary School, VIC
Wurundjeri
Teaching Fellow
Natalie Wise, Assistant Principal at Belle Vue Park Primary School in north-west Melbourne, has transformed the education experiences of vulnerable children, particularly in their early years of schooling.
Natalie addressed low developmental abilities in foundational students using a multi-tiered strategy, with a focus on oral language skills and explicit phonics teaching. A major component was leading the school in a two-year ‘Getting it Right from the Start’ literacy action-research project collaborating with major universities. This initiative reduced the number of ‘at risk’ students and laid critical literacy foundational skills. Natalie also facilitated the successful S.O.L.A.R. strategy in Years 3 to 6.
Natalie is passionate about collaboration and supports teachers and Education Support Officers resulting in high positive endorsement in Staff Organisational Health Surveys. She initiated free English language classes for parents with limited English and liaises with the school’s community hub offering allied health and Kindergarten services to ensure smooth transitions to school.
Natalie has led the development of new instructional models in reading, writing and numeracy with exceptional results. Addressing a decline in numeracy outcomes post-COVID, she led a Hume/Merribek Principal Network Community of Practice, developing a new Numeracy Instructional model.
Her leadership of the Inclusion & Wellbeing team includes co-ordinating RelateWell Counselling, demonstrating her commitment to student wellbeing. Her support for neurodiverse students ensures appropriate adjustments, curriculum access and fosters a sense of belonging for these children. Natalie’s leadership, commitment to whole school improvement and passion for inclusive processes is changing the lives of students and families at Belle Vue Park Primary.