A new round of state government equity funding will redress disadvantage at Wyndham Vale’s Iramoo Primary School.
Principal Moira Findlay said the $759,510 grant would be used to address disadvantage in five different areas of the school.
Ms Findlay said last Friday Iramoo primary had received the most equity funding of all schools in the Werribee electorate in a transparent system that allocated funding based on the students’ level of disadvantage.
The school has 419 students deemed ‘disadvantaged’.
“This is an awful lot of taxpayer money and we plan to use it to make a difference in the lives of our disadvantaged students,” Ms Findlay said.
MP for Werribee Tim Pallas said the extra investment was exactly what schools in Werribee needed.
“It means more confidence for every parent and the best chance for every child,” he said.
Other schools in the region to receive equity funding include Wyndham Vale primary, Wyndham Park primary, Wyndham Central secondary, Werribee primary, Werribee secondary and Manor Lakes P-12 College.
Ms Findlay said the grant would achieve several goals: “highly effective teaching and learning; attracting, supporting and retaining experienced specialist teachers, improving the quality of school leadership, ensuring safe
and supportive school environments and engaging parents and communities in schooling”.
“Over the years we’ve used equity funding to subsidise all sorts of things for disadvantaged students, including buying computers for them in grades four to six, half-price swimming lessons and even professional dance lessons.
“This funding will allow us to do even more of that sort of thing,” Ms Findlay said.
