NSW Government issues templates for preschool observations to support HLSN funding

The New South Wales Department of Education has created an optional set of templates to support community preschools in taking observations, particularly to support applications for High Learning Support Needs (HLSN) Funding under the Disability Inclusion Program. 

Users of the templates should note that the use of the templates does not determine the application outcome nor eligibility for funding.

Templates are available for the following types of observations:

1. Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequences (ABC) recording
2. Anecdotal observations
3. Frequency tally
4. Language sample
5. Running record
6. Scatterplot
7. Time sample.

All of the observation templates are also able to be  downloaded as a Word document here.

The templates have been adapted from a webinar delivered by STaR which has been funded through the NSW Department of Education’s Sector Development Program. View the webinar here.

Applications for HLSN funding are assessed on an individual basis. To be eligible for HLSN Funding, an application must meet the requirements outlined in the HLSN Funding Guidelines. Under the 2023 Guidelines, children with high learning support needs:

• have constant and ongoing support needs and require significant adjustments to enable them to engage with the educational program on the same basis as their peers, or a temporary illness or injury that requires short term adjustments to enable participation in the educational program on the same basis as their peers.

• require an individualised learning plan (ILP) that incorporates specific teaching strategies and specifies how interventions and supports can be embedded into preschool activities.

• require consistent adult support and guidance to engage at the same level as their peers (this may be provided by existing staff at the preschool and/or by employing additional staff to support the child).

For more information about working with children who have HLSN, please see here.