One morning they might be helping a Prep student with a digraph from their new spelling list. Later, they could be breaking down a complex task for a Year 8 student or helping a Year 11 student access an assessment.
No two days are the same for the dedicated Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) who work across Haileybury’s Melbourne campuses, including Haileybury’s online school Haileybury Pangea.
The 38-strong team support Prep to Year 12 students with a wide range of additional learning needs, to ensure they are fully included in the classroom experience.
The role can sometimes be challenging and demanding, but each LSA makes a very real difference to the education and everyday school experience of the students they assist.
Supporting the LSAs to do their best work, Haileybury offers an extensive range of professional development opportunities that are designed to help each assistant strengthen their skills and build their confidence and expertise.
“Our LSAs are absolutely critical, without them, some students would find it much more difficult to enter the classroom in the morning,” says Laura Hawxwell, Haileybury’s Director, Individual Learning Needs.
“Our LSAs are worth their weight in gold for the level of support they offer our students”.
“They build connections and trust, offer students practical and emotional support, and they do all this with compassion, understanding and skill. The work of the LSAs at Haileybury is extraordinary.”
Appreciated and making a difference
This week is Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week, when schools recognise and celebrate the important contribution teacher aides make to student learning and wellbeing.
At Haileybury, that contribution takes many different forms. An LSA may start their day in Prep, then move to a Year 3 class and end in Year 11. The young people LSAs work with may have ADHD or dyslexia, or need support to help regulate their emotions, maintain their focus or navigate the demands of the classroom.
Sometimes the support is practical. Sometimes it is academic. LSAs may help break down classwork and activities into more manageable tasks, set up assistive technology so a student can access an exam online, or act as a reader to help a student better understand an assessment or activity.
And sometimes the support can be as simple as being the trusted person a student needs beside them.
The support provided by LSAs varies across campuses and from student to student. At the heart of the role is understanding what each young person needs to engage with their learning and to become increasingly confident and independent.
Support to grow professionally
Some LSAs at Haileybury are university students completing education degrees to become teachers, while others have TAFE qualifications in education support. Others have changed careers and decided that helping the next generation to make the most of their time at school is now their calling.
Whatever the background and experience of each LSA, they are assisted by a raft of professional development opportunities that help them continue to learn and build their skills and expertise.
For those studying to become teachers, working at Haileybury provides valuable experience as they work alongside established educators. They see evidence-based teaching methods in action, gain exposure to different year levels and learning needs, and build practical skills they can take into their future careers.
Exposure to professional development and expertise
“When an LSA joins our school, they receive a welcome pack and attend an induction process where they can shadow another LSA to develop their confidence. We also arrange professional development days and guest speakers – we have recently welcomed guest speakers to present on the topics of how to create neuroaffirming practices in the classroom and how to support students who present with more challenging behavioural profiles,” says Laura.
“This year LSA’s have completed training on topics including child protection and diabetes in schools and our LSAs can pick professional development topics they’re particularly interested in and we will support that as much as possible.”
The level of support, the broad scope of work and the opportunities to develop professionally mean Haileybury’s campuses are a popular choice for people of all ages choosing to become an LSA.
For those studying to become teachers, the experience also provides a valuable opportunity to see first-hand how different students learn and the difference individualised support can make.
More than a job
Chloe has been an LSA at Haileybury City since early 2025, where she works primarily with Junior and Middle School students.
”Student self-esteem and academic achievement are inextricably linked. My role provides not only the opportunity to mentor students academically, but to positively impact their lives, self-confidence, and relationship with learning,” says Chloe.
For Breanna, who is studying a Bachelor of Education (Primary and Secondary), working as an LSA is rewarding as it helps her better understand how she can support all students, particularly those with diverse learning needs.
“No two days are the same, and it’s important to be adaptable, modifying tasks where necessary to best support each students individual learning needs,” says Breanna.
“Some days can be more challenging than others but there is always a moment in the day when a student does something that makes you proud of their achievements.”
It is those moments that perhaps best capture the impact of Haileybury's LSAs. Their work may not always be highly visible, but for the students they support, it can make an enormous difference.
“Every day, the work they do in our classrooms matters,” says Laura.
