Student Wellbeing & Engagement 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all students and members of our school community understand:

• our commitment to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for students
• expectations for positive student behaviour
• support available to students and families
• our school’s policies and procedures for responding to inappropriate student behaviour.

Moolap Primary School is committed to providing a safe, secure and stimulating learning environment for all students.  We understand that students reach their full potential only when they are happy, healthy and safe, and that a positive school culture helps to engage students and support them in their learning.  Our school acknowledges that student wellbeing and student learning outcomes are closely linked.

The objective of this policy is to support our school to create and maintain a safe, supportive and inclusive school environment consistent with our school’s values.

Scope

This policy applies to all school activities, including camps and excursions.

Contents

1. School profile
2. School values, philosophy and vision
3. Engagement strategies
4. Identifying students in need of support
5. Student rights and responsibilities
6. Student behavioural expectations
7. Engaging with families
8. Evaluation

1. School profile

Moolap Primary School was established in 1878 and is located on the Bellarine Peninsula seven kilometres east of the centre of Geelong. The school has a long and proud history servicing many Geelong families and has developed strong links to the local community, neighbouring preschools, and secondary colleges.

Moolap Primary School prides itself on providing a secure, supportive and safe learning environment that recognises and responds to the variety of needs within our community.

Moolap implements a ten-class structure supported by qualified teachers and staff. Every member of our professional team is committed to meeting the individual needs of our students and to working closely with others to provide a rigorous program that is consistent across the school.

Specialist Programs supporting the AusVELS curriculum include Visual Arts, Dance, Drama, Music, Physical Education and LOTE: Indigenous Language. The school continues to develop its facilities and grounds to ensure the it is a welcoming, safe, and engaging learning environment.

Moolap has a low to medium socio-economic profile and a low proportion of students who speak a second language.

The community of Moolap Primary School is committed to fostering the values of respect, responsibility, integrity and to being safe. The school enjoys the support of its parent community including helping in classrooms, school canteen, school events and fundraising.

2. School values, philosophy and vision

Moolap Primary School’s vision is to build a caring community engaged in learning and committed to its values.

Our school’s mission / purpose is, as a learning community, we provide a safe, supportive, challenging and stimulating environment with high expectations for success. We foster respect, integrity and responsibility. Our programs are student centred and focus on developing creativity, effective communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Our school values are:

Respect – Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Responsibility – You are in charge of your actions and words.

Integrity – Do the right thing even when nobody’s watching.

Safety - You have the right to feel safe and ensure others feel safe

3. Engagement strategies

Moolap Primary School has developed a range of strategies to promote engagement, an inclusive and safe environment, positive behaviour, and respectful relationships for all students in our school. We recognise the importance of student friendships and peer support in helping children and students feel safe and less isolated We acknowledge that some students may need extra social, emotional or educational support at school, and that the needs of students will change over time as they grow and learn.

A summary of the universal (whole of school) and individual engagement strategies used by our school is included below:

Universal

• high and consistent expectations of all staff, students and parents and carers
• prioritise positive relationships between staff and students, recognising the fundamental role this plays in building and sustaining student wellbeing
• creating a culture that is inclusive, engaging and supportive
• welcoming all parents/carers and being responsive to them as partners in learning
• analysing and being responsive to a range of school data such as attendance, Attitudes to School Survey, parent survey data, student behaviour management data and school level assessment data
• teachers at Moolap Primary School adopt a broad range of teaching and assessment approaches to effectively respond to the diverse learning styles, strengths and needs of our students and follow the standards set by the Victorian Institute of Teaching
• our school’s Statement of Values are incorporated into our curriculum and promoted to students, staff and parents so that they are shared and celebrated as the foundation of our school community
• carefully planned transition programs to support students moving into different stages of their schooling
• positive behaviour and student achievement is acknowledged in the classroom, and formally in school assemblies and communication to parents
• monitor student attendance and implement attendance improvement strategies at a whole-school, cohort and individual level
• students have the opportunity to contribute to and provide feedback on decisions about school operations through the Student Representative Council. Students are also encouraged to speak with their teachers and Principal whenever they have any questions or concerns.
• create opportunities for cross—age connections amongst students through school plays, community activities, athletics, music programs and peer support programs
• All students are welcome to self-refer to the Classroom Teacher, Wellbeing staff, School Chaplain and Principal if they would like to discuss a particular issue or feel as though they may need support of any kind. We are proud to have an ‘open door’ policy where students and staff are partners in learning
• we engage in school wide positive behaviour support with our staff and students, which includes programs such as:
  • Zones of Regulation
  • Mindfulness
  • Respectful Relationships
  • Schoolwide Positive Behaviour
• programs, incursions and excursions developed to address issue specific behaviour i.e.
  • Rise-Up Anti Bullying approach
  • Project Rockit
  • Bravehearts
  • Life Education
• opportunities for student inclusion
  • Café groups
  • Wellbeing groups
  • Lunchtime activities
• buddy programs, peers support programs

Targeted

• Koorie students are supported to engage fully in their education, in a positive learning environment that understands and appreciates the strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture – refer to our RAP outlining the school strategies to support Koorie students for further information
• we provide a positive and respectful learning environment for our students who identify as LGBTIQ+ and follow the Department’s policy on LGBTIQ Student Support
• all students in Out of Home Care are supported in accordance with the Department’s policy on Supporting Students in Out-of-Home Care including being appointed a Learning Mentor, having an Individual Learning Plan and a Student Support Group (SSG) and being referred to Student Support Services for an Educational Needs Assessment
• students with a disability are supported to be able to engage fully in their learning and school activities in accordance with the Department’s policy on Students with Disability, such as through reasonable adjustments to support access to learning programs, consultation with families and where required, student support groups and individual education plans 
• wellbeing and health staff will undertake health promotion and social skills development in response to needs identified by student wellbeing data, classroom teachers or other school staff each year
• staff will apply a trauma-informed approach to working with students who have experienced trauma

Individual

Moolap Primary School implements a range of strategies that support and promote individual engagement. These can include:

• building constructive relationships with students at risk or students who are vulnerable due to complex individual circumstances
• meeting with student and their parent/carer to talk about how best to help the student engage with school
• developing an Individual Learning Plan and/or a Behaviour Support Plan
• considering if any environmental changes need to be made, for example changing the classroom set up
• referring the student to:
  • school-based wellbeing supports
  • Student Support Services
  • Appropriate external supports such as family services, other allied health professionals, headspace, child and adolescent mental health services or ChildFirst

Where necessary the school will support the student’s family to engage by:

• being responsive and sensitive to changes in the student’s circumstances and health and wellbeing
• collaborating, where appropriate and with the support of the student and their family, with any external allied health professionals, services or agencies that are supporting the student
• monitoring individual student attendance and developing an Attendance Improvement Plans in collaboration with the student and their family
• running regular Student Support Group meetings for all students:
  • with a disability
  • in Out of Home Care
  • and with other complex needs that require ongoing support and monitoring.

4. Identifying students in need of support

Moolap Primary School is committed to providing the necessary support to ensure our students are supported intellectually, emotionally and socially. The PBS Tier 1 Committee, classroom teachers and school chaplain play a significant role in developing and implementing strategies to identify students in need of support and enhance student wellbeing. Moolap Primary School will utilise the following information and tools to identify students in need of extra emotional, social or educational support:

• personal, health and learning information gathered upon enrolment and while the student is enrolled
• attendance records
• academic performance
• observations by school staff such as changes in engagement, behaviour, self-care, social connectedness and motivation
• attendance, detention and suspension data
• engagement with families
• self-referrals or referrals from peers
• behaviour data from a variety of settings

5. Student rights and responsibilities

All members of our school community have a right to experience a safe and supportive school environment. We expect that all students, staff, parents and carers treat each other with respect and dignity. Our school’s values highlight the rights and responsibilities of members of our community.

Students have the right to:

• participate fully in their education
• feel safe, secure and happy at school
• learn in an environment free from bullying, harassment, violence, discrimination or intimidation
• express their ideas, feelings and concerns.

Students have the responsibility to:

• participate fully in their educational program
• display positive behaviours that demonstrate respect for themselves, their peers, their teachers and members of the school community
• respect the right of others to learn.

Students who may have a complaint or concern about something that has happened at school are encouraged to speak to their parents or carers and approach a trusted teacher or a member of the school leadership team.

6. Student behavioural expectations

Behavioural expectations of students, staff and families are grounded in our school values. Student bullying behaviour will be responded to consistently with Moolap Primary School’s Bullying Prevention policy.

When a student acts in breach of the behaviour standards of our school community, Moolap Primary School will institute a staged response, consistent with the Department’s Student Engagement and Inclusion Guidelines. Where appropriate, parents will be informed about the inappropriate behaviour and the disciplinary action taken by teachers and other school staff.

Disciplinary measures may be used as part of a staged response to inappropriate behaviour in combination with other engagement and support strategies to ensure that factors that may have contributed to the student’s behaviour are identified and addressed. Disciplinary measures at our school will be applied fairly and consistently. Students will always be provided with an opportunity to be heard.

Disciplinary measures that may be applied include:

• warning a student that their behaviour is inappropriate
• teacher controlled consequences such as moving a student in a classroom or other reasonable and proportionate responses to misbehaviour
• withdrawal of privileges
• referral to the Principal / School Leader
• restorative practices
• detentions
• behaviour reviews
• suspension
• expulsion

Suspension, expulsion and restrictive interventions are measures of last resort and may only be used in situations consistent with Department policy, available at:

• https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/suspensions/policy
• https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/expulsions/policy
• https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/restraint-seclusion/policy

In line with Ministerial Order 1125, no student aged 8 or younger will be expelled without the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Education and Training.

The Principal of Moolap Primary School is responsible for ensuring all suspensions and expulsions are recorded on CASES21. Corporal punishment is prohibited in our school and will not be used in any circumstance.

7. Engaging with families

Moolap Primary School values the input of parents and carers, and we will strive to support families to engage in their child’s learning and build their capacity as active learners. We aim to be partners in learning with parents and carers in our school community.

We work hard to create successful partnerships with parents and carers by:

• ensuring that all parents have access to our school policies and procedures, available on our school website
• maintaining an open, respectful communication between parents and staff, supported by our Communicating with School Staff policy.
• providing parent volunteer opportunities so that families can contribute to school activities
• involving families with homework and other curriculum-related activities
• involving families in school decision making
• coordinating resources and services from the community for families
• including families in Student Support Groups and developing individual plans for students.

8. Evaluation

Moolap Primary School will collect data each year to understand the frequency and types of wellbeing issues that are experienced by our students so that we can measure the success or otherwise of our school-based strategies and identify emerging trends or needs.

Sources of data that will be assessed on an annual basis include:

• student survey data
• incidents data
• school reports
• parent survey
• case management
• CASES21
• SOCS

Further information and resources

Related policies:

Statement of Values and School Philosophy

Bullying Prevention Policy

Child Safe Standards

POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL