Wellbeing
Student wellbeing is a central part of all aspects of what we do at Brunswick South West Primary School. We have an Engagement and Wellbeing Team who undertake specific training and implement improvement programs at the school.
Strong relationships are nurtured through the Buddy Program, the Student Representative Council and Student Leadership groups. In addition to this, an extensive range of high interest programs and activities including Performing Arts classes, the Art Challenge, sport clinics, Circle Time and programs with the Waratah Special Development School Satellite Unit provide opportunities to complement the educational programs at our school.
Secret Spies – looking out for classmates demonstrating our school values
Student Leadership
From year one, students have an opportunity to run for election to the Student Representative Council (SRC). Classes elect the peers that they feel represent our school values and demonstrate leadership qualities such as fairness, trustworthiness and commitment.
The SRC meets regularly with a dedicated teacher during breaks. Through explicit lessons at the start of the year, students learn that the SRC is a place to develop leadership skills and a way to have real impact and foster change. Students may be involved in supporting their peers and helping to foster a positive school environment, organising fundraising for the school and external organisations (through fun days such as Pyjama Day or Crazy Hair day) and participating in student leadership groups in years 5 and 6.
Our year 5 and 6 SRC students also run fortnightly whole school assemblies with the support of their teachers.
Our students are also encouraged to demonstrate leadership in less formal ways, such as by convening clubs and games in the grounds during breaks. Students are supported to get the word out about their DnD, Comic or Drama club through poster making, announcements at assembly and reminders over the school loudspeaker before the breaktime bell rings.
We also encourage students to step out of their comfort zone (or into it!) by performing at assembly if they have been working hard on a music piece, dance or song that they would like to share with the community.
Cultural Responsiveness
At Brunswick South West Primary School we actively engage in the work of Cultural Responsiveness and welcome feedback and engagement from the community.
Child Safe Standard
Protecting Young People
Brunswick South West Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse. Everyone working at Brunswick South West Primary School is responsible for the care and protection of the children and young people within our care and reporting of information about suspected child abuse.
All members of staff share in the responsibility for the prevention and detection of child abuse, and must:
- Familiarise themselves with the relevant laws, Code of Conduct and Brunswick South West Primary School’s policies and procedures concerning child protection, and comply with all requirements
- Receive the School’s Code of Conduct for staff
- Take all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse
- Report any reasonable belief that a child’s safety is at risk to the Principal or delegate
- Teachers fulfil their obligations as mandatory reporters
- Report any suspicion that a child’s safety may be at risk to their supervisor (or if their supervisor is involved in the suspicion, to the Principal or delegate)
- Promote the cultural safety, participation, and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- Promote the safety, participation and empowerment of children with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Promote the safety, participation, and empowerment of children with a disability, and
- Provide an environment that is supportive of all children’s emotional and physical safety.
What are Child Safe Standards?
The new standards came into effect on 1 July 2022.
Schools need to update their child safety strategies, policies and practices to comply with the new standards.
Ministerial Order 1359 provides the framework for child safety in schools.
All Victorian schools are required to operate within a child-safe environment. Brunswick South West Primary School has met all the required standards for child safety and will continue to screen staff and train them to identify and report any suspected abuse. Brunswick South West Primary School will also work with students to make sure they also understand these important policies.
To find out more about the 11 Child Safe Standards, please visit: CCYP | The 11 Child Safe Standards
Social & Emotional learning
We have implemented the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework, which aims to increase respectful and positive behavior, strengthen social and emotional wellbeing, build positive relationships across the school and create a safe, orderly and supportive school environment. At the start of every school year, and briefly at the start of each Term, every year level runs a comprehensive “Start Up” program to explicitly teach and embed expectations in the classroom and around the school. Classes collaborate to construct a behaviour expectations matrix, which operates as a class agreement and is continually referred to throughout the year. Classes identify goals from the matrix and work together to demonstrate positive behaviours. Our recognition system allows classes to celebrate their success with the reward of a special community building activity, such as a class game. Behaviour expectations are continually reinforced and positive behaviour is celebrated.
Development by each class of a matrix that clearly displays all the expectations. recognition systems that allow classes to celebrate their success in demonstrating the values and expectations with cooperative and community building activities.
In addition, students participate in weekly Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons. We have a comprehensive sequence of learning across all year levels, which incorporates lessons from the following high quality programs: “Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships”, The Butterfly Foundation’s “Body Bright” program, “Talking the Talk: Healthy Sexuality Education” and the Cybersafety Project’s sequence of lessons. Classes also use tools such as the Zone of Regulation and incorporate mindfulness practices to help students learn positive coping and regulation strategies.