At St Lawrence of Brindisi, we recognise that a positive wellbeing is critical to a child’s learning and development. To become engaged, and empowered learners, students need to feel safe, valued, happy and nurtured.
Student wellbeing has been critical in the development of our new school community and is at the heart of our catholic identity. We are committed to ensuring that St Lawrence of Brindisi is a school where children feel safe and supported. Our focus on student wellbeing is visible in the way in which our staff engage with our children through protocols such as softer closer, where staff engage with the children calmly and quietly and at their level.
Our focus on student wellbeing is reflected in the culture of our school and is shaped by our Catholic values of respect, compassion, and justice. We recognise that there will be times when children need support to engage appropriately with their peers and guidance in rebuilding relationships they might have damaged. When this happens, we support children to find positive ways to reconcile with others and seek forgiveness for any hurt they might have caused. The emphasis is on empowering children to respect others, act compassionately and treat them justly. When challenges arise, this is resolved in a manner that aligns with our three catholic values and communicated openly and honestly, respecting the dignity of all.
At the beginning of the year, teachers’ guide the children in their learning community to develop positive behaviours reflective of our three catholic values. Students are encouraged to articulate how they would like to be treated and explore how they should treat others. These are not focused on developing explicit rules, but rather on supporting the children to reflect on these values and develop age appropriate expectations, that keep themselves and others safe, happy and respected.
One of the benefits of our learning environment is there is always a place for children to go when they are feeling anxious or upset where they can be seen and supported by the staff. The sense of belonging at St Lawrence is palpable – ours is a school where children feel safe and nurtured.