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Whole school community

Building a safe and supportive school and preventing bullying

Maintain pastoral care/student welfare systems that enable all students to feel safe and to feel valued

Develop community understanding of links between student welfare issues and curriculum practice

• Summary
• Examples

Summary

Physical, social, emotional and psychological wellbeing are intrinsic to students' connectedness to learning and success at school and beyond.

To assist students, their families and the community, schools develop systems that are effective in supporting young people, and that are known to those working with young people, by:

• teaching and modelling positive social relationships, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills
• fostering a sense of connectedness between young people, the neighbourhood and the community
• developing projects that demonstrate collaboration between the school and youth and community agencies through curriculum practice
• implementing a comprehensive process to identify service gaps and needs
• establishing clear protocols between the school and agencies
• knowing appropriate contact people in schools and agencies, as well as service information and referral procedures
• establishing collaborative planning, support and case management of young people at an early point
• having clearly documented pathways for young people to access support
• initiating additional service responses where needed.

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Examples

• A large secondary school has explored the issues of community and family violence through the curriculum. Class activities have developed understanding, promoted discussion of issues of power relating to domestic violence and encouraged young people to know their rights and recognise signs of unhealthy relationships. Students are empowered to challenge the imbalance of power within relationships and increase their choices when making decisions about their relationships.

  Student learnings have also had a significant influence upon the school environment. A group of students have identified themselves as the peace group. Each year, around Domestic Violence Prevention Week, the peace group plants trees and shrubs in the school grounds making a peace garden. The peace garden is their hope for a school without violence.

  Schools in action:
  Alliances to increase student resilience and safety