SWPBS: Putting the Spotlight on Lunchtime Clubs

Lunchtime clubs help build student engagement, social skills and inclusion for all students. They support students who may struggle with a lack of structure in the school playground or need an outlet from the traditional playtime setting.

Lunchtime clubs can have benefits for students and the whole school community, including:

improved peer-to-peer and teacher-student relationships and wellbeing
a sense of personal empowerment and student voice
development of social and emotional skills
improved academic achievement
positive school climate and increased student sense of safety
reduction in playground behaviour incidents.

Below is our Term 1 Lunchtime club schedule. These have already commenced this week. We are fortunate to have staff members volunteer their time to run a club, as we know the students of WPS love to engage with them.

DISABILITY INCLUSION

As part of our new Social-Emotional Learning curriculum, we have introduced new 'anchor charts' and coping strategies to help students navigate relationships and emotions. One of the documents is our catastrophe scale.

How Big Is My Problem? A Catastrophe Scale

You may have heard your child talk about a “Catastrophe Scale” at school. It’s a simple tool that helps children work out how big a problem really is, and choose a response that matches. For primary school children, feelings can feel very big.

A small problem, like someone not sitting next to them, losing a turn, or making a mistake, can sometimes feel like the worst thing ever. That doesn’t mean children are being dramatic. It means they are still learning how to manage big emotions.

The Catastrophe Scale helps children pause and think:

Is this a small, medium or big problem?
Does my reaction match the size of the problem?
What is the best way to handle this?

Over time, this helps children stay calmer and make better choices.

What does it teach?

Using a Catastrophe Scale helps children learn to:

Notice and name how they’re feeling
Think about problems more clearly
Solve small problems on their own
Ask for help when something really is big
Bounce back more quickly

It also builds independence. Instead of adults fixing everything, children learn that they have tools they can use themselves.

Why it matters

When children learn to judge the “size” of a problem, they begin to understand:

Not every problem is a 10/10
Small problems can use small solutions
Big problems deserve adult help
Feelings are okay, but reactions can be adjusted

These are lifelong skills. They support friendships, learning and confidence.

What it might sound like at school

You might hear your child say:

“It’s only a small problem.”
“I can work this one out.”
“This is an elephant problem. I need help.”
“My emotions are bigger than the problem.”

This shared language helps children feel safe and supported, while also encouraging responsibility.

How you can support at home

You might try:

“How big does this feel, small, medium or large?”
“What would a small reaction look like?”
"Is it a glitch, a turtle problem or a volcano?"
“Is this something you can work out, or do you need help?”

Most importantly, we always start by recognising feelings:

“I can see that feels really large right now.”

Our intention

We are not trying to minimise children’s feelings. We are teaching them how to manage them. When children can match their reaction to the size of the problem, they:

Recover faster
Handle friendship bumps more calmly
Feel more capable
Take greater responsibility for their choices

And that creates calmer classrooms, stronger friendships and confident learners.

Feel free to use the link to download and use the poster at home, too!

TheirCare