K-12 Wellbeing policy

The NSW Department of Education and Communities (DEC) is committed to creating quality learning opportunities for children and young people. This includes strengthening their cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual development. Parents entrust their children and young people to principals, teachers and school staff with confidence that schools will deliver on this agenda.

What is Wellbeing?

It has long been acknowledged that Wellbeing is more than the absence of physical or psychological illness. In very broad terms, Wellbeing can be described as the quality of a person’s life. 

Two major approaches to defining Wellbeing relate to our subjective experience of feeling good or experiencing pleasure and positive emotion; and functioning well, or our potential to flourish. While there is debate about whether one or both of these approaches to Wellbeing offers the best way of understanding it, an approach that considers the whole person, and which combines feeling good and functioning well offers the most versatility. 

The literature sets out a range of contexts in which Wellbeing is experienced. These contexts recognise that Wellbeing needs to be considered against a background of how we feel and function across several domains, recognising the multi-dimensional nature of Wellbeing. These domains include cognitive, emotional, social, physical and spiritual Wellbeing. 

Cognitive Wellbeing is associated with achievement and success. It includes how information is processed and judgements are made. It is also informed by motivation and persistence to achieve. Cognitive Wellbeing is important for attaining knowledge and experiencing positive learning. 

Emotional Wellbeing relates to self-awareness and emotional regulation. It includes how well we cope, and is often reflected by the level of a person’s resilience. Emotional Wellbeing is in part informed by our capacity for self-reflection. 

Social Wellbeing includes the extent to which we experience positive relationships and connectedness to others. It is important for pro-social behaviour and our empathy towards others. 

Physical Wellbeing is associated with the extent to which we feel physically safe and healthy. It includes nutrition, preventative health care, physical activity and physical safety and security. Physical Wellbeing enables positive health outcomes. 

Spiritual Wellbeing relates to our sense of meaning and purpose. It can include our connection to culture, religion or community and includes the beliefs, values and ethics we hold. 

These domains of Wellbeing are helpful in describing the contexts in which Wellbeing is experienced. However, to understand Wellbeing more deeply we must also consider a range of other influences that contribute to Wellbeing. 

How can schools positively influence the Wellbeing of students? 

Wellbeing can be shaped by a number of broad influences including the degree to which there is an experience of: choice, achievement of meaningful goals, positive relationships, enjoyment, personal growth and development, health, and safety. 

Choice is important because it impacts positively on a student’s learning and engagement in schooling. It contributes to enhanced motivation, interest and commitment to tasks. The provision of choice supports self-regulation, self-discipline and achievement. When students have choice and opportunities to engage in activities that are of interest and value to them, their Wellbeing is enhanced.

Achievement contributes positively to a student’s Wellbeing, and can contribute to a student’s confidence and self-esteem. It can help to foster student self-discipline and effort, encourage students to stretch themselves and take risks in their learning. Achievement fosters positive emotions which can build further engagement and effort. 

Positive relationships foster connectedness and feelings of belonging and are essential for Wellbeing. These relationships are characterised by constructive interactions that provide enthusiastic and genuine support. They are important because they help us to build social and emotional skills and in turn, nurture other positive, caring and respectful relationships. 

Enjoyment or the presence of positive emotion can increase a student’s Wellbeing. Learning occurs more effectively in the context of positive emotions. Enjoyment broadens a student’s ability to think creatively, be innovative and to problem solve more effectively. Development and personal growth can lead to a student having greater satisfaction with life, more confidence and self-efficacy and greater feelings of resilience, health and Wellbeing. Development contributes to social competence, self-esteem and a student’s sense of meaning and purpose. 

Feeling physically safe and being in good physical health contributes to Wellbeing. Environments that provide for safety, and support good health, optimise learning experiences. 

Why is Wellbeing important to the work of schools? 

Schools have a pivotal role to play in connecting character development in children and young people to individual and collective Wellbeing, which in the longer term will shape the values and attitudes of the society in which they live. 

Teachers play an important role in providing learning experiences and opportunities that develop and shape the character and Wellbeing of children and young people. 

Experiences that develop character by promoting mindfulness (self-regulation and behaviour), curiosity, courage, resilience, ethics and leadership benefit children and young people as they grow and develop. 

Schools focus on giving children and young people voice, being active learners and developing strong character qualities that will enable them to succeed, thrive and contribute positively throughout life.

Our Commitment to Wellbeing

The Wellbeing Framework for NSW public schools contextualises Wellbeing to individual students, school settings and local school communities. The concept that Wellbeing is dynamic and is integral to learning is vital to embedding it in the complex multi-dimensional work of schools. 

The DEC commitment to Wellbeing is for our schools to support students to connect, succeed and thrive at each stage of their development and learning; to provide opportunities that are age rigorous, meaningful and dignified; and to do this in the context of individual and shared responsibility underpinned by productive relationships that support students to learn. 

To this end, schools will be enabling environments, informed and guided by legislative and policy requirements. Schools will be supported to focus on the development of quality teaching, learning and engagement. Local decision-making will invigorate school communities. Highly effective leadership will deliver on this commitment for every member of the school community. 

At the system level, there will be focus on being responsive to the needs of schools and incorporating Wellbeing into planning and processes. There will be strong communication frameworks within and across government and non-government partners relating to how their work contributes to the development of individual and collective Wellbeing.

Our shared understanding of Wellbeing:

• Is that it is dynamic and integral to learning
• focuses on attributes and strengths that teach and support children and young people to grow and learn from challenges and complexities
• recognises the importance of developing and shaping the character of the individual
• is multidimensional and interrelated
• takes into account the context of children’s and young people’s lives and uses both objective and subjective measures
• incorporates the views and perspectives of children and young people themselves throughout the different stages of development
• considers the Wellbeing of children and young people in the present as well as focussing on long-term outcomes
• acknowledges the diversity of contributors to and influences on the Wellbeing of children and young people, and recognises our obligations and responsibilities.

The Wellbeing Framework for Schools

Connect, Succeed, Thrive in an enabling school environment 

Connect

• Students are actively connected to their learning through meaningful, engaging and rewarding personalised learning experiences
• Students have positive and respectful relationships with each other, their teachers and the community.
• Students experience a sense of belonging and connectedness that respects diversity and identity.
• Students are self-aware and regulate their own emotions and behaviours. Students have the social and emotional skills to develop and maintain positive relationships and engage in pro-social behaviour.
• Students are connected with their cultural, religious or spiritual backgrounds.
• Staff nurture professional relationships with students which are safe, respectful and supportive, and which help students to reach their full potential.
• The school is focused on building individual and collective Wellbeing through a climate of care and positivity.
• Parents and the broader school community actively participate in the school and in helping students to develop positive connections.

Succeed

• Students are succeeding in their learning.
• Students strive toward and achieve meaningful goals.
• Students are confident and resilient learners. They have positive self-esteem, stretch themselves and take risks in their learning. They demonstrate self-discipline and effort toward their learning.
• Students are provided opportunities to succeed and success is celebrated in a way that is meaningful to the student.
• Students develop strong positive character traits that are reflected in their behaviour decision making and relationships.
• Staff enable success by personalising student learning and supporting students to achieve.
• Staff enable success by contributing to a positive, supportive and encouraging learning environment.
• Parents and the broader school community actively participate in supporting and reinforcing student learning.

Thrive

• Student learningtakes place in an environment which fosters and develops choice, accomplishment, positive relationships, enjoyment, growth, health and safety.
• Students are self-directed, take initiative and grasp opportunity.
• Students contribute to the learning of other studentsand to the school community more broadly.
• Students havea strongsense of meaning and purpose.
• Students develop the skills to reflect on and positively shape their behaviour in the context of ethical decision making.
• Students are recognised and celebrated.
• Staff contributes to environments which allow students to thrive by delivering high quality learning experiences.
• The school has high expectations for every student.
• Parents and the broader community support and enable the aspirations of every student.

Enabling School Environment

• Students are recognised, respected and valued
• Students are provided with opportunities to exercise choice in the context of self-regulation, self-determination, ethical decision making and responsibility.
• Collaborative partnerships are built with students, staff, families, communities and other organisations to support and develop students and school communities.
• Professional practice is valued and there is a commitment to ongoing improvement and student Wellbeing.
• Resources are used to best meet individual and collective student need.
• The school environment is a safe and healthy place to be.
• Counselling and Wellbeing services provide essential expertise to schools and communities to guide student growth and development.
• Schools provide learning experiences that contribute to the development of individual character traits and positive group dynamics.

Elements of the Wellbeing Framework

Teaching and learning 

• Schools will consider aspects of and factors contributing to Wellbeing in the delivery of teaching and learning.
• Students should be provided with opportunities to connect, succeed and thrive that are relevant to their stages of learning and development.
• The child or young person’s subjective view of their own Wellbeing is recognised by schools, peers and parents as an important measure to inform decisions about the child or young person.
• Whole school approaches to physical health and fitness, social skills and friendship, empathy and resilience, peer support and mentoring, student leadership, citizenship and community engagement contribute to the growth of individual and collective Wellbeing.

Behaviour, discipline and character education 

• Every school will implement a comprehensive and inclusive strategy to create an environment with clearly defined behavioural expectations.
• All members of the school community should consistently implement the agreed strategy to create a positive teaching and learning environment.
• The school recognises the importance of developing and shaping the character of the individual and maximises opportunities for personal growth.
• Students have responsibility to be active learners who exercise self-regulation appropriate to their age and level of understanding.
• Parents and caregivers play an important role in working with the school to develop their child’s understandings, skills and character.
• Teaching and learning is not disrupted by unacceptable behaviour in the classroom, on the playground and in activities for which the school is responsible.

Learning and support 

• Students with identified learning needs benefit from personalised learning, support and modification of behaviour management processes.
• Aboriginal children and young people will have an individual personalised learning pathway.
• Students with identified healthcare needs have an individualised health care plan.
• Parents are consulted and contribute to the planning to support their child’s individual learning.
• Adjustments to the learning environment are made and documented as required.
• Assessment of student achievement informs individual learning.

Professional practice 

• Professional learning is linked to the needs of the students, teachers, schools and the system.
• All staff undertake mandatory training to comply with legislative and policy requirements.

Effective leadership 

• Leadership is evidenced at every level of the school environment. Students, staff and parents contribute to the leadership of the school and to the achievement of its goals and priorities.
• The principal implements systems to meet accountabilities relating to Wellbeing policies in the school environment.
• The principal effectively uses school and system resources to support the learning and Wellbeing of all students.

School planning

• Wellbeing is an element of the School Excellence Framework and is addressed through school planning and school self-evaluation.
• A self-evaluation of Wellbeing incorporates the stages of learning of the students, environmental factors and the influences and domains of Wellbeing.
• Schools use qualitative and quantitative evidence to inform and guide school planning for Wellbeing.

Guyra Central School connects, succeeds and thrives in the following ways:

• Focusing on Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL). Safe respectful behaviours
• PBL focus at Wellbeingand whole school assemblies and presented in the newsletter
• Visual displays reminding students of PBL values and expected behaviours
• Reinforcing “Right place, Right time, Right thing, Ask”
• Empowering students to be involved in their own learning through supportive classrooms and explicit teaching
• Rewarding students who consistently exhibit core values of Pride, Respect and Responsibility with a Snowburst
• Annual Presentation Evenings/Days
• Notifying parents of successes and positive behavior
• Displaying student work in the classrooms and corridors.

Behaviour code for students 

NSW public schools are committed to providing safe, supportive and responsive learning environments for everyone. We teach and model the behaviours we

value in our students.

In NSW public schools students are expected to:

• Respect other students, their teachers and school staff and community members.
• Follow school and class rules and follow the directions of their teachers.
• Strive for the highest standards in learning.
• Respect all members of the school community and show courtesy to all students, teachers and community members.
• Resolve conflict respectfully, calmly and fairly.
• Comply with the school’s uniform policy or dress code.
• Attend school every day (unless legally excused).
• Respect all property.
• Not be violent or bring weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco into our schools.
• Not bully, harass, intimidate or discriminate against anyone in our schools.

Schools take strong action in response to behaviour that is detrimental to self or others or to the achievement of high quality teaching and learning.

Telephone interpreter service

If you would like to discuss this document with the Principal and need assistance with English please call the telephone interpreter service on 131 450, tell them what language you need and ask the operator to phone the school. The operator will get an interpreter on the line to assist you with your conversation. You will not be charged for this service.

NSW Department of Education Behaviour Code for Students

NSW Department of Education Behaviour Code for Students 

Behaviour Code for Students: Actions 

Promoting the learning, wellbeing and safety of all students in NSW Public Schools is a high priority for the Department of Education. 

We implement teaching and learning approaches to support the development of skills needed by students to meet our high standards for respectful, safe and engaged behaviour. 

Respect 

• Treat one another with dignity.
• Speak and behave courteously.
• Cooperate with others.
• Develop positive and respectful relationships and think about the effect on relationships before acting.
• Value the interests, ability and culture of others.
• Dress appropriately by complying with the school uniform or dress code.
• Take care with property.

Safety 

• Model and follow departmental, school and/or class codes of behaviour and conduct.
• Negotiate and resolve conflict with empathy.
• Take personal responsibility for behaviour and actions.
• Care for self and others.
• Avoid dangerous behaviour and encourage others to avoid dangerous behaviour.

Engagement 

• Attend school every day (unless legally excused).
• Arrive at school and class on time.
• Be prepared for every lesson.
• Actively participate in learning.
• Aspire and strive to achieve the highest standards of learning.

The principal and school staff, using their professional judgment, are best placed to maintain discipline and provide safe, supportive and responsive learning environments. The department provides a policy framework and resources such as Legal Issues Bulletins, access to specialist advice, and professional learning to guide principals and their staff in exercising their professional judgment. In this context the NSW Government and the Department of Education will back the authority and judgment of principals and school staff at the local level.

Guyra Central School’s PBL Core Values

Pride, Respect, Responsibility

Right Place

Right Time

Right Thing

Ask

GUYRA CENTRAL SCHOOL PBL BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

Students at Guyra Central School are expected to consistently demonstrate the school’s values of Pride, Respect and Responsibility by doing the right thing, in the right place at the right time.

Level A

All students begin on this level. When on Level A, students can represent the school, attend rewards activities, attend extra curriculum activities and performances and enter the draw for the canteenvouchers. The award and discipline levels will be considered as a continuum. 

Students will receive the following points for the following awards:

Award Systems

Points will be accumulated throughout each year and students will receive the following awards, based on the number of points they accumulate. All students will start on zero points at the beginning of each year.

At the end of each term there will be a special K-12 Merit assembly, except for the term which is Education Week. During each Merit Assembly and the Education Week Assembly Bronze, Silver and Gold awards will be presented.

Gold Award with a Bar will be presented with the Platinum awards at the Presentation Night.

Recognising Individual Difference

At Guyra Central School we acknowledge that not allstudents have the same Wellbeing needs and accommodations and adjustments may be required to our policy from time to time to cater for the needs of these students. Students who may need these accommodations include:

• Students with disabilities behavior disorders, (e.g. ASD).

Such accommodations and adjustments that may be made include(but are not limitedto):

• Reducing the number of days detention/ monitoring cards
• Allowing more opportunities for reminders of correctbehaviours. Providing clear behavioural objectives
• Not sending lettershome – making phone calls home instead
• Immediate consequences for inappropriate behaviour
• Additional support for studentsto develop the strategies neededto monitor their own behaviour
• Visual supports/social stories.

In makingthe necessary adjustments we continue to employconsistent and fair measuresto ensure studentsare being treatedequitably. 

GUYRA CENTRAL SCHOOL PBL BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

If the behaviour is unacceptable, teachers will follow the PBL behaviour management flow chart.

6.2. Short suspension

6.2.1

In circumstances where measures detailed in 6.1.2 above have been unsuccessful in resolving the inappropriate behaviour or the circumstances in 6.1.3 apply, the principal may choose to impose a short suspension of up to and including four school days. Short suspensions may be imposed for the following reasons and will be reported in the following categories:

continued disobedience: This includes, but is not limited to, breaches of the school discipline code such as: refusal to obey staff instructions; defiance; disrupting other students; use of alcohol or repeated use of tobacco

aggressive behaviour: This includes, but is not limited to, hostile behaviour directedtowards students, members of staff or other persons, including damagingthe property of the school or students;bullying (including cyberbullying); verbalabuse and abuse transmitted electronically such asby email, Facebook, Twitter, SMS text messages or by other electronic means.

6.3. Long Suspension

Subject to factors outlined in 6.3.1 above, principals will impose a long suspension for:

• physical violence: Which results in injury, or which seriously interferes with the safety or Wellbeing of other students and staff (including sexual or indecent assault).
• use or possession of a prohibited weapon, firearmor knife. W hen the student:
  • uses or possesses a weapon which is listed in Schedule One of the Weapons Prohibition Act. Prohibited weapons include laser pointers, or similar articles with a power output of more than one milliwatt. Prohibited Weapons do not include harmless children’s toys such as plastic imitation guns that are clearly intended to be toys;
  • uses a knife or possesses a knife (without reasonable excuse* as defined by the Summary Offences Act1988);
  • uses or possesses a firearm of any type (including live ammunition and replica firearms).

• possession, supplyor use of a suspected illegal substance: This does not include alcoholor tobacco, but does includesupplying other students withillegal drugs or restricted substances such as prescription drugs.
• serious criminal behaviour related to the school: This includesmalicious damage to property (school or community), or against the property of a fellow studentor staff member on, or outsideof the school premises. If the incidentoccurred outside the school or outside school hours, there must be a clear and close relationship between the incident and the school.

Subject to factors outlined in 6.3.1, principals may also impose a long suspension for:

• use of an implement as a weapon. W hen a student uses an implement as a weapon toassault or injure anotherperson (including use of an offensive implement, which is any implement made or adapted to cause injury to another person).
• persistent or serious misbehaviour. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • repeated refusal to follow the school discipline code;
  • threatening to use a weapon in a way that might seriously interfere with the safety and Wellbeing of another person;
  • making credible threats against students or staff;
  • behaviour that deliberately and persistently interferes with the rights of other students to learn or teachers to teach including bullying, harassment and victimisation.

Banned List

• Banned list means that a student is not permitted to represent the school at representative sport or non-curricula excursions (not mandatory curriculum activity) or participate in PBL rewards days. If a student has been placed on the banned list since the previous rewards day they will not be able to participate in current rewards day.

Exclusion

• Students who continually are placed on Levels throughout the term/year may not be permitted to represent the school at representative sports or non-curricula excursions (not mandatory curriculum activity.)
• Students who continually are placed on Levels throughout the term/year may not be permitted to elect for leadership positions

Reflection Seat

• You have been placed at this desk because you are not following the Schools Rules and have broken the Student Code of Conduct Contract that you were given to sign when you first came to school this year.
• Please take a moment to reflect upon your behaviour.
• Think about the positive choices you can make in the future.

• Only students on Level A can receive canteen vouchers if their Snowburst is drawn at assemblies. Snowbursts will need to be checked by AP/HT before assembly and students not able to receive a canteen voucher removed.