OUR VISION STATEMENT AND MISSION

VISION - Somerville Primary School works collaboratively to ensure every student achieves success by engaging them in the curriculum at their point of need. Our school community creates meaningful relationships that reflect our values.

MISSION – Inspiring Excellence in Education…Every Student…Every Time.

OUR VALUES

Courage - To act confidently
Honesty - To be truthful to yourself and others
Respect - To acknowledge individuals with courtesy
Responsibility - To be accountable for your actions
Trust - To rely on and have faith in others

HOW WE ENACT OUR VISION STATEMENT AND MISSION

School Council provide governance and direction through School Policies, the school’s Strategic Plan and the Annual Implementation Plans.

Our mission is to provide a high quality, supportive and engaging learning program, which builds the academic, social and emotional capacity of every student at our primary school. We aim to develop lifelong learners who care for themselves, others and the community around them, and actively contribute to a more sustainable and peaceful world. This is reflected in our mission statement ‘Inspiring Excellence in Education…Every Student Every Time’.

Wellbeing is a very strong focus encompassing our values throughout the whole school consistently through our Wellbeing First Two Weeks of School program where we set the tone for the year and our timetabled weekly whole school Wellbeing sessions. Our Wellbeing Team includes our Chaplain, who is a wonderful asset to the wellbeing of our whole school community, along with external agencies that provide support to students and families when needed.

Extra curricula activities include lunchtime activities offered daily (library time, gardening, origami, choir, dance, art, sport, computers, drawing for example) and we provide interschool sporting opportunities along with incursions/excursions, swimming, Wakakirri performances, ANZAC parades, J, S.E.E.C (Somerville Environment Education Crew) a variety of student leadership opportunities and camps from grades 3-6.

CHILD SAFETY AND CHILD SAFETY PRINCIPLES

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY AND CHILD SAFETY PRINCIPLES

Somerville Primary School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making. “The school’s approach to creating and maintaining a child safe school environment is guided by our school philosophy and values. At Somerville Primary School our vision is ‘Somerville Primary School works collaboratively to ensure every student achieves success by engaging them in the curriculum at their point of need. Our school community creates meaningful relationships with strong values.’ We know children can struggle to succeed and to achieve their personal best if they are not safe from abuse.

At Somerville Primary School our values guide the decisions and behaviours of all members of our school community, including in relation to child safety:

Courage – To act confidently
Honesty – To be truthful to yourself and others
Respect – To acknowledge individuals with courtesy
Responsibility – To be accountable for your actions
Trust – To rely on and have faith in others

Somerville Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse. We are committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, procedures, strategies and practices will be inclusive of the needs of all children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, students in out of home care and children who are vulnerable.

Every person involved in Somerville Primary School has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

CHILD SAFETY PRINCIPLES

In its planning, decision-making and operations, Somerville Primary School will:

1. Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;

2. Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;

3. Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children;

4. Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;

5. Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children;

6. Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development;

7. Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such concerns;

8. Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities;

9. Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety of children is at risk; and

10. Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers

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