Child Safeguarding

Staff Learning with CASA 

During Week One, SME staff participated in professional learning with Lee & Emma from the Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA), focusing on problematic and harmful behaviours, appropriate responses and actions. A key focus was the language we use when responding to children, with an important reminder that the child is not the behaviour. This perspective supports us to respond with understanding, maintain high expectations and ensure children feel safe and supported. At SME, we are committed to continually strengthening our knowledge and practice to better identify, respond to and support child safety. 

PATSEW Data 

This week, our whole staff team came together to unpack our PATSEW data, which provides valuable insights into our learners’ feelings, experiences and behaviours across the school. There were some wonderful results to celebrate, including 100% of our Year 6 boys recognising the importance of treating all people with respect. We also saw positive trends across Years 2–6, with learners of both genders reporting that they feel safe at school. While we celebrate these encouraging findings, we also recognise opportunities to improve. We would love to see a higher percentage of learners reporting that they like school, so we will be asking further questions to better understand our learners’ experiences and identify ways to strengthen their sense of belonging and engagement. 

Staff then used the data to begin identifying potential actions and wellbeing supports for 2027, and our Community Wellbeing Team has also spent time exploring the findings. We look forward to sharing more as this important work continues. By listening to our learners, reflecting on the evidence and working collaboratively, we remain committed to creating a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all our SME learners. 

Liz Chapman 

Deputy Principal: Community Wellness