Student Wellbeing

What is Restorative Practice?

At SJV we use Restorative Practices. It  helps to build a strong community, built through relationship building, repairing harm caused, and problem-solving. The goal is to create a school of inclusiveness and strong relationships among teachers and students.

Restorative questions teachers use to respond to challenging behaviour with concerned parties:

• What happened?
• What were you thinking at the time?
• What have you thought about since?
• Who has been affected by what you have done? ...
• What do you think you need to do to make things right?
• If the same thing happens again, how could you behave differently?

What does this mean?

• Relationships and trust are at the center of all healthy school communities. Students who feel connected to school are more likely to succeed, have better school attendance, show more engagement in learning, and achieve high academic levels.
• All members of the school community are responsible for one another. 
• Multiple perspectives are always welcome and all voices are considered equal.
• All students need a chance to learn from their mistakes and make them right. Conflict resolution is an important social-emotional skill that students will need throughout their lives.
• Conflict is best resolved through honest dialogue and community problem-solving that addresses the root causes and needs of all those involved.
• Wrongdoers should both be held accountable and supported to take an active role in repairing the harm caused. This collaborative process is essential to maintaining a healthy school community. 

Jenny Willmott

jwillmott@sjvmulgrave.catholic.edu.au

Deputy Principal