Mental Health In Primary Schools (MHiPS)
School-wide mental health and wellbeing promotion
Respectful Relationships
What is Respectful Relationships?
The Royal Commission into Family Violence identified the critical role that schools and early childhood education have in creating a culture of respect to change the story of family violence for future generations. In 2016, respectful relationships education became a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from foundation to year 12 and is being taught in all government and Catholic schools and many independent schools.
Rosie Batty, CEO of the Luke Batty Foundation “the school community is an essential part of social reform by modelling a culture of respect through the whole school, not just by teaching respect in the classroom.”
Since 2017, respectful relationships education has been taught as part of the Victorian curriculum. The Victorian Government is supporting schools to model respectful relationships across the whole school community as part of its commitment to respectful relationship education.
The Government is providing Victorian schools with a range of extra supports and resources including new Respectful Relationships teaching and learning materials.
In the classroom, children learn problem-solving skills, develop empathy, support their wellbeing and build healthy relationships with others.
When children build positive relationships with their teachers and peers they feel safer and happier at school, are more resilient and have positive social attitudes. Positive relationships also increase a child’s sense of social connectedness and belonging which can result in better health and academic outcomes.
Further information about Respectful Relationships is available on the Department of Education and Training website: www.education.vic.gov.au/respectfulrelationships
These age-appropriate and evidence-based materials are designed to enable teachers to develop student’s social and emotional capabilities to promote positive, healthy and respectful relationships. They provide teachers with handouts and activities for students that guide classroom discussion.
Saltwater P-9 College is committed to advancing the Respectful Relationships Initiative. At the beginning of the year, we established a comprehensive, school-wide strategy to integrate Respectful Relationships units into our P-9 curriculum. This structured approach has ensured consistent implementation across all year levels and classes, embedding Respectful Relationships into our weekly wellbeing lessons.
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support
What is SWPBS?
SWPBS is an evidence-based school improvement approach that creates a positive and supportive learning environment for all students. It focuses on teaching and reinforcing positive behaviours while providing targeted assistance to students needing extra support, leading to a more successful and inclusive learning community. It ensures that all students receive support to maximise behavioural, wellbeing and academic growth when implemented well.
This approach also improves teacher wellbeing by providing them with the tools to establish positive climates for learning where they can focus on teaching and learning, by increasing engagement and instructional time.
SWPBS is a way to create positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives.
Benefits of SWPBS
School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is an internationally recognised approach with an extensive evidence base that improves behavioural, wellbeing, and academic outcomes for children and young people. When SWPBS is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from:
- increased respectful and positive behaviour
- increased time focused on instruction
- improved social-emotional wellbeing
- positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
- create safe, orderly and respectful school-wide environments.
Saltwater P-9 College is currently reviewing our school-wide positive behaviour expectations. The new matrix will define the essential 'non-negotiable' elements of SWPBS to better align with the culture of Saltwater P-9 College.
Keira Barlee- Wellbeing Leading Teacher