From the Head of Junior School

Building Resilience in Students

We are regularly challenged by environmental and personal stressors, with each of us experiencing varying levels of intensity depending on our predispositions, prior experiences and characteristics. Yet, no matter how optimistic or hopeful you might be, it is likely you have experienced stress in many varieties. Our students, like those throughout the country, are not exempt from this fact. Research states that stress is the affective response to situations that demand more than our available resources and thus feel beyond our capacity to cope. Therefore, capacities theorised to build resilience include adaptive cognitive attributions (“the test was difficult”, instead of “I found the test difficult because I am unintelligent”), self-efficacy (“I am able to work hard for this test”), and our ability to seek support (“I will utilise the resources available to me”). In other words, the way we see ourselves and how we perceive a given situation will ultimately determine how we respond.

Resilience is a buzzword often presented as a prerequisite to success and wellbeing, yet theories suggest resilience is a product of several characteristics. The good news is we can also build resilience over time and as such, experiencing stress provides an opportunity to develop skills that will actually buffer from it in the future. Research shows that individuals who engage in social behaviours are more likely to receive positive social feedback that in turn predicts improved functioning, relationships, emotional regulation and wellbeing. Additionally, individuals who engage in self-reflection gain insight into their own coping strategies that allow for resilient beliefs and coping resources to develop.

Below, are a number of tips you might like to try at home in order to support your child/ren in managing stress that they are experiencing and building resilience. 

• Validate your child’s experience no matter how big or small the task. Reassure and be available to your child when they are experiencing stress.
• Discuss and encourage your child to engage in self-reflection about their coping strategies when in stressful situations. What has worked for them in the past? What has made them feel better? What has not been effective in resolving the stressor and reducing their emotional strain? What have they learnt for next time?
• Discuss and encourage your child to engage in problem-focused coping to help mitigate stressors by developing a to-do list and prioritising the most important tasks, and by encouraging them to ask for assistance from teachers.
• Discuss and encourage your child to engage in emotion-focused coping to help mitigate stressors by taking regular breaks, participating in relaxation exercises, keeping physically fit and engaging in social activities with friends.

By working together in conjunction with our staff, it is our hope that all families will be able to reinforce important management strategies we seek to develop in our students at school in order to equip them with the skills they need to face challenges and overcome obstacles they will no doubt encounter in life.

Student Attendance Policy

As a school, we are continually reviewing our processes and systems that are in place to ensure everything we do at Pittwater House aligns with best practice. One area that has been recently discussed is the ‘School Attendance and Exemption Policy’. To ensure that our teachers are being responsive to student absences and that parents are suitably informed of their child’s attendance record, an email or phone call to parents may be made by a member of our staff. The main purpose of this contact is a simple ‘check in’ on any students who have been away for three consecutive days, or for five or more days of absence in any given term. In this situation, parents may also be reminded that their child has reached less than 90% attendance, which is starting to be seen as ‘at risk’, given that all children between the ages of 6 and 17 are legally required to attend school as mandated by the Education Act.

Ultimately, the school is committed to working with parents to ensure the wellbeing and regular attendance of all students at Pittwater House.

Parents are reminded about the need to please ensure they contact the school by 9am on any day their child is absent. Contact may be accepted by submitting a reason for the absence via the App, entry of details directly into the TASS Parent Lounge, an email to: attendance@tphs.nsw.edu.au or a phone call: 9981 4400. Please note that a medical certificate may be requested for an absence where the School requires further information.

Canteen Options for Students

At Pittwater House, our students are very lucky to be able to enjoy two different canteen facilities to purchase food and drink from should they choose to do so. To ensure all parents are aware of when students can actually access the canteens at school, the two tables below summarise the relevant details. Parents are asked to please reinforce this information with their child/ren at home.

If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email: glenn.stephenson@tphs.nsw.edu.au or phone: 9981 4400 and I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.