Deputy Principal's Update
Prioritising Wellbeing: Strategic Progress and Future Vision
This year, our School community has made significant strides in wellbeing, a central pillar of our current Strategic Plan. We recognise that a thriving educational environment rests upon strong support for every student and staff member. Our progress in 2025 has set the stage for an exciting new chapter as we move towards a more coordinated and strategic whole-school approach with the appointment of the newly created position of Director of Wellbeing.
Building on 2025: Foundations for Growth
Over the past year, we have formally established the E–12 Pastoral Care Committee. This group of Senior Leaders in Pastoral Care has been instrumental in laying essential groundwork, meticulously developing policies, guidelines and frameworks across student and staff wellbeing. This foundational work demonstrates our commitment to moving beyond traditional approaches to safeguarding and student welfare, ensuring a proactive and consistent model of care.
While we have always maintained a strong focus on child safeguarding and immediate student wellbeing, the development of our Strategic Plan highlighted the need for a more coordinated E–12 framework. This is crucial for ensuring strong transitions as students move through key developmental stages: from Friends’ Early Learning to Primary School, to Middle School, and into Senior School.
2026 and Beyond: Introducing Our Director of Wellbeing
We are thrilled to announce a major step in fulfilling our strategic vision with the introduction of a new E–12 position: the Director of Wellbeing.
Starting in 2026, Steven Purse will assume this pivotal role. Steven joins us with a breadth of experience and qualifications specifically related to wellbeing, and his appointment represents a significant investment in the future health and success of our community.
Steven’s core mandate will be to work with all staff to develop a truly whole-school approach to wellbeing, pastoral care, and Access and Inclusion (A&I).
- Strategic coordination of A&I: Steven will begin by working closely with our A&I team to develop a strategic and coordinated approach to our E–12 program, ensuring high-quality, age-appropriate support for diverse learning needs across all year levels.
- Building on the 2025 groundwork: He will also further develop the extensive foundational work completed by the E–12 Pastoral Care Committee, translating policies and guidelines into effective and consistent practice across the School.
A Unified Vision
The introduction of the Director of Wellbeing role is a clear indicator of our commitment to embedding wellbeing as a core operational principle, not simply an add-on. Steven’s leadership will help unify existing efforts, creating a robust, cohesive and comprehensive system of support that benefits everyone. By strengthening coordination and strategy in this area, we ensure our students are not only academically successful but also emotionally intelligent, resilient and well-supported as they navigate their learning and transitions within our E–12 environment.
We look forward to welcoming Steven and to the positive impact his expertise will have as we continue to fulfil the vision of our Strategic Plan.
Yours faithfully,
Shaun O'Rourke - Deputy Principal