Wellbeing

Introduction to Wellbeing @ WHSC

As part of the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) 2.0, Learning and Wellbeing is central to the work of staff at WHSC. 

From classroom teachers to Education Support staff and school leadership, all staff have a responsibility to support student wellbeing.

Furthermore, there are teams within the College that are more acutely involved in partnerships with students and families. 

Often the first teams to contact families and be involved in student wellbeing matters are the Middle and Senior School Teams, consisting of one Sub School Leader and Learning and Wellbeing Leaders at each year level. Our Learning and Wellbeing Leaders were previously called coordinators; the change in title was to align with the core of the FISO 2.0 model.

The College Wellbeing Team meet weekly to discuss, plan and monitor wellbeing programs, initiatives and data. Students can be referred for individual counselling with a school counsellor or mental health practitioner at school. Requests for a counselling session can be made by students, families or staff. 

WHSC Wellbeing Framework

As part of the College’s Strategic Plan, a College Wellbeing Framework has been drafted. The aim of the framework is to clearly describe how we support the mental health and wellbeing of students. The framework encompasses programs, processes and strategies as part of a multi-tiered system of supports (Figure 1). Further information about the framework will be shared in subsequent Wellbeing articles.

Included in our planning and implementation process, student, teacher and parent/carer focus groups are important. Parents/carers interesting in participating in a focus group, are invited to attend the College for a workshop with members of our Wellbeing Team. Details are below and will also be shared via Compass.

Attendance

2025 saw a significant improvement in student attendance rates. 

At the end of last year, the number of students with 20 or more days of absence for the year was 49%, compared to 64% at the end of 2024. The table below also shows comparisons to school with similar profiles as WHSC, the Monash network and the state rate. As a College, we are looking forward to continued improvement and reduction in student absence rates in 2026.

Several attendance initiatives were implemented last year to support positive attendance and attendance recording. Sharing ‘accounted for’ attendance rates in College newsletters and year level assemblies, and the commencement of an Attendance Improvement Team were a couple of initiatives that will continue this year. 

Attendance Officers at each Sub School were vital to the improvement and were central to communication with home and following-up student absences. In 2026 our Attendance Officers are Annette Paterson (Middle School) and Barbora Kosikova (Senior School). 

If you have any questions about school attendance or are concerned about getting your student to school, please contact the College. Collaboration between home and school is pivotal to address any attendance issues and, as mentioned in previous newsletters, ‘every day counts’ when it comes to school attendance so students have the best chance of fulfilling their outcomes.