Wellbeing

As we approach the end of Term 2, families may be looking for practical ways to support their children's wellbeing over the holiday period. The following free resources provide excellent information and activities for parents and young people:

• eSafety Commissioner - Parent webinars on online safety, social media, gaming and cyberbullying.
• Beyond Blue - Practical resources to support family mental health and wellbeing.
• headspace - Information for parents and carers on supporting teenagers' mental health and wellbeing.
• Smiling Mind - Free mindfulness activities and guided practices for children, teenagers and adults.

Making Wellbeing Visible at Home

A key idea behind our taught wellbeing program - Compass - is that wellbeing should not be something we only talk about when challenges arise. Instead, wellbeing becomes more powerful when it is made visible through everyday conversations, routines and family experiences.

The SEARCH framework identifies six pathways to wellbeing: Strengths, Emotional Management, Attention and Awareness, Relationships, Coping, and Habits and Goals. Research shows that when young people can see, discuss and practise these skills regularly, they are better equipped to flourish both academically and personally.

Our partnership with Professor Lea Waters makes available not only resources for the classroom but for families too. The PDF below, “SEARCHing for things to do to boost FAMILY WELLBEING?”, is a collection of ideas and activities to support your family’s wellbeing based on the Visible Wellbeing SEARCH pathways.

By making wellbeing visible at home, families can reinforce the learning taking place at school and help young people develop the skills they need to thrive now and into the future.

Building Executive Functioning Skills

This term our Counselling and Psychological Services team have been supporting students in Year 9 and 10 by working on executive functioning skills. These are the mental skills that help young people plan ahead, organise themselves, manage time, prioritise tasks, regulate emotions and persist when challenges arise.

For Junior School students, executive functioning might involve packing a school bag independently, following routines, remembering equipment, or managing homework. For Senior School students, these skills become increasingly important as they balance assessment schedules, co-curricular commitments, part-time work, social activities and future pathways.

One practical way families can support executive functioning is by encouraging regular use of the school diary. Although The Hub provides students with a comprehensive digital platform for learning and organisation, the physical diary remains an important tool for developing executive functioning skills such as planning, prioritising, time management and self-monitoring. The simple act of recording tasks, commitments and goals can strengthen students' ability to organise themselves and take ownership of their learning.

The diary also provides a valuable bridge between home and school, supporting communication with mentors, tutors, classroom teachers and pastoral staff when additional guidance or support may be needed. 

Other ways families can support executive functioning include:

• Establishing predictable routines for study, sleep and technology use.
• Encouraging students to break larger tasks into smaller steps.
• Using calendars or planners to track important dates.
• Asking coaching questions such as "What's your plan?" or "What's your first step?" rather than immediately solving problems for them.
• Helping students reflect on what strategies worked well and what they might do differently next time.