Positive Climate for Learning

3-4 Learning Community

'This term at Armstrong Creek School in the year 3-4 Learning Community we have been focusing on our Collaboration Creek coins to see which Learning Community can reach the highest amount of creek coins. Whichever community can get the most Collaboration Creek coins will get a PRIZE but we don’t know what the prize is yet. Currently my Learning Community (the 3-4 Learning Community) hit one thousand Collaboration Creek coins! One thousand creek coins was our goal and we reached it!'

- Iris

Policies

Dear Parents and Carers,

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing with you some of our Child Safe School Policies. Although some of the policies are a few pages long, we will be sharing the most important sections with you. You are more than welcome to request any of these policies from the school.

In the first standard we will be looking at how we embed a culture of child safety at Armstrong Creek School. In the second standard we will be looking at a statement of commitment to child safety.

How do we embed a culture of child safe:

We recognize the diverse needs of students,
We include child safety as a standing item on Leadership Team agendas,
A child safety officer supports the school staff and community to implement a child safe environment,
School policies around Child safety is regularly updated and shared with school community,
Develop a school culture of active listening to students to protect them
Work with teachers to include, where appropriate, supporting teaching points into curriculum programs i.e. cyber safety programs, School Wide Positive Behaviour program, Respectful Relationships program, health and well-being related programs to build a culture of pro-activity and healthy relationships.

Our statement of commitment to child safety:

We have zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures,
foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children. This will be supported by all staff understanding their child safety role, being mindful of and building respectful and safe relationships between children and their teachers and other school staff,
ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise issues,
Armstrong Creek School is structured around learning communities and so all children will be able to forge strong and respectful relationships in their learning spaces with multiple teachers thereby giving them opportunities to seek support from a number of significant others in their immediate day to day learning environment,
Our school is committed to regularly training and educating our staff and volunteers on child abuse risks.
Our school values of Care, Collaboration and Commitment promote the rights and responsibilities of all. Our school values are embedded in our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support as well as Respectful Relationships frameworks,
Induction programs for staff and students elaborate on the school values (Care, Collaboration, Commitment) and visuals are made explicit in all Learning Communities and admin spaces. Armstrong Creek School is in a growth corridor and induction of new staff, students and parents must include the Child Safe Policy. New staff must be made aware of Mandatory Reporting and the Code of Conduct Policy,
‘How to be safe’ booklet for Primary Students (Protect Website) are displayed in all Learning Communities.
The expectation matrix is displayed in all Learning Communities and students are explicitly taught each of the expectations. Parent/ carer are made aware of expectations at fortnightly assemblies.
All prospective staff and volunteers are required to undergo National Criminal History Records check and maintain a valid Working With Children Check. We take all reasonable steps to employ skilled people to work with children. All parent helpers need to complete a Parent Helpers session.
The leadership team recruits special educational needs teachers and therapists to support the education, wellbeing and communication of students with additional needs in their Learning Community. Through co-teaching models these teachers and therapists build the capacity of their colleagues to provide modified curriculum programs as well as emotional and wellbeing support to students with additional educational needs.
Additional support through Individual Learning Plans, social stories, visual schedules, peer modelling and the targeted use of adaptable learning spaces further ensure that the wellbeing of students with additional needs are met.

Next week we will continue with unpacking more of the Standards around Child Safe.