Leader of Learning - Pastoral Academic Care and Wellbeing 

What are the essential ingredients to ensure a positive school culture?

No two schools are the same. Each school has its own sense of identity and culture. O’Connor is steeped in more than a hundred years of Lasallian and Ursuline culture. But it also encompasses local traditions such as the Spiller Cup. These are just a few of the aspects of the school that help create a sense of culture. O’Connor also embraces the Catholic traditions of daily prayer, celebrating masses and providing an education for all. But what does it mean to have a positive school culture?

There are some key essential ingredients that are readily identified in any school that is described by others as positive. Partnership and belonging are foundational. Education is only successful when everyone is committed to the young person learning. The commitment from school leadership to provide a vision for learning and teaching is only successful when it is understood and supported by teachers, students and families. The vision must be shared, and there must be a common understanding of what the vision looks like, feels like and sounds like. The shared vision allows all members of the community to know where we are going in this shared journey of learning.

Knowing that you belong, are valued and respected, where relationships are built on trust creates a sense of positivity within a school. We all see that we are all part of the same team. We are made to feel welcome and that no-one is left off the team. It is only then that the shared vision begins to come to life.

Partnership, knowing what is expected and knowing the where to next are also critical to building a positive school culture. That working together to improve structures, teaching and learning practices by seeking feedback and being open to the challenging conversations is important. It is about knowing that learning is the focus of what we do. And ensuring that the learning is not just academic learning, but learning about self and wellbeing, about spirituality and grit. A positive school culture is evident when teachers and students feel supported to take risks, reflect and learn and then share the learnings with those around them.

But the most important ingredient is creating space and opportunity to celebrate success. Success is what keeps us motivated and being recognised for success is so powerful in ensuring we feel connected and valued as part of the college community.

O’Connor is a school filled with all these key ingredients. It is a community that prides itself on welcoming everyone, on providing a wide range of opportunities for learning and being part of school life. It is a community based on a core vision of where everyone is a learner, and that we are all learners in a multitude of ways. We have a passionate staff who work hard supporting all students and their families. We take time to reflect and review processes. And most importantly we celebrate successes no matter how big or small they are. And we celebrate them all the time in a variety of ways.

Mellissa Bell

Leader of Learning - Pastoral Academic Care & Wellbeing