Wellbeing at Wantirna PS
Our school culture is built on care and respect where partnerships between home and school are paramount and nurtured.
At Wantirna Primary School we explicitly teach our CARE values – Compassion, Achievement, Respect and Engagement, and this is reflected in the respectful behaviour demonstrated by our students, staff and families.
Our teaching and support staff are dedicated to student progress and wellbeing, ensuring every child achieves to their potential. Learning is personalised and tailored to student needs. Families are invited to be active participants by assisting and supporting student growth, both in the classroom and at home.
Our school motto of ‘Engage, Explore and Excel’ is alive in all that we offer at Wantirna Primary School. We strive to ensure that every child feels safe, happy and confident within themselves and works with a growth mindset.
What is SWPBS?
School-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) is a framework that brings together school communities to develop positive, safe, and supportive learning cultures.
SWPBS assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people.
When SWPBS is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from:
- increased respectful and positive behaviour
- increased time focused on instruction
- improved social-emotional wellbeing
- positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
- increased adoption of evidence-based instructional practices
- a predictable learning environment with improved perceptions of safety and increased attendance.
The framework supports our school to identify and successfully implement evidence-based, whole-school practices to enhance learning outcomes for children and young people.
At Wantirna Primary School:
The goal of SWPBS at Wantirna Primary School is to create and maintain a positive and safe learning environment that enhances our school culture where we maximise individual academic and social growth.
A clear set of behaviour expectations have been developed around our key school C.A.R.E. values – Compassion, Achievement, Respect and Engagement.
We are in the early stages of implementing key elements of SWPBS in all that we do. In term 3 and 4 of 2024, our students and staff focused on developing and defining our CARE values and created new Values charts together that are on display in all areas of the school. All staff (teaching, learning support, OSHC) encourage the use of our values and acknowledge student behaviours with our values tokens.
All classes work together towards a common goal / reward, and the entire school also works together to achieve whole school values rewards. A Value Certificate is awarded at assembly to acknowledge the special behaviours of individual students.
Features of SWPBS at WPS:
- School-wide support from the SWPBS Team (staff, parents and students)
- Established and defined expected behaviours (displayed in each classroom, learning area and around the school grounds)
- Common and consistent language of values and expected behaviours
- Explicit teaching of expected behaviours taught from Prep to Year 6
- Continuum (behaviour flowchart) of strategies and procedures for acknowledging expected behaviours
- Implementing a continuum of strategies to respond to problem behaviour
- Collection and use of data for decision making and ongoing monitoring and evaluation (chronicle data on Compass)
Respectful Relationships
“Respectful Relationships education is a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from foundation to year 12. It is all about embedding a culture of respect and equality across the entire school community.” Department of Education and Training
All Levels at WPS follow the Respectful Relationships continuum. We are mandated to teach the DET wellbeing curriculum just as we follow maths or reading. These lessons largely focus on child safety for primary school students. It is the responsibility of all schools and teachers to make sure that these lessons are planned and taught.
Our Behaviour Flowchart
We understand that everyone makes mistakes at times, but how we behave after the mistake is what defines us. At Wantirna Primary School, we are committed to supporting children when they make mistakes and helping them build the skills to respond in an appropriate manner so they learn and improve from them.
Our Behaviour Management Flowchart enables teachers to have a clear and consistent approach to managing behaviour across the school, as well as giving ownership to the students and their families through their contributions.
This flowchart is displayed in all classrooms and across the school, and referred to alongside the student as required.
SCHOOL CARE VALUES
As a school community, we have created a set of values which reflect our philosophy and community at WPS. These values underpin the way in which we engage with; students, teachers and families to support a flourishing school community.
COMPASSION- We care for others, display empathy and treat all with kindness.
ACHIEVEMENT- We celebrate our individual strengths, display courage in our learning, set and strive to achieve our goals.
RESPECT- We are accepting of others, considerate of our resources and listen and respond to others with courtesy.
ENGAGEMENT- We are open to new ideas, ask thoughtful questions and participate in all areas of our learning.
Our Values chart is displayed in all settings across the school and acts as a reminder of the behaviours we would expect to see in the classroom, the playground, when moving around the school, in the toilets, and the Out of School Hours Care areas.
Behaviour Rewards
Our students are acknowledged within the classroom and the yard for their attitude and effort reflected by our values.