student engagement wellbeing and inclusion policy … · best practice underpinned by current...

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STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WELLBEING AND INCLUSION POLICY 2019

Rationale:

We act on the research that shows that a vibrant and positive school culture with a shared enthusiasm for learning is key to successful student outcomes;

We believe in the importance of developing the social and emotional competencies to educate our children to thrive and contribute in the world of tomorrow;

Our school believes in ensuring our learners and environment are engaging, inclusive and safe in all three dimensions: inline (wellbeing, mental and physical health), offline (face to face and physical environment) and online (cybersafety);

Our school community must understand the importance of always using digital technologies safely and securely as tools to transform and enrich our learning and ensure we are cybersafe. We believe this is best taught in partnership between home and school.

Aim:

To develop our school culture through current practices and informed research to ensure we cater for student needs, disabilities, and backgrounds, equally and inclusively;

To improve student engagement, wellbeing and inclusion we will provide ongoing Professional Development, essential programs, use consistent language, follow shared norms and values, and learning and teaching practices that develop the whole child;

To ensure our students and community provide a consistent cybersafety approach to using digital technologies that develop and model our shared values of Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Relationships and Respect;

Implementation:

Prevention Programs, Initiatives and Practices

At Sandringham Primary School we work together as a whole school community to create a safe and supportive school culture using Be You as our framework. We provide programs including Friends For Life, Safely ConnectED, Be the Boss of Your Brain and Body, Bounce Back, Mpowering Girls Program, Buddy Program, Year 6 Transition Program, Prep Transition Program, Human Literacy, SPICE mapping, Kitchen Garden Program and the Radio Program. We also provide initiatives and practices to support this preventative approach including Restorative Justice Practices, The Student Welfare Team, Learning Support, Lunchtime Clubs, Student Led Assembly, Student Action Leadership Teams and Whole School Wellbeing Overview.

Regular Attendance

Sandringham Primary School understands that full attendance is a key to engagement and maximises every student’s ability to learn and our teachers’ ability to teach effectively. Every Day Counts, Engagement and Inclusion strategies are incorporated in our school philosophy.

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Restorative Justice Practices and School-wide Positive Behaviour Support

Sandringham Primary School uses ‘Restorative Justice Practices’ to encourage engagement, self-responsibility and independence and to build pride and respect in each individual student. This has been extended to the classroom and is the basis for respectful communication, relationships and how to respond pro-actively to behavioural issues. To further build on this approach Sandringham Primary School has a School Wellbeing Action Team (KidsMatter) to oversee the implementation of our Student Engagement Policy Guidelines. This team also analyses data from various sources pertaining to Student Engagement and makes recommendations to the school leadership team.

The fundamental concepts of Restorative Justice Practices include an understanding of the violation of people and relationships, resultant obligations and liabilities, and restorative justice, to heal and put things right. These fundamental concepts have ‘the relationship’ and ‘putting it right’ at its core. Restorative Justice Practice is based on an old common-sense understanding of wrongdoing and the underlying need in all of us to be connected. Wrongdoing is the damage to the connection, and restorative justice seeks to understand, make amends and put things right. The healing of the relationship invariably concerns all those connected to or affected by the wrongdoing thus allowing everyone to begin their “journey to belonging.”

How we support positive behaviour and relationships Sandringham Primary School encourages the active involvement of parents in the learning and wellbeing of each student. It seeks to foster this cooperative approach with parents through pastoral care interviews, reports, newsletters, educational forums, Parent Teacher Interviews, Triangle Interviews, phone calls and meetings. In encouraging and building this cooperative approach it is acknowledged there will be behaviours and events which occur that compromise this ideal. When this occurs Sandringham Primary School will use a Restorative Justice approach to repair relationships between individuals and groups. Where appropriate Sandringham Primary School will inform and involve parents in these processes through a Student Support Group. The following restorative approach will be used. A restorative practice question approach is built upon the following key questions:

When things go wrong When someone has been hurt

What happened?

What were you thinking at the time?

What have you thought about since?

Who has been affected by what you have done? In what way?

What do you think you need to do to make things right?

What did you think when you realised what had happened?

What impact has this incident had on you and others?

What has been the hardest thing for you?

What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

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A Staged response

This approach will be conducted in an informal way for minor incidents and be embedded in classroom learning and teaching.

Serious incidents will require a more formal restorative session that involves the Assistant Principal (Student Wellbeing Leader), Principal, and Leading Teachers and if necessary the Guidance Officer and all persons affected in the incident. The response will be documented.

Corporal punishment is not permitted at the school.

There will be situations where a formal conference involving the leadership staff, parents, support persons and convener will be required (Student Support Group). Any imposed consequence will be imbedded in the restorative process that requires a response ‘that makes things right’ in relation to those who have been affected.

Where a restorative approach has previously been conducted and subsequently the behaviour continues, the school will constitute a further Student Support Group to devise strategies and approaches to address the behaviour. This may include intervention from specialist services and external agencies in the local community and the completion of an Individual Behaviour Management Plan.

Curriculum Engagement & Inclusion

Sandringham Primary School has implemented curriculum improvement strategies (including literacy and numeracy) as part of the school improvement agenda outlined in the School Strategic and Annual Implementation Plans. Consideration for the needs of all students is incorporated into our personalised learning philosophy and teaching practice providing engaging and enriching learning experiences.

Wellbeing & Transitions

At Sandringham Primary School a Transition Program, supported by the Student Welfare Team has been established. The team investigates current practice and makes recommendations for improvement of transitions at every year level.

An effective Student Buddy Program supports our belief in the importance of student mentors.

We maintain a close relationship with our neighbouring Secondary Schools as well as a number of support agencies including the Bayside Council, Family Life, Alfred CYMHS, Medicare Local (Kids in Mind) onPsych and Student Support Service Officers (SSSO) who actively contribute as members of the school community. Transition interviews for students between their current and new teacher. Detailed transition forms are also provided to each child’s new teacher.

Professional Learning

Teacher Professional Learning is given high priority at Sandringham Primary School to ensure that learning and teaching approaches are based on deep level pedagogical understanding and reflective of best practice. Watching Others Work (WOW), filming teachers for reflective learning and modelling and team teaching are opportunities for teachers to learn from and on the behalf of each other. Improvement to learning and teaching is supported by modelling of best practice underpinned by current research facilitated by consultants David Anderson, Julie Shepherd (Literacy) and Sue Fine (Numeracy), Georgina Pazzi (elearning and wellbeing- Human Literacy). Ongoing professional learning in DET initiatives and school based priorities will continue to be a focus at SPS every year.

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Cybersafety

The Sandringham Primary School community recognises the need for students to be safe and responsible users of digital technologies. We believe that explicitly teaching students about safe and responsible online behaviours is essential. This is best achieved with a home-school partnership. We expect that all community members work together to encourage this proactive behaviour.

Sandringham Primary School uses programs and procedures that support safe and responsible uses of digital technologies. This statement can define our duty of care for students working with digital technologies.

At Sandringham Primary School we:

explicitly educate our students on how to be safe and responsible users of digital technologies;

support all members of the school community to engage in and promote a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment;

support our community to understand the importance of safe and responsible use of digital technologies and strategies that can be implemented at home;

have co-created team norms and values that clearly state our school’s values and the expected standards of student behaviour;

have a consistent approach to educating students about potential online issues, such as online privacy and intellectual property;

supervise students when using digital technologies for educational purposes;

provide a filtered internet service that offers the maximum possible protection;

respond to issues or incidents that have the potential to impact on the wellbeing of our students;

know that some online activities are illegal and as such we are required to report this to the police;

provide community members with a copy of this agreement. Sandringham Primary School has implemented a Community Cybersafety Agreement (see Appendix 1) and a Student Cybersafety Agreement (see Appendix 2), through consultation with Georgina Pazzi (elearning and wellbeing consultant) and our eSmart team. This agreement has to be signed by parents/carers and students. This is kept with the students at school in their class folder. The Community Agreement must be signed by a parent/carer and be displayed and implemented at home.

Cybersafety will be implemented through:

The Safely ConnectED Program o Explicit teaching of Cybersafe practices using identified themes at key learning stages

(see Cybersafety Explicit Teaching Framework Appendix 3); o Visual posters to promote key values and cybersafety practices: Me, We and See

(sharing different spaces and levels of privacy); Taking action on Cyberbullying (Ignore, Tell, Keep Evidence); Online and fine (understanding what can be shared online and what must be kept secret); Where am I? (defining school zones and home zones); Be SMART Online (Stay safe, Meetings, Accepting, Reliable, Tell); Safe Blogging; PLEASE (Making informed downloading decision based on Permission, Learning, Essential, Appropriate, Source, Expensive);

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o Community Newsletter that supports and connects safety for all 3 dimensions of learning (inline, online, offline);

o Student and teacher identified acceptable uses and practices as shown on the student Cybersafety Agreement each term;

Daily modelling of cybersafe practices using a common language and making connections with offline behaviours and actions;

Opportunities to use school owned and student owned digital technologies safely as part of our Digital Learning Direction;

Parent and student forums. Online and Offline Bullying Prevention Refer to the Anti-Bullying policy for Online and Offline Bullying Prevention. This policy also includes guidelines for students, teachers and parents on what to do in bullying situations. Community Forums

The school provides opportunities for parents to give feedback about the school in an objective environment to enhance student engagement. For example: ‘Conversations with Margaret’ and parent surveys.

ACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

Creating Respectful and Safe School Communities

Sandringham Primary School focuses on the total growth of the developing child: touching hearts as well as minds and encompassing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic development.

The school will acknowledge students who meet the shared expectations outlined in this policy through recognition and encouragement as shown in the logical consequences provided below.

Positive behaviours are supported most effectively at SPS through relationship based whole school classroom practices including:

Establishing predictable, fair and democratic classrooms and whole school environment

Ensuring student participation in the development of classroom and whole school expectations through class norms

Providing personalised learning and behavioural management programs

Consistently acknowledging and rewarding positive behaviour

Implementing school wide positive and educative behaviour supports strategies.

Supporting challenging circumstances

Challenging circumstances such as irregular attendance, may be responded to through staged responses that has a prevention and early intervention, data based focus including:

Seeking to understand the individual student and their circumstance

Ensuring a clear understanding of expectations by all including students, staff and parents;

Providing consistent school and classroom environments;

Providing consistent school and classroom scaffolding to support students learning and wellbeing.

When students do not meet these expectations, a response is implemented consistent with the logical consequences outlined overleaf. This is to be implemented using the restorative justice approach outlined in the prevention section.

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The restorative approach is used to address student behaviour in various settings and levels to:

re-establish significant relationships;

ensure consequences for misbehaviour are relevant and meaningful ;

foster and develop individual responsibility and empathy.

LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES

Acceptable Actions will be recognised by:

Celebrations;

Assemblies;

Reports;

References;

Newsletters;

Leadership opportunities;

Positive feedback;

Cybersafety agreement acknowledgement ;

Parent Teacher Interviews and Triangle Interviews;

The right to represent the school.

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Action and Consequences Support Chart

The following chart will be used by staff to inform appropriate actions based on student unacceptable choices including inappropriate online behaviours as part of the school Cybersafety agreement.

Low level (unintentional) Moderate level (intentional) Severe level (intentional)

Turning off someone else’s computer

Making a negative comment about others (disrespectful)

Unintentionally excluding others

Using resources inappropriately

Damaging property

Irresponsible behaviour

Making a negative comment about others (disrespectful)

Repeatedly and intentionally excluding others

Plagiarism

Damaging property

Bullying/cyberbullying

Identity theft/fake profile

Content that threaten, harasses or causes offence

Work or images that personally attack, humiliate or defame an individual

Content that is inappropriate or illegal

Racism

Take Action (low level) Take Action (moderate level) Take Action (severe level)

Ensure all students are safe

Talk to the student and refer to shared expectations, Cybersafety Agreement, class norms and the 5Rs where applicable

Inquire into the inappropriate incident – this may include all staff and students who may have been directly or indirectly involved in the incident or its effects

Action to make it right agreed to by student




If your inquiry leads you to believe that a concern is real but not criminal then advise a member of the school’s Leadership, eSmart or Welfare team to report the incident to plan the appropriate response and support





If your inquiry leads you to believe that a concern is real and may or may not be criminal then advise a member of the school’s Leadership or Welfare team to report the incident to plan the appropriate response and support

Action referred to Police as required


Consequences for low level Consequences for moderate level Consequences for severe level

Listed in Sentral Welfare

Teacher is advised – they report incident and plan appropriate response

Teacher judgement for consequence (time off playground, apology letter written)

Restricted use of technology or resources

Withdraw privileges

Give the student ‘time-out’– gradual reintroduction using a planned response

Welfare team is advised – they report incident and plan appropriate response


Parent informed

Restricted or prohibited use of technology or resources

Payment for damage sought

Withdraw privileges

Give the student ‘time-out’– gradual reintroduction using a planned response

Withdraw student temporarily from class – Swap Grade

Welfare team is advised – they report incident and plan appropriate response


Parent involvement

If necessary, police informed or involved

Prohibited use of technology or resources

Payment for damage sought

Withdraw privileges

Withdraw student temporarily from class

Suspension (highly severe)

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Ongoing Challenges Where students exhibit ongoing behaviour patterns as part of staged response, a range of strategies will be used. These may include:

Discussing the behaviour problems and reaching an agreement for future behaviour

Explicit Teaching of appropriate behaviours;

Monitoring and providing feedback;

Time Out allowing students a “Cooling Off” period;

Making changes to the student’s learning program to better equip him/her to behave

positively;

Withdrawal a student may be withdrawn from an activity, class– Swap Grade, camp or

excursion due to inappropriate behaviour and or be provided with an alternative educational

setting within the school;

Counselling for individuals in order to modify inappropriate behaviour;

Tasks designed to better equip him/her to behave positively in the future;

Individual Behaviour Management Plans in consultation with parents, student and teachers;

Wellbeing /Student Support Group Meeting involving parents/caregivers and/or relevant

DET support staff, Outside Agencies to assist with modifying the behaviour;

Court - Yard withdrawal will be given to a student for seriously compromising the safety of

themselves or others and/or continual misconduct. Parents/caregivers will be informed and

a further meeting arranged to discuss behaviour or to draw up a Behaviour Plan (where

necessary);

Suspension & Expulsion: For serious disciplinary measures we follow DET Student

Engagement and Inclusion Guidance 2014 developed in response to Ministerial Order

No.625.

Sandringham Primary explicitly prohibits corporal punishment.

Policy review

At Sandringham Primary School the Student Engagement, Wellbeing and Inclusion Policy is reviewed and ratified by the School Council annually to ensure that it is reflective of the learning and teaching needs of 21st century learners. This policy will be reviewed in 2020

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Appendix 1: Community Cybersafety Agreement

Community Cybersafety Agreement!

Cybersafety is an important part of our school community. By the time children arrive at school, many

are already online and using digital technologies. We

understand the role that digital technologies have on

students becoming global citizens and the opportunities it brings to learning.!

!

Part A: School profile statement !

!The Sandringham Primary School community

recognises the need for students to be safe and

responsible users of digital technologies. We believe that explicitly teaching students about safe and

responsible online behaviours is essential. This is best

achieved with a home-school partnership. We expect

that all community members work together to encourage

this proactive behaviour.!!

Sandringham Primary School uses programs and

procedures that support safe and responsible uses of

digital technologies. This statement can define our duty

of care for students working with digital technologies.! !

At Sandringham Primary School we:!

• explicitly educate our students on how to be safe and

responsible users of digital technologies;!

• support all members of the school community to engage in and promote a safe, inclusive and

supportive learning environment;!

• support our community to understand the importance

of safe and responsible use of digital technologies and strategies that can be implemented at home; !

• have co-created team norms and values that clearly

state our school’s values and the expected standards

of student behaviour;!

• have a consistent approach to educating students about potential online issues, such as online privacy

and intellectual property; !

• supervise students when using digital technologies

for educational purposes;!

• provide a filtered internet service that offers the maximum possible protection;!

• respond to issues or incidents that have the potential

to impact on the wellbeing of our students;!

• know that some online activities are illegal and as

such we are required to report this to the police;!• provide community members with a copy of this

agreement.!

Sandringham Primary School!

©Sandringham Primary School 2013

!

Part B: Safe and responsible behaviour !

!WHY?!Our school community must understand the importance of always using digital technologies safely and securely

as tools to transform and enrich our learning.!

!

WHAT?!We expect our students and our community to use

digital technologies to:!

Communicate and express themselves in

contemporary and socially relevant ways through local

and global platforms; !

Collaborate to develop more productive ways of

working and solving problems individually and

collectively;!

Curate by selecting and applying appropriate resources,

techniques and procedures to process information into meaningful learning products;!

Create information products and content using various

platforms to represent their learning ideas and findings;!

Celebrate their learning and achievements using

appropriate forums for a range of audiences.!

!

HOW?!We expect our students and community to use digital

technologies to develop and model:!

Responsibility by recognising the social and ethical

attributes that they have as users of digital technology,

being aware that personal information should not be

shared online;!

Resourcefulness by using a range of age-appropriate

digital tools to suit specific learning purposes; !

Relationships that are safe and trustworthy and allow

us to look after ourselves and others;!

Respect by acknowledging other peoples’ rights to

privacy, learning and safe access to digital resources.!

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Community Cybersafety Agreement

Part C: Community Agreement

As a Sandringham Primary School community member, I/we will use digital technologies to:

Sandringham Primary School


This means when working with my/our child/children, I/we will use digital technologies to develop and model:

I have carefully read the Community Cybersafety Agreement. I understand the significance of the

expectations and support Sandringham Primary School’s Cybersafety strategy.

Parent/Guardian Full Name: ________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________ Date: ____________________



Eldest Child’s Full Name: _______________________________ Class: ___________________

For further support with online issues, students can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800

Parents/Guardians can call Parentline on 132 289 or visit http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/report.aspx

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Appendix 2: Student Cybersafety Agreement

Student Cybersafety Agreement!

WHY?%

WHAT?%

and express ourselves in contemporary and socially

relevant ways through

local and global platforms.!

to develop more productive ways of

working and solving

problems individually

and collectively.!

by selecting and applying appropriate

resources, techniques

and procedures to

process information into meaningful learning

products.!

information products and content using

various platforms to

represent learning,

ideas and findings.!

our learning and achievements using

appropriate forums for a

range of audiences.!

by recognising the social and ethical attributes as

users of digital technology,

being aware that personal

information should not be shared online.!

that are safe and trustworthy and allow

us to look after

ourselves and others.!

by acknowledging other peoples’ rights to

privacy, learning and

safe access to digital

resources.!

by using a range of age-appropriate digital

tools to suit specific

purposes.!

HOW?%

We will agree to use digital technologies as tools to transform our learning safely and securely in an enriching learning environment.!

We will use digital technologies to:!

We will use digital technologies to develop and model:!

Sandringham Primary School!


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Student Cybersafety Agreement

AGREEMENTI have carefully read the Community Cybersafety Agreement. I understand the significance of the

expectations and agree to abide by them. I am aware that any breach of these expectations will result

in digital privileges being suspended or revoked.

Student Full Name: _________________________________ Year Level: ___________________



For further support with online issues, students can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800

Parents/Guardians can call Parentline on 132 289 or visit http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/report.aspx

2014

Sandringham Primary School

Term 1

StudentSignature Teacher

I have demonstrated the following in a positive way:

I am cybersafe and cybersmart.


Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

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Appendix 3: Cybersafety Explicit Teaching Framework

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