Student Wellbeing

We equip our Years 3 to 6 students with the necessary skills, values and knowledge to discover their best and contribute to their communities.

Our staff incorporate the latest evidence-based wellbeing practices into their teaching to nurture our students’ emotional health and promote a growth mindset. By adopting a growth mindset, our girls learn to embrace challenges and collaborate with others to formulate solutions.

We are a Child-Safe School and have a Child-Safe Team in our Junior School, consisting of the Head of Junior School, Deputy Head of Junior School (Pastoral Care), Deputy Head of Junior School (Curriculum), Junior School Psychologist and Coordinator of Teaching and Learning. Our pastoral care program also extends to our parents. We host regular parent information sessions to offer parents opportunities to hear from leading experts in the fields of health and wellbeing

Our Student Wellbeing Framework

We believe that every St Mary’s student has unique potential; therefore, it is our goal to work in partnership with their families to nurture that potential.

We know that if each student is confident, courageous and compassionate, she will be equipped to make the most of her strengths, recognise where she needs to improve, and strive to be her best self.

This can only happen if she is supported by a warm and positive family who know how to be appropriately demanding and encourage her to grow without shielding her from some healthy struggles.

Complementing this, each family can rely on the school to provide an environment where their daughter feels connected, knows that she belongs and her contributions matter.

To ensure that this can happen, we have embedded the following eight principles into our Student Wellbeing Framework, which are fundamental to how we work with our students and families. They are informed by our Anglican faith, traditions and values.

Leadership and Management: Our leaders champion, promote and support mental health and wellbeing. They enable strategic change where needed, so we have an effective, whole-of-school approach.

Learning Opportunities: We provide a range of student learning opportunities and experiences that develop holistic skills to support students to accept, know and trust themselves.

Staff Development: Our staff are trained to support student wellbeing and to incorporate evidence-based practices into their teaching that promote lifelong learning, mental wellbeing, engagement and personal growth.

Data Informed: We regularly monitor the wellbeing of our staff and students, take action when needed, and review the impact of interventions.

Student Voice: We consult our students on their experiences, take their advice to ensure our approach is relevant to them and empower them to make decisions when appropriate.

Family Partnerships: We work alongside families in partnership to ensure that we have a shared understanding of each student’s needs and how these may be supported.

Student Support: We have a coordinated approach with clear roles and responsibilities to provide support to all students in a proactive and responsive manner.

Culture and Environment: We provide a school environment where each student feels safe and connected, knows that she belongs and that her contribution matters. It is our strong belief that this detailed framework will help us to continue providing our students with the best environment to pursue personal and academic excellence.