‘Opening up learning to a world of possibilities' by building belonging and promoting strong mental well-being'

Footscray North Primary School is committed to enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of our whole school community. We do this through focusing on the development of student social, emotional and personal safety skills by embedding these learning opportunities into our curriculum, behaviour management systems and expectations and relationships with our families and carers. 

Why it is needed?

Mental health and wellbeing is vital for learning and life. Children who are mentally healthy learn better, benefit from life experiences and have stronger relationships with family members, school staff and peers. Good mental health in childhood also provides a solid foundation for:

• managing the transition to adolescence and adulthood
• engaging successfully in education
• making a meaningful contribution to society as an adult

The schools commitment to developing a positive school community, with emphasis on establishing positive and respectful relationships, between teachers, students and parents and carers aims to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging for all. We are continually building and enhancing a learning community, through providing multiple and diverse opportunities for each student to experience success. Through a primary intervention approach, we are able to identify those particular students who need extra support at school and work with the community agencies where required.

Creating a positive and engaging school culture

FNPS commits to:

• Building a safe and supportive college environment where teachers have high expectations for the students learning.
• Expecting positive, supportive and respectful relationships that value diversity.
• Implement whole school management systems which are fair and respectful.
• Promoting pro-social values and behaviours.
• Encouraging student participation and student voice.
• Proactively engaging with parents and carers, including ensuring effective college to home and home to college communications.
• Implementing preventative and early intervention approaches.
• Responding to individual student needs.
• Linking to the local community, including referring students/families to community agencies where appropriate.
• Working with families and other schools to ensure a smooth transition process.

Rights and Responsibilities

Every member of the school community has a right to fully participate in an educational environment that is safe, supportive and inclusive. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

In consultation with the whole – school community in members of the FNPS community and the Equal Opportunity Act 1995 and the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006, students have the right to:

• Participate in a school environment that is free from gender, racial, religious or political discrimination.
• Be treated with equality, whilst recognising differences.
• Be treated with dignity and be assured that the school will act compatibly with Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 when making decisions.
• Participate in school environment that is free from physical, emotional or cyber bullying.

School actions and consequences

FNPS acknowledges that student engagement, regular attendance and positive behaviours’ are supported most effectively through relationship based whole college and classroom practices including:

• Establishing predictable, fair and democratic classrooms and college environment.
• Ensuring student participation in the development of classroom and whole college expectations.
• Providing personalised learning programs.
• Consistently acknowledging all students.
• Empowering students by creating opportunities for them to take responsibility and be involved in decision making.
• Providing physical environments conducive to positive behaviours’ and effective engagement in learning.
• Implementing college wide positive and educative behaviour support strategies.