Nurturing Wellbeing

Our school-wide approach to wellbeing is guided by our mission to nurture all members of our School community – students, staff and families – to become and remain ‘well beings’.

Our School Values underpin our commitment to take responsibility for our own personal wellbeing while positively impacting on the wellbeing of others. This commitment can be seen, heard and felt throughout our pastoral care system, where we create by design a learning environment where everyone is supported to feel good, function well, connect and contribute meaningfully, and grow through challenges and change. 

While quality learning is paramount, we place equal value on quality care, recognising the intrinsic link between academics and wellbeing. 

Making Wellbeing Visible 

Through planned and purposeful experiences, students are equipped with the capabilities to enhance personal and collective wellbeing. Our practices and programs are designed to reflect the developmental needs of students and ensure they are empowered with the mindset, skillset and toolset to make informed decisions and take action. 

Complementing our targeted programs is our integrated wellbeing approach through Visible Wellbeing. 

Visible Wellbeing is embedded within all aspects of school life – teaching and learning and broad and balanced experiences. It aims to make wellbeing more visible through the practice of SEE, HEAR and FEEL. Designed by internationally recognised research psychologist Professor Lea Waters (PhD), Visible Wellbeing combines the science of wellbeing with the science of learning. Students, staff and families ares supported to:

• Identify, build and celebrate character strengths 
• Understand the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours 
• Build greater awareness of self, others and the environment 
• Strengthen relationships and maintain positive connections 
• Develop resilience to cope with challenges and changes 
• Form healthy habits and strive towards meaningful goals

Pastoral Care

Student wellbeing is supported by a proactive and responsive multi-level integrated network of care that encompasses a strong partnership between home, school and community.

Within the Junior Schools, our wellbeing teams (inclusive of campus leadership, Counsellors and Learning Strategies staff) meet regularly to discuss matters relating to the wellbeing needs for all students. Our student wellbeing leaders also contribute to decisions related to wellbeing promotion. Within our Secondary Schools, the Heads of House and Assistant Heads of House collaboratively support groups of students alongside our Learning Mentors in Years 7 and 8. Further support and expertise is provided through Student Services which includes our Counselling Service, Chaplaincy, Student Futures & Careers team, and Learning Strategies. 

Having a multi-disciplinary team ensures we are able to create a strong community of care and promote a sense of belonging where every student feels known, heard and valued. This, combined with the relationships fostered by teachers, means students have a broad team of people they can turn to for support.

Our House Community

Each student from Prep to Year 12 becomes a member of a House, creating a supportive and nurturing environment where friendships can be formed, interests and passions pursued, and community spirit ignited. A critical aspect is the availability, consistency and level of pastoral care that students receive.

House groups come together regularly to connect, reflect, learn and play. This may include participation in student-led House activities and events, as well as wellbeing education, assemblies, chapel services, inter-House competitions across Sport and The Arts, and much more – creating connections between and within year levels.

 

Inspired by our Anglican Tradition

We are an Anglican school, and we welcome learners and their families from all faiths and beliefs. Caulfield Grammar School has been an Anglican school since founded in 1881. 

Today, this tradition is observed through weekly chapel services and informs some of our faith studies program, which also integrates the study of other religions. We don’t expect that all students, families and staff share the Christian faith – in fact, many different faiths can be found within our School community. 

We do expect that humility and openness to learn from our tradition be modelled just as our tradition thoughtfully recognises the diversity in our community. 

 

Child Safety

Being and feeling safe is foundational to wellbeing and we are committed to creating a culture of safety at our School. Our Child and Youth Safety Strategy promotes student empowerment and participation, and ensures all students understand their rights, know how to recognise and respond to unsafe situations both individually and communally, report concerns and seek help.

The safety of our School community, whether learning and working on-campus or remotely, both online and offline, is central to our decision making. 

Ongoing consideration and monitoring of our use of technology and Child Safe standards ensure that we meet Government and regulatory requirements and operate in a Child Safe and COVIDSafe way. All actions support our efforts to meet our commitments to Victorian Child Safe Standards and all relevant child safe laws and regulations.