Student Welfare
Child Protection Program
In Term 2 Yowie Bay Public School will implement the Child Protection Program. Child Protection is mandatory and part of the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Key Learning Area for NSW Primary Schools.
The program involves one lesson each week. The Child Protection lessons have been developed by the NSW Department of Education & Training and are an important priority for schools.
Child Protection lessons help students identify dangerous or uncomfortable situations and how to seek help from trustworthy adults.
For each class, Kindergarten to Year 6, the Program involves the use of correct body part names. The teachers at Yowie Bay School have completed training for the Program and are aware of its sensitive nature. The teachers recognise the importance of the Program and feel sure that all parents will understand why it is so important that their children learn the skills which are needed to protect themselves.
An information session is held each year to outline the program to parents and to show curriculum materials.
Drug Education
Drug Education is taught each year in Term 4 from K-6. Drug Education is an important component of the Physical Education, Personal Development Health Syllabus.
Life Education
Once every second year, in Term 4 all students have the opportunity to attend the Life Education Van that visits the school. Students are taught various aspects of health education including healthy eating habits and foods as well as about harmful substances such as alcohol and smoking.
As the students progress through the grades, the program is varied to build upon the knowledge and skills from the previous year.
The cost of participation provides worksheets which are used in conjunction with the existing classroom health program.
Merit Awards
The school has a system of merit awards which is used to encourage and reward students for achievement, attitude and effort.
Student of the Week Awards are published each week in the Newsletter.
Bronze Awards are given out in class each week.
Silver Awards are given at School Assemblies when a student has collected 4 Bronze Awards.
Gold Awards are given at School Assemblies when a student has collected 3 Silver Awards.
Principal’s Awards are given at School Assemblies when a student has collected 3 Gold Awards.
Peer Support
The Peer Support Program is conducted in Term 3 of every alternate year.
The program enables students from Kindergarten to Year 6 to work collaboratively in combined groups whilst being led by their peer support leader (Year 6 student). The combined groups meet once a week and follow a set program of activities. Year 6 students are trained as peer support leaders which provide them with opportunities to enhance and develop their leadership skills. The duration of the Peer Support Program is approximately ten weeks.
Performances
Visiting school performances are organised throughout the year for all students in Kindergarten to Year 6. These performances are selected to support the Key Learning Areas or a particular theme at school.
Every effort is made to find high quality performances which will stimulate talking, imagination and writing.
Performances are held at the school and pre-performance and follow up work is completed in class. Information and permission notes for performances are included in the school’s newsletter.
Restorative Practice
As part of our school’s Student Welfare Policy we use the process of Restorative Practice for playground management and it is established within our school’s culture.
Restorative means making things new again
When rules are broken in the playground the school takes a Restorative (relational) approach. This allows teachers and students to:
Look at what happened, what harm has resulted and what needs to happen to make things right?
- Focus in past, present & future
- Emphasis on resulting harm
- Deterrence linked to relationships and personal accountability
Consequences (punishment and sanctions) are helpful in influencing behaviour if they happen in a context that is meaningful and relevant. This must involve dialogue.
General Aim of Restorative Practice
To encourage the use of restorative approaches to manage conflict and tensions, by focusing upon repairing harm and strengthening relationships.
Individuals are most likely to trust and co-operate freely with systems – whether they themselves win or lose by those systems – when fair process is observed.
Fair process builds:
- trust
- commitment
- co-operation
This helps to share a gain a common understanding and to build stronger relationships.
If an incident occurs in the playground then teachers use dialogue and ask the following questions to the students who have broken a school rule :
Restorative Questions 1
- What happened?
- What were you thinking at the time?
- What have you thought about since?
- Who has been affected by what you did?
- In what way?
- What do you think you need to make things right?
If someone has been hurt by the incident then they are asked these questions:
Restorative Questions 2
- 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?
Restorative practice is about three things:
- What happened?
- What hurt or harm has resulted?
- What is needed to make things right?
Yowie Bay Public School Values
As part of Values Education our school community has identified the 6 core values that best represent our school. These Values will be incorporated into our school life with all students participating in activities designed to understand and implement these values into their lives.
The six Values of Yowie Bay Schooling are:
1. Caring And Consideration
Being kind and thoughtful
2. Doing Your Best
Striving for your highest personal achievement
3. Honesty
Demonstrating sincerity and truthfulness
4. Resilience
Learning to overcome challenges and learn from the experiences
5. Respect
Valuing others, their rights, opinions and property and treating others fairly
6. Responsibility
Being accountable for your actions
In all contexts our school promotes, fosters and transmits these values to all students. Education at Yowie Bay Public School is about equipping students with specific skills to prepare them to live harmoniously in society in the future.
