Positive wellbeing is fundamental to a child’s ability to learn, develop and thrive at school.

We know that when students feel supported, they are more engaged with their learning.

At Sydney Catholic Schools, we commit to providing safe, supportive and inclusive environments which nurture the wellbeing of all students and staff in our community.

Our student wellbeing policy is underpinned by the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework. The framework recognises five elements that are key to supporting the whole school community to build and maintain safe, positive relationships and wellbeing: leadership, inclusion, student voice, partnerships and support.

This is complemented by the Be You Framework, a national initiative for educators aimed at promoting and protecting positive mental health in children and young people. The integration of both frameworks supports our school communities to provide every student with the strongest foundation possible for them to reach their aspirations in learning and in life.

We have a systemic approach to wellbeing and positive behaviour with tiers of support to meet the diverse needs of staff, students and families. The offerings range from whole school initiatives, actively seeking student voice, system policies on anti-bullying, student counselling, staff training in student wellbeing, along with targeted interventions for students with complex social and emotional needs.

01-aquinas-menai-student-wellbeingAquinas Catholic College Menai is founded on the values of the Gospel and a real sense of Christian community exists. We are committed to building positive relationships, acting on Christian values, and giving our students confidence and a contemporary understanding of being an ethical citizen in the 21st Century.

Pastoral Structures
Pastoral Care structures are based on a Year 7-10 vertical pastoral system, which allows students to develop connectedness to a range of students across many year levels and helps create a sense of community within the school. Horizontal pastoral groups in Year 11 and Year 12 focus on supporting students in their final years of school.

New students are introduced to our college with a Year 7 Induction Day and Peer Support Program. We also provide a Year 10 Transition Program to the senior years.

Students have a dedicated Pastoral lesson once a fortnight where a tailored program addresses current and relevant issues including positive relationships, cyber safety, age-appropriate mental health, and resilience strategies.

Anti-bullying policy

Sydney Catholic Schools rejects all forms of bullying behaviours, including online (or cyber) bullying, by maintaining a commitment to providing safe, inclusive, and respectful learning communities that promote student well-being for learning. Staff at Sydney Catholic Schools are committed to employing well-being strategies that allow for a healthy school environment where bullying is less likely to occur.

If your child is experiencing bullying of any kind, or you have a well-being concern, we have a number of support services available for parents/carers and students, as listed below.

Support services: