Student Wellbeing

in the Junior School

Our focus is on raising happy children with the skills to be resilient.

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Wellbeing at Loreto Kirribilli is a shared commitment between students, staff and families founded on our Loreto Values and our Ignatian spirituality. It promotes the holistic growth and flourishing of every individual by creating a nurturing and supportive community, encompassing the whole person, where individuals feel supported, valued and connected.

Wellbeing is fostered through a collaborative and inclusive environment, cultivating positive self-concept, confidence and resilience, positive relationships and health care practices. Each individual is empowered to navigate the challenges and opportunities in academic, personal, spiritual and social contexts.

The Heart of Wellbeing

Wellbeing is at the heart of teaching and learning at Loreto Kirribilli, as can be seen in the Loreto Kirribilli Learning Lens. Along with incorporating the icons of our school crest, we have used the Learning Lens to ground the four wellbeing themes of the Heart of Wellbeing. The themes are designed to enhance our culture of wellbeing across the school.

The Cross symbolises a collaborative and inclusive environment, which reflects our faith; the Heart of Mary symbolises positive relationships; the Anchor of Hope, a symbol of Our Lady and a reminder to look after our bodies and ourselves; and the Sacred Heart, the promise of Christ to be with us for cultivating positive self-concept, confidence and resilience.

We are connecting all these four themes to our teaching and learning, ensuring they are visible and taught explicitly in all our Pastoral programs K-12, PDH programs, staff professional development sessions and ongoing parent education offerings too.

Pastoral Care

At Loreto Kirribilli we foster in students a love for life, and belief and confidence in themselves, in the context of the Christian value of humility. Through our Junior School wellbeing program Grow Your Mind, students are involved in a range of explicit learning experiences which help them understand themselves and others.

The program is a whole school community wellbeing program and provides engaging, evidence-based, curriculum aligned positive mental health strategies for students, teachers, parents and families.

This holistic program allows us to to use a common language about what it means and feels to be mentally healthy throughout our whole community.

Our focus is on raising happy children and arming them with the skills needed to be resilient and to flourish. We do this in the classroom and beyond through activities, posters, digital resources, engaging bite-sized video lessons, and podcasts.

Pastoral Support
  • Class teacher
  • Assistant Head of Junior School
  • School Psychologist
  • Head of Junior School
Wednesday Wellbeing Value time

Each Wednesday in the Junior school we have a dedicated period to Wellbeing. During Week A, this lesson is in each class, as teachers explicitly teach their PDH content. In Week B, we have a dedicated Wellbeing value session across year levels. For example, in the year of Sincerity, we have Sincerity Sessions led by our Wellbeing Team focusing on a specific wellbeing theme. This session also includes Kindy and Year 6 Buddy time, Year 6 Student leadership activities, integrated house time and time with our therapy dog Peggy.

Respect and Responsibility

The development of an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect and a sense of security, connectedness and positive regard are crucial to student wellbeing in the Junior School.

Expectations for our students are guided by attitudes of respect and responsibility and these are supported by staff, students and our extended community.

Respect for Faith and Truth

  • Respect and demonstrate Catholic values
  • Participate in the liturgical life of school
  • Be truthful in words and actions
  • Include everyone in the Mary Ward circle of friends

Respect for Self and Others

  • Treat others with kindness
  • Be polite, be courteous, be thankful
  • Display acceptance of others
  • Do your best

Respect for our School and the Environment

  • Wear your uniform with pride
  • Demonstrate our school spirit in and out of school
  • Demonstrate pride in your school in our community
Resilience

Our resilience is grounded in our faith and in our values. From the moment our youngest students are welcomed into the Kindergarten classroom, we foster in them the character strengths required to face adversity and embrace the unfamiliar, and we are guided and inspired by our faith every step of the way.

School Psychologists

The School Psychologists are involved in working with the social and emotional development of our students. They also assist in developing individual education programs for various students. The Psychologists work closely with the Director of Student Wellbeing and the Head of Junior School on a wide variety of matters.

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