5. Whole School Wellbeing
Artefacts
Overall Annotation
IMPACT OF ALL THIS ON SCHOOL: At Chatswood Public School (CPS) there is a collaborative, strategic and planned approach to support the wellbeing of all students. This creates equal access to a quality learning environment for all, that will result in the development of healthy, happy, and resilient individuals that have the potential to flourish and meet the challenges their future lives may bring.
Why: As stated in our school plan, CPS is a place of excellent learning, where students are encouraged to reach their full potential in their academic, creative, physical and moral development. From this vision statement a collaborative responsibility across all staff ensures we have a network in place to support the cognitive, emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing and development of all our students, within the context of quality teaching and learning.
How: Central to this support network is the CPS Learning and Support Team. The CPS team comprises of classroom teachers from all stages, specialist teachers and members of CPS senior executive. They work together to oversee and implement a multitude of wellbeing strategies, programs and support that are designed to meet the varying needs of the students at CPS. The Learning and Support team are responsive to the changing needs of staff, students and community. This can be evidenced by the latest LaST Policy 2017 Update. The updated policy reflects the changing needs of CPS and the new Learning and Support Team structure supports a more cohesive and collaborative approach to students wellbeing by all staff.
What and When: Star Room is an example of response to student need relating to their social and emotional wellbeing. As it was recognised that some students required a more structured and supported environment during lunchtime, Star Room was created to meet these needs.
Another Learning and Support team initiative that has been presented as evidence is the creation of an efficient system of data collection for the annual NCCD collection. This has been coupled with professional development opportunities for staff so they can better meet the needs of all students within the context of our departmental obligations. This provides an example of a school wide approach towards meeting student need and improving wellbeing through the upskilling of staff and the provision of systems that enable efficient record keeping so our ability to meet students need can be constantly reassessed on a classroom and whole school level.
CPS currently has a speech pathologist working one day a week and a planned Occupational Therapy program starting term 3 2017 that will operate two days a week. These programs came about through identified student need by staff, parents and community.
As well as programs that support and focus on individual students, CPS implements whole school wellbeing programs that positively affect all students. Two examples of these are the Healthy Skills for Life program and Circle Solutions. They build on the notion that a student’s well being is directly related to a student’s learning outcomes and a positive movement in one will positively affect the other.
CPS acknowledges that student wellbeing needs to be supported and fostered beyond the classroom and school environment through community support and engagement. Two CPS programs reflect this notion and are supportive of family and community involvement. These are the Ready for Life, Ready for Success Kindergarten Program and the Surviving Adolescence parent program.
The Significant Impact
The Whole School Wellbeing initiatives that will be presented as evidence within this section have had a significant impact upon the wellbeing of the students and community of Chatswood Public School. Through the updated LaST structure, all staff are given collaborative responsibility to meet the wellbeing of students while being provided with the required skills and support to meet these needs.
Some programs have targeted and impacted individual students. Provision of a speech pathology program for identified students has aided their participation in their learning and social environments on an equal level and contributed towards their cognitive, physical and social/emotional wellbeing. The creation of Star Room has resulted in a positive improvement in not only the students that use Star Rooms well being but the wellbeing of the wider student body as well as staff and parents.
Programs that target the student population, such as Healthy Life Skills and Circle Solutions, have impacted a greater number of individuals. These have cultivated wellbeing, resilience and lifelong learning, qualities central to CPS’s school goal for students to reach their full potentials. These are complemented by our two programs that involve family and community. The Ready for Life, Ready for Success Kindergarten Program directly involved and educated parents of the importance of student wellbeing and provided them practical skills and strategies that can contribute to their wellbeing both at school and at home. The Surviving Adolescence program, likewise, educates parents on how to contribute towards student and family wellbeing during the adolescent years.
Analysis
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In our self-assessment process the leadership team analysed a range of evidence to support our judgement. The evidence set shows the strong commitment the school has to ensure the wellbeing of all stakeholders and in creating awareness of cultural identity and diversity within the school and the broader community. Key importance is placed on enhancing the whole school’s wellbeing that will lead to improved students outcomes.
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SEF Connections
In regards to Learning Culture Chatswood Public School is Excelling. Tell Them From Me survey results evidence positive, respectful relationships exist between staff and students. Current policies and programs identify and address current student need, such as the process of data collection for NCCD,Speech Therapy Program and the Star Room program.
In regards to Wellbeing Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. On many levels and through multiple initiatives the school delivers a whole school approach to student wellbeing. Through programs such as the Surviving Adolescence parent program and the Ready for Life Ready for Success program, Chatswood Public School also contributes to the wellbeing of the wider parent community.
In regards to Curriculum and Learning Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. Learning alliances such as those with the speech therapist, Healthy Life skills, Ready for Life Ready for Success, are evidence of curriculum enhancement. These are coupled with in house systematic policies, programs and processes to identify, address and respond to student learning needs.
In regards to Assessment and Reporting Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. Chatswood Public School’s NCCD collection model emphasises the requirement of Parental Collaboration is their child’s learning needs. Parents have an understanding of what their children are learning and take part in regular discussions on their child’s learning requirements. CPS uses data from the Tell Them From Me surveys and Ready for Life Ready for Success parent feedback data to assess program effectiveness and trends in student wellbeing and achievement.
In regards to Effective Classroom Practice Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. Teachers work together to improve teaching and learning in their stages and on a whole school level. The Learning and Support team works closely with classroom teachers to suggest and develop teaching practices that can contribute to student learning. While implementing Circle Solutions, trained staff collaborate with different teachers and students across all Stages, defined behavioural expectations are reinforced in a positive teaching and learning environment.
In regards to Data Skills and Use Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. Sentral data was analysed and monitored that showed a negative pattern of behaviour and increased incidents during lunchtime for a number of students. This data analysis formed the basis of the Star Room design.
In regards to Collaborative Practice Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. Chatswood Public School wellbeing initiatives, such as the Ready for Life Ready for Success Kindergarten program, allow teachers and collaborative professionals the opportunity to provide specific and timely feedback on students to students and parents.
In regards to Professional Standards Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing as over all the programs included in this section show that teachers work beyond their classrooms to contribute to broader school programs.
In regards to School Planning, Implementation and Reporting Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. Chatswood Public school uses the Surviving Adolescence Parent Workshops and Ready for Life, Ready for success programs the support school plans and our aspirations for improving student learning across the community. Participation in these programs reflects parental understanding, taking into consideration parental work commitments, and support of school expectations and aspirations for improving student learning across the school community. School staff involved are able to articulate the purpose of this program. The kindergarten staff team monitor the program and review it as needed. There is a clear outline of the program and timeline for the program.
In regards to Management Practices and Processes Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing as through the Tell Them From Me surveys students and the community are able to provide constructive feedback on school practices and procedures. Feedback surveys were also incorporated into the two Ready for Life, Ready for Success initiatives. The staff of Chatswood, particularly the School Learning and Support Team are responsive to this data.
In regards to Leadership Chatswood Public School is Sustaining and Growing. The school has productive relationships with external industry and community organisations, such as speech therapy and Ready for Life, Ready for Success community organisation. Links to the Police Youth Liaison Officer have also been made through the Surviving Adolescence Program initiative.
Future Direction
Learning Elements
Chatswood Public School plans to continue our current Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy programs that focus on early intervention. This investment in early intervention should see a substantial reduction in the need for interventions during later grades and students will be more equipped to access school learning on an equal basis as their peers. Chatswood also plans to expand on our parent/community programs due to their success this year and in response to parent body feedback and demand. As our data base for NCCD collection grows, this will provide an increasingly detailed record of the changing needs of our students as well as a valuable source of information on students that will enable teachers to tailor their teaching to the learning needs of individuals in their care.
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Teaching Elements
Continuing professional presence on site of an Occupational Therapist and a Speech therapist upskills teachers through collaborative practices already embedded in Chatswood as these skills are passed on and the positive effects on student learning are magnified. Student Wellbeing programs such as Circle Solutions likewise will become further established as our plans for further teacher training and mentoring are implemented. Chatswoods ongoing commitment to an evolving and changing LaST program reflects the ability to change in response to the ever changing needs of our student body and community. The use of TTFM data ensures we are currently assessing if our Wellbeing programs are effective.
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Leading Elements
Chatswood Public School will further develop our relationship with valuable external community organisations to continue to meet the needs of our school community. Programs such as Surviving Adolescence and Ready for Life are planned to continue and the LaST are constantly keeping abreast of new opportunities to further support teachers, students and parents, such as a planned introduction of Cyber Safety community education in 2018.