Our school’s student wellbeing and behaviour management approaches are based on the foundation of School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS). This approach is well-researched and has been shown to support and enhance the schools in which it is implemented.
School-wide positive behaviour support framework
The School-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) is a framework that brings together school communities to develop positive, safe, supportive learning cultures.
SWPBS assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people.
When SWPBS is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from:
- increased respectful and positive behaviour
- increased time focused on instruction
- improved social-emotional wellbeing
- positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
- increased adoption of evidence-based instructional practices
- a predictable learning environment with improved perceptions of safety and increased attendance.
The framework supports schools to identify and successfully implement evidence-based whole-school practices to enhance learning outcomes for children and young people.
Key features of SWPBS
Implementation of SWPBS requires commitment by the whole school community, particularly from the principal and leadership group. All SWPBS schools implement 8 essential features. They will:
- Establish a common philosophy and purpose: Staff and students use a common language to discuss behaviour. School philosophy emphasises the need to teach appropriate behaviour much like academic learning.
- Establish leadership and school-wide support: School leaders publicly endorse and support SWPBS. A team at the school leads implementation by creating, reviewing and monitoring an action plan. The work is done in collaboration by the whole staff with input from parents, students and the community.
- Clearly define a set of expected behaviours: The school identifies 3 to 5 behavioural expectations that apply at all times. Clear, positively stated examples are identified and displayed in different school settings.
- Establish procedures for teaching and practising expected behaviours: A school-wide plan is developed to ensure behavioural expectations are taught to all students by all staff.
- Implement a continuum of procedures to encourage expected behaviours: School-wide systems are developed to acknowledge expected behaviour and promote commitment from all members of the school community.
- Develop a continuum of procedures to discourage inappropriate behaviour: Schools clearly define problem behaviours and identify specific strategies and responses to minor and major behavioural infractions.
- Use procedures for record-keeping, decision making and ongoing monitoring: Schools review data on repeated behaviour issues, the settings in which they occur, and the consequences most likely to be applied for inappropriate behaviours. They correlate these with other sources of data such as academic progress and analyse this data to make necessary adjustments to school operations to reduce inappropriate behaviour.
- Support staff to use effective classroom practices: Schools establish systems to support staff to adopt evidence-based instructional practices associated with reductions in inappropriate behaviour.
Multi-tiered systems of support
SWPBS uses a tiered intervention framework which invests in:
- primary prevention (tier 1): supports for all students, staff and settings
- secondary prevention (tier 2): additional specialised group systems for students with at-risk behaviour
- tertiary prevention (tier 3): specialised, individualised systems for students with high-risk behaviour, provided in addition to primary and secondary prevention.
At Winters Flat our SWPBS framework is based around the Care Crows.
The acknowledgement system is supported by incentives that recognise positive behaviour for our students. Golden (Crow) Feathers can be redeemed for tangible and non-tangible rewards. There is a catalogue of rewards and students can choose to redeem weekly or save feathers for something special. The system encourages individual, class and whole school rewards. We use Class Dojo to record positive behaviour in all teaching and learning settings. Ten class dojos translate to one golden feather.
A key aim of PBS is to create a positive school community with consistent expectations in all areas of school life. From the classrooms to the specialist rooms, from the front gate to the playground, PBS helps Winters Flat’s students understand what is expected of them and provides motivation to comply with those expectations.
To help make PBS more meaningful to our students, we have adopted three mascots, which help to spread the message that we are a caring and respectful community. Our mascots are the “Care Crows” who represent “caring for yourself”, “caring for others” and “caring for the environment”. The Care Crows are used in our school awards and help to create a common language across the school regarding behavioural expectations for self and others.
Student Well Being Management
This booklet is designed to outline the values, procedures and programs that are in place at Winters Flat Primary School to promote self-esteem, tolerance and resilience among all our students. This is a working document, and as such it will be reviewed and updated regularly based on feedback from parents, students and staff.
It is hoped that this booklet will help parents to develop a better understanding of the policies and procedures at the school, which are designed to protect and nurture all students. The school values and principles that allow our children to grow and flourish in a safe environment are discussed. The programs that support those principles are presented, as well as the procedures that are put in place when problems arise. This booklet also provides some tips on detecting difficulties as early as possible so that action can be taken to remedy them.
Importantly, this booklet provides a basis for parents to give the school ideas for improving the ways in which we work with students to protect their welfare and safety. If you have any ideas, which you see as enhancing the content of this booklet, please contact the Principal or a member of the School Council, who will take them to the School Council meeting and staff for consideration.
Click the link below to view the Student wellbeing management booklet: