Wellbeing at Danebank
Where sparks become
Principal Introduction
At Danebank we nurture all aspects of our girls to ensure they will thrive in the modern world.
Wellbeing at Danebank is a top priority. It forms a pivotal part of our holistic education for our girls.
Research indicates that fostering the wellbeing of our students, and indeed, our staff, families and community, is fundamental to their overall development and success. We recognise that a positive and supportive environment contributes significantly to academic achievement, personal growth, and lifelong wellbeing.
We understand that students who feel emotionally, socially, and physically well are better equipped to thrive academically and in community.
We know wellbeing and learning are inextricably linked.
Nurturing wellbeing is an investment in the overall success and happiness of our students, contributing to a positive school culture and a supportive learning environment.
For this reason, enabling the wellbeing for our girls, staff, families and community to belong and thrive through the provision of a safe and supportive learning environment is a key strategic priority for our school. We are working towards establishing a culture of wellbeing as a cornerstone of the school, where learning enables wellbeing and flourishing for teachers and leaders, and where this is mirrored in our students.
Dr Emma Burgess Principal
toinfluence,takeaction, Shegraduatesempoweredwith a voice
Voice serveandshapeherworld
She seeksfaithandarelationship withJesustobeabletoexperience thefullnessoflife
Thinking
She becomes a powerful learner, able to think and draw upon her knowledge andwisdom, to thrive in the world
Understanding Wellbeing for Learning
We define learning as:
Feeling well, functioning well, contributing well, connecting well with the hope in our hearts we flourish as we become all we are purposed to be.
Wellbeing is an integral part of our bespoke futures focused ‘Becoming Framework’. This framework aims to equip Danebank girls with all they need to flourish, both today and into the unknown future; to thrive in the modern world.
Our Whole School Approach
Our whole school approach to wellbeing and the way we structure the development of wellbeing is multifaceted and holistic. We share a common language and process across the school to support student and staff wellbeing.
Our approach incorporates several dimensions and highquality evidence-based research, which forms guiding principles for our practice. These are:
1. The Danebank way - our aspiration, intent, values and motto
2. Framework for whole school wellbeing
3. Research base in action - PERMA Model and Visible Wellbeing
1. The Danebank Way
Aspiration
Where every girl belongs and every girl is becoming all she is purposed to be.
Intent
Grounded in our heritage, we are a futuresfocused Christian learning community. We nurture and inspire girls to flourish through inclusive and powerful educational opportunities.
Our values
Compassionate Service, Creative Collaboration, Respectful Relationships, Courageous Optimism, Personal Excellence, Loving Kindness, Taking Responsibility.
Our motto
Ut Prosim, That I Might Serve
2. Framework for whole school wellbeing
LEADERSHIP
Visible leadership to inspire positive school communities
SUPPORT AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR EXPECTATIONS
Wellbeing and support for positive behaviour
INCLUSION
Inclusive and connected school culture
PARTNERSHIPS
Effective family and community partnerships
FAITH
Grounded in the message of the gospel of Christ.
STUDENT VOICE
Authentic student participation
Leadership to inspire positive school communities
School leaders play an active role in building a positive learning environment with the aim of the whole school community feeling included, connected, safe and respected.
Inclusive and connected school culture
We believe all members of our community are active participants in building our welcoming school culture, that values diversity and fosters positive and respectful relationships.
Student voice and active participation
We encourage students to be active participants in their own learning and wellbeing, feel connected to use their social and emotional skills to be respectful, resilient and safe.
Effective family and community partnerships
Families and communities collaborate as partners with Danebank to support student learning, safety and wellbeing.
Wellbeing support and positive behaviour expectations
School staff, students and families share and cultivate an understanding of wellbeing and positive behaviour and how this supports effective teaching and learning. Our staff aim to support students to meet expectations through educative and, if needed, disciplinary consequences.
Faith as a Christian learning community
We are a Christian school and our culture for wellbeing aims to reflect the good news of Jesus Christ, in the way we care for each other, the way we teach, the way we learn, and the way we encourage students to develop their God-given abilities in the service of others.
3. Research base in action
Danebank is an accredited Visible Wellbeing Partner School. It was the first Anglican all Girls School to gain accreditation in NSW.
Incorporating Visible Wellbeing at Danebank means creating a school environment where the promotion of wellbeing is evident in both policy and practice. We strive to make the components of wellbeing visible through explicit teaching, modelling, and integration into various aspects of school life. By doing so, we aim to empower students to understand, monitor, and enhance their own wellbeing. Visible Wellbeing is integrated throughout our learning.
The PERMA Model and Visible Wellbeing
The PERMA model is a research-based framework for wellbeing developed by Professor Martin Seligmann. It is grounded in positive psychology and positive education. The PERMA framework has five dimensions or elements of wellbeing namely; positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment.
The PERMA framework grounds our understanding of what wellbeing looks like.
Visible wellbeing emanates from the PERMA model for wellbeing. The framework was developed by Professor Lea Waters, AM, PhD. It is the culmination of 20 years of high impact research in psychology and education and supports our students, staff and community to understand how to develop and lift our wellbeing.
Visible wellbeing gives us the tools to build our wellbeing. It links learning and wellbeing to achieve three key goals of:
• helping students and staff to more clearly see their own and other’s wellbeing using Visible Wellbeing practices;
• helping students and staff more systematically build wellbeing using the SEARCH framework;
• facilitating learning through the visible wellbeing classroom process.
STRENGTHS
HABITS & GOALS
See Hear Feel
COPING
The acronym SEARCH represents the pathways:
• Strengths
• Emotional Management
• Attention and Awareness
• Relationships
• Coping
• Habits and Goals
RELATIONSHIPS
EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT
ATTENTION & AWARENESS
Our Structures for Wellbeing
The Junior and Senior School Structures of Support encourage and promote wellbeing through age group targeted programs and initiatives.
The Pastoral Care Connect program (P-12) aims to enhance students’ capabilities, encompassing their Wellbeing and learning. This model proves essential to the educational journey of every student, serving as the crucial bridge between learning and wellbeing.
The Connect program offers opportunities for our students to develop social and emotional learning (SEL) through our whole school SEL Scope and Sequence.
Wellbeing | Junior School
Junior School Structure of Support | Student Wellbeing
Primary Overseer: Classroom teacher
Social and emotional learning:
Weekly Connect and PDHPE lesson
Additional Supports:
• Stage Coordinators
• Assistant Heads of Junior School
• Learning Enrichment
• School Counsellors
• Tailored support groups as needed
• Tailored Social and Emotional Learning programs
• Student wellbeing club
• Weekly Student Support Referral Meeting
• Inclusion Team
Wellbeing | Senior School
Senior School Structure of Support | Student Wellbeing
Primary Overseer:
Year Coordinator
First port of call:
Connect teacher
Social and emotional learning:
Connect and PDHPE lessons
Additional Supports:
• Connect Check in Chats
• Assistant Head of Senior School (Wellbeing)
• Director of Academic Care
• Learning Enrichment
• School Counsellors
• Wellbeing Space & Nurse
• After-school study support
• Study hall (Math, English & Science)
• Tailored social and emotional programs per year group
• Student Wellbeing Prefect
Our Practices for Wellbeing
Danebank has clear policies in place to support wellbeing. These include:
• Positive Behaviour Code
• Child Safety
• No Place for Bullying
• Acceptable Use of Technology
The school aims to implement consistent and deliberate pro-active and responsive processes to deliver balanced preventative, intervention and treatment actions.
Practices include:
1. the provision of a safe and secure learning environment
3. targeted wellbeing support
2. multi-tiered levels of support
4. supportive and carefully structured teaching and learning
Practice 1: A safe and secure learning environment
Danebank seeks to nurture the growth and development of students within a safe, engaging and caring learning environment.
Child Safety
We want all children and young people who attend our school to feel and be safe. We are committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where children and young people are safe and feel safe and are able to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
The wellbeing team (Junior and Senior Schools) oversee all follow up, referrals and or investigation of concerns to determine actions and monitor and review student progress.
In supporting positive student behaviour, the School will include a balance of clear and consistent affirmations and consequences, in its management of student behaviour. The Positive Behaviour Code, the list of Student Expectations and the School rules will provide direction to students and serve as a key guide for staff in the management of students. Specific policies, such as the No Place for Bullying, Acceptable Use of Technology and other student behaviour policies will also influence the School’s response, if breaches occur in these areas.
Affirmations
Students are encouraged to live the School values and achieve their personal best through a range of both formal and informal affirmations. The School affirmation system provides many opportunities for the recognition of lived values, students’ strengths and achievements including:
• positive reinforcement in the lesson
• writing encouraging notes in student diary
• e-mailing parents
• recognising positive role models in service and leadership
• Heart of Danebank acknowledgments in Senior School
• Smiley acknowledgments in Junior School
• Certificates, trophies, badges or colours
• acknowledgment of improvement
• effort or achievement in Class meetings, Year Group meetings, Assemblies or School publications
Consequences
Students are encouraged to recognise that their actions or decisions will have consequences – and that ultimately, they must accept responsibility for their actions. The School balances disciplinary consequences and educative responses to issues of poor student behaviour. Disciplinary consequences and educative approaches vary (see below) and are implemented with the aim of repairing relationships (i.e. to bring restoration).
Restorative Practice
The restorative approach involves looking at: what happened, what harm has resulted and what needs to happen to make things right.
• The focus is on the past, present and future.
• The emphasis is on the resulting harm.
• The consequence is linked to repair of relationships and living in community and taking responsibility. The specific nature of the consequence will vary depending on the situation. It can range from lunch time reparation to review of enrolment and natural consequences are encouraged (for example, if chewing gum has been left on a table, students are required to clean the table during the reparation).
Supports for wellbeing Practice 2:
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Encouraging students to:
Danebank utilises a multi-tiered system of support to offer comprehensive care, nurture and support to our students.
• Wellbeing Space
• Individual Plans (behaviour, attendance, support, health)
• One on one counselling
• Teacher’s aides
• Mentoring
• Afterschool study support
• Study Hall (Math, English & Science)
• Guest speakers targeted to year groups
• Support groups e.g. friendships & anxiety
• Mediation for friendship groups
• Resourceful Adolescent Program (Year 7 Belong)
• Chapel
• Assembly
• Visible Wellbeing
• Connect
• Connect check in chats
• House Festival
• Wellbeing Day
• Positive Behaviour Code
• School Values
• Becoming Framework
• Approach to Learning
• Learning enrichment programs
• Wellbeing Club
• Buddy system
• Extra Curricular offerings
• Christian groups
• Lunchtime groups
• Connect leaders for Years 7-9
• Butterfly Body Bright
Universal support for student wellbeing
is designed to promote the mental, emotional and physical health of all students within the school.
These supports are implemented proactively and are available to every student.
Universal Supports | Student Wellbeing
• Chapel
• Assembly
• Visible Wellbeing
• Connect check-in chats
• Social & Emotional Learning through our bespoke Connect programs
• Student Positive Behaviour Code
• Restorative practices
• School Values
• Learning enrichment programs
• Wellbeing Club & Committee
• Buddy systems
• Extra-Curricular offerings
• Christian groups
• Extra Curricular lunchtime groups
• Student Leadership
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Community engagement events
• Camps
• Wellbeing Days
• House Festival (Senior School)
Practice 3: Targeted Wellbeing Support
Targeted wellbeing supports are available to support the developmental age of students and for students who may need additional care and support due to extenuating circumstances.
Specialised Programs
Danebank implements targeted programs that address specific areas of wellbeing, such as stress, cyber safety, anti-bullying initiatives, substance abuse prevention programs, mental health awareness and more. These specialised programs are mostly run during Connect lessons.
Counselling Services
Our dedicated Counselling Team works to provide excellent support for our students on a daily basis. The school counsellors are experienced in addressing a wide range of issues including:
• Mental health concerns (e.g. depression, anxiety, eating issues/body image, grief/loss)
• Emotional regulation, behaviour management and stress management strategies
• Social relationships
• Friendship and family concerns
They provide individual support, group mediation, short term therapeutic interventions, referral options and transition support. They work collaboratively with staff across the school to develop appropriate schoolbased support for students and families.
By combining targeted and extensive approaches, Danebank offers a comprehensive wellbeing support that addresses both the specific needs of individuals and the overall health of the school community. This dual approach recognises that students have diverse needs and that a supportive school environment is essential for their overall wellbeing and academic success.
Individualised Interventions
These supports focus on addressing the unique needs of specific students who may be facing challenges. It could involve individualised support plans, counselling, mentoring, or other personalised interventions to help students navigate difficulties.
The Wellbeing Space
Another targeted wellbeing support in the Senior School is our Wellbeing Space. The space is supervised by the School Nurse.
The purpose of the Wellbeing Space is for students to practise emotional regulation skills and coping strategies and then promptly return to class. In some circumstances the Wellbeing Space may be used in varied ways as part of a formal Support Plan approved by the School Counsellor and/or Assistant Head of Senior School - Wellbeing.
Students must sign into the Wellbeing Space and be prepared to talk with the School Nurse about the reason they need to use the space and how they will use the space for its designed purpose. The School Nurse assists students to engage in emotional regulation activities and assists them in returning to class as soon as possible.
Using the Wellbeing Space
Students access the Wellbeing Space by asking their teacher.
Practice 4:
Teaching and learning
Our approach to learning is holistic and typified by remarkable academic results and the depth of enriched learning and wellbeing programs which develop the broader base of skills, dispositions, habits of mind, values, attitudes and character that our girls need to flourish.
Wellbeing for Learning focuses on supporting our learning by knowing ourselves and having proven strategies to build on their strengths and improve their sense of resilience and wellbeing. It equips Danebank students with the skills, attitudes and habits necessary for lifelong learning in a constantly changing world.
Interdependence, Empathy/Listening, Collaboration, Imitation
Courageous Optimism, Compassionate Service, Respectful Relationships, Creative Collaboration, Taking Responsibility, Personal Excellence, Loving Kindness
Danebank incorporates wellbeing strategies within the teaching and learning programs P-12, with an integrated and holistic approach to pedagogy and learning.
In addition to this, our PDHPE curriculum complements the wellbeing learning that occurs across the school.
Meta-Learning, Planning, Revising, Distilling
Curiosity/Wonder, Questioning, Making links, Capitalising, Reasoning
Strengths, Emotional Management, Attention and Awareness, Relationships, Coping, Habits and Goals
