Well-being and Pastoral Care Looking after the well-being of our students is a vital part of the school day. The Preparatory School has made a deliberate decision to continue to offer one teacher to one class of children. This is counter to the current trend in New Zealand state schools whereby two or more classes and teachers are together in one large teaching space. It is this conscious decision which allows our classroom teachers to develop an in-depth understanding and empathy for the small group of students in their care. The 2020 external review of our Pastoral Care and Discipline Systems led to a range of changes in this area across 2021. Of most significance was the introduction of StAC-UP. StAC-UP incorporates explicit expectations for students and is underpinned by the College Values of Truth, Excellence, Faith, Inclusivity and Creativity. It provides clear pathways and protocols for any behavioural issues that occur and includes Restorative Practice. The Restorative process is a way of building, maintaining, restoring, and sustaining relationships and is dependent upon a social climate that is reparative rather than punitive. Restorative practice in schools puts into action a philosophy that places respectful relationships at the heart of the educational experience. Restorative practice operates as a continuum within the school from low level everyday interactions students and teachers have with one another, to highend conferencing around more serious misconduct. StAC-UP comes with a Steps of Consequence Policy which provides clear guidelines around each step. The
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policy was implemented on several occasions during 2021 and has led to an environment where students know and understand the boundaries and feel safe at school. Areas identified by staff as working particularly well have included:
• sharing of difficulties between staff; • students learning to define behaviours;
• consistency amongst staff in
expectations and managing behaviour;
• students feel heard and are
experiencing better peer relationships;
• StAC values and StAC-UP expectations are becoming a common language.
Also of significance in 2021 was the increase of counselling hours in the Preparatory School and the appointment of a second-full time counsellor, Mike Coleman. Through the increased hours available, the Pastoral team was able to
