The benefits of school belonging

HOW CONNECTION LEADS TO MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE

BY FIONA WINES Head of Senior School, Deputy Principal

At Toorak, belonging to our School community means that every child feels that they are safe, secure, seen and heard by all their peers and teachers. Research shows that when students feel that they belong, there is a positive impact on all aspects of life including their physical and mental health and their academic outcomes. For students to feel that they truly belong, they must feel safe, accepted and valued.

From the moment a student joins Toorak, we encourage them to connect with each other, their teachers and the School. Our transition program provides students with opportunities to connect and develop initial friendships but we understand the importance of continuing to provide these opportunities through the whole school journey. Our wellbeing activities, House program and whole school connection events all support our students to develop relationships. We foster school connection through our co-curricular program where we encourage our students to try new things and develop friendships.

Belonging means to encourage our students to ask questions and voice their opinions, knowing that their ideas and views are respected and appreciated. Students who feel that they belong and who feel secure in their school community, are often more engaged and motivated and they are comfortable seeking advice and support from both their peers and teachers. They are more resilient, understanding that sometimes things will not go to plan and that they have the ability to decide what happens next.

Students also need to feel connected with, and supported by, their teachers. This comes from the teachers really knowing their students. Our wellbeing activities are designed so that our teachers can get to know the students in their care and we have one-on-one conversations with every student as part of our wellbeing program. Students need to know that they have a trusted adult that they can talk to and so we provide opportunities for these conversations to take place.

Belonging increases engagement, motivation and resilience as well as supporting the development of relationships with others. When a young person feels valued and respected, self esteem increases, giving them the confidence to be themselves. As we shape our School culture to continue to foster belonging, we know that it will have a positive impact on the wellbeing and academic outcomes for a young person now and into their future.