Princes Hill Secondary College has high and consistent expectations of all staff, students, parents and carers. The school community prioritises positive relationships between staff and students and recognises the fundamental role this plays in building and sustaining student wellbeing. We are creating a culture that is inclusive, engaging, respectful and supportive and welcome parents and carers as responsive partners in learning. Wellbeing and Inclusion at Princes Hill Secondary College is fostered through diverse curriculum offerings, extracurricular programs, wellbeing programs and strengthened through student voice and leadership opportunities.
Excellence in Learning for all Students
Princes Hill Secondary College delivers an excellent learning program. A clearly documented and regularly reviewed curriculum is central to all programs within the school, provides reasonable provision for the diversity of the school community and opportunities for success for all students. Regular reporting via Compass enables parents/carers to keep well informed about student learning progress. The Bring Your Own Device program enables students to use their preferred device. Students are supported in their learning through our School Wiki and Compass Learning Tasks. The school will seek regular feedback on the capacity of programs to stimulate student learning through discussions with students and the Education Sub-committee of School Council.
Princes Hill Secondary College has developed a range of strategies to promote engagement, positive behaviour and respectful relationships for all students. We acknowledge that some students may need extra social, emotional or educational support, and that the needs of students will change over time as they grow and learn.
A summary of the universal (whole of school), targeted (year group specific) and individual engagement strategies used by our school is included below.
Universal Engagement Strategies
- Analysing and being responsive to a range of school data such as attendance, Attitudes to School Survey, Academic Assessment Services data, parent survey data, student management data and school level assessment data.
- Deliver a broad curriculum including VET programs, VCE and VCAL to ensure that students are able to choose subjects and programs that are tailored to their interests, strengths and aspirations.
- Evidence-based and high yield teaching practices are incorporated into all lessons.
- Teachers at Princes Hill Secondary College adopt a broad range of teaching and assessment approaches to effectively respond to the diverse learning styles, strengths and needs of our students and follow the standards set by the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
- Our school’s Statement of Values are incorporated into our curriculum and promoted to students, staff and parents and carers so that they are shared and celebrated as the foundation of our school community.
- Carefully planned transition programs to support students moving into different stages of their schooling.
- Positive behaviour and student achievement is acknowledged in the classroom, and formally in school assemblies and communication to parents and carers.
- Monitor student attendance and implement attendance improvement strategies at a whole-school, cohort and individual level.
- Students have the opportunity to contribute to and provide feedback on decisions about school operations through Student Council and other forums including year group meetings and Peer Support Groups. Students are also encouraged to speak with their teachers, educational support staff, wellbeing staff, Year Level Coordinator, Sub-School Leader, Assistant Principals and Principal whenever they have any questions or concerns.
- Create opportunities for cross age connections amongst students through school plays, camps, athletics, music programs and peer support initiatives.
Asserting the equal and equitable rights of all to access information - via the PHSC Library - regardless of age, race, gender, religion, disability, cultural identity, language, socioeconomic status, lifestyle choice, political allegiance, social viewpoint, learning style and intellectual ability.
Providing materials and information via the PHSC Library that will: stimulate interest and growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards; assist students in making informed and intelligent judgements in their daily life; offer a variety of viewpoints on both historical and contemporary issues; and represent the many diverse groups within society
- All students are welcome to self-refer to any staff member if they would like to discuss a particular issue or feel as though they may need support of any kind. We are proud to have an ‘open door’ policy where students and staff are partners in learning.
- We engage in school wide positive behaviour support with our staff and students, which includes programs such as:
- Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationships.
- Building Respectful Relationships.
- Restorative Practices.
- Programs, incursions and excursions are developed to address topical issues and points of need.
- Opportunities for student inclusion (e.g. sports teams, clubs, recess and lunchtime activities) are made available to all students.
Targeted Engagement Strategies
- Each year group has a Year Level Coordinator who is responsible for their year and who monitors the health and wellbeing of students in their year. The Year Level Coordinator, who is supported by a Sub-School Leader, acts as a point of contact for students who may need additional support.
- A comprehensive transition program supports students to make a smooth transition to our school. This includes numerous school tours, information evenings, Academic Assessment Service testing, comprehensive Primary School transition notes, development of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Individual Support Plans (ISPs) (where required) and a statewide Orientation Day.
- All year 7 students are expected to attend a Year 7 Orientation Camp at our Mirrimbah campus during their first term at Princes Hill Secondary College. The aims are to strengthen their connections with staff, students and our school values. Some of the activities include bushwalking, mountain bike riding and horse riding.
- An extensive camps program is offered to students. School Camps are intended to enhance and enrich the curriculum, improve student connectedness with the school, expose students to new ideas, activities and experiences and provide opportunities to develop leadership qualities. Recent examples include Year 7 Orientation Camps, Year 8 Cross Country Ski Camps, Year 9 Wilderness Week Camps, Middle School Boot Camps, Middle School Outdoor Education Camps, Middle School Downhill Snow Sports Camps, Italy Study Tours, France Study Tours, New Caledonia Study Tours, Vietnam Study Tours, Indonesian Study Tour, Year 7-12 Music Camp and Generations in Jazz.
- The Year 9 Grow Week program is a week long program at the end of Semester 1 and is aimed at developing students’ decision making skills so as to facilitate their personal, academic, social and political growth. Through a week of excursions and incursions students will be encouraged to use the seeds of opportunity to become informed and aware of their sense of self, others and place in the wider world.
- A context driven social and emotional learning program is designed and evaluated for each year level.
- All students in Out of Home Care will be appointed a Learning Mentor, have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and a Student Support Group (SSG) and will be referred to Student Support Services for an Educational Needs Assessment.
- All students from Year 10 and above will be assisted to develop a Career Action Plan, with targeted goals and support to plan for their future.
- Princes Hill Secondary College assists students to plan their Year 10 work experience, supported by their Career Action Plan.
- The Wellbeing Team will undertake health promotion and social skills development in response to needs identified by student wellbeing data, classroom teachers or other school staff each year.
- Making the Library available exclusively to VCE students for quiet study during the pre-exam period (the first 3 weeks of Term 4); the Library may also extend its hours at this time (closing at 5pm).
- Sub-school teams will apply a trauma-informed approach to working with students who have experienced trauma.
Individual Engagement Strategies
Princes Hill Secondary College implements a range of strategies that support and promote individual engagement. These can include:
- Building constructive relationships with students at risk or students who are vulnerable due to complex individual circumstances.
- Meeting with student and their parent/carer to talk about how best to help the student engage with school. This includes all students and caters for neurodivergent and neurotypical students.
- Developing an Individual Education Plan (IEP), Individual Support Plan (ISP), Behaviour Support Plan or a Return to School Plan for returning or disengaged students.
- Considering if any environmental changes need to be made, for example changing the classroom set up.
- Connect all Koorie students with a Koorie Engagement Support Officer.
- Providing copies of all required English set texts via the Library, with restricted loan periods. Amending borrowing rules and consulting with the Wellbeing team to enable students in genuine financial difficulty to have access to required texts. Supporting student access, providing laptops and headphones (and other IT equipment), as needed, as well a private study space.
- Referring the student to: the Wellbeing Team; Student Support Services; appropriate external supports such as council based youth and family services, other allied health professionals, headspace, child and adolescent mental health services or ChildFirst, and; re-engagement programs such as Navigator and Brunswick Learning Space.
Where necessary the school will support the student’s family by being responsive and sensitive to changes in the student’s circumstances and health and wellbeing. Where appropriate, and with the support of the student and their family, the school will collaborate with any external allied health professionals, services or agencies that are supporting the student. The school will monitor individual student attendance and, where necessary, develop an Attendance Improvement Plan in collaboration with the student and their family. The school commits to running regular Student Support Group meetings for all students: with a disability; in Out of Home Care; and with other complex needs that require ongoing support and monitoring.