Page History

At Princes Hill Secondary College we acknowledge that our school stands on Wurundjeri Country. 'Wurun' meaning Manna Gum and 'djeri' the grubs that live on and around the tree. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and particularly aim to support emerging leaders. We acknowledge that the land beneath our concrete building was never ceded and we commit to principled and purposeful action towards Makarrata in our teaching and learning. 

1. Purpose

Every Victorian Government school is required to have a Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy that supports the school in addressing its legal obligations under relevant legislation and provides a framework for the implementation of student wellbeing and engagement practices. The policy also expresses our guiding vision and the values that inform the engagement of students in learning consistent with the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO).

2. Policy Statement

The policy provides all members of the School community with an understanding of their responsibilities in providing a positive, productive, safe and respectful learning environment. It is to be read in conjunction with our Child Safety Policy and Child Safety Code of Conduct, that state the School's zero tolerance for child abuse and how we address the rights of all students to be protected from abuse.

This policy includes our School Profile to help members of the school community understand the needs and dynamics of the school. Our school values, philosophy and vision are integral to this policy and are contained in our Statement Of Values and School Philosophy Policy.

3. Implementation

Staff have a responsibility to actively implement the Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy (and related policies and codes of conduct) to maximise student safety, wellbeing, engagement and learning. The policy has been developed in consultation and collaboration with students, parents/carers and staff. It aims to provide all members of the school community with guidelines to nurture our safe, inclusive , positive and engaging learning environment.

This policy is designed and written to work alongside all members of the school, including families. The policy has been written consistent with Department guidance and templates available at the time of publication. In order to implement this policy there are several key areas outlined below:

Engagement Strategies

Identifying Students in Need of Support

Rights and Responsibilities

Student Behavioural Expectations and Management

Engaging With Families

4. Evaluation & Review

This policy will be reviewed every 2 years. 

Sources of data that will be assessed in relation to this review will include:

• student survey data
• incidents data
• school reports
• parent survey
• case management
• CASES21, including attendance and absence data
• Student Online Case System (SOCS)

5. Definitions

Makarrata - The Yolngu concept of Makarrata captures the idea of two parties coming together after a struggle, healing the divisions of the past. It is about acknowledging that something has been done wrong, and it seeks to make things right.

Community - An interactive population of diverse people: Students, Parents, Carers, Teachers, Education Support Staff: Administration, Instrumental Music Instructors, Allied Health Workers, Canteen, Pathways, Library, Integration and IT technicians.

Individual Education Plan (IEP) - An educational plan for students who have a diagnosed learning disorder, disability, chronic illness or similar who may require adjustments or accommodations.

Individual Support Plan (ISP) - A plan for students who have wellbeing concerns, this may include a mental illness, diagnosis of a disorder or a student who is of concern due to family violence or other matters. 

Home Study - refers to assignment work, completion of class work, revision for tests and examinations, set tasks etc. (eg: note taking, structured revision tasks).

6. References

Uluru Statement: A Quick Guide

DET Vision and Values

DET Vision for Learning

Understanding DET's Values

DET Restorative Practice

DET Student Engagement Policy

AITSL Teacher Standards

Accessing Student Wellbeing Services at PHSC (Internal access only)

7. Related Policies

Bullying Prevention Policy

Child Safety Policy

Communications Policy

Duty of Care Policy

Smart Device Use Policy

Statement of Values and School Philosophy Policy

8. Consultation

This policy was developed with significant consultation across a broad range of stakeholders throughout most of 2021. Consultation was extensive and included full school community work shops after school hours with the full engagement of students from Years 7-12, teaching staff, education support staff and parents

The consultation with School Council was done through various review forums and online feedback of the policy, culminating in approval by the School Council President on 15 Sep 2021 . Principal approval was provided 07 Oct 2021.