Student Welfare

Student Welfare2022-09-12T17:20:26+10:00
The wellbeing and safety of our students is one of the greatest priorities for the College Executive Team and a number of strategies and measures have been put in place to ensure we uphold high standards in this area.

The College is well positioned to care for students through a purposefully designed Pastoral Care program.

Students at Galstaun also benefit from mentoring and the opportunity to extend themselves through leadership roles and activities.

The College also aims to deal with welfare issues as quickly and effectively through the use of the College Discipline Policy. All stakeholders, including teachers, students, parents, caregivers and members of the wider community, have a responsibility to work together in addressing student welfare.

These facets of Student Welfare include the following.

Pastoral Care

Galstaun College’s Pastoral Care Program is designed to recognise the unique qualities of every student and aims to provide each student with the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to make positive decisions and become successful students.

Students from Year 3 to Year 12 will meet with their pastoral care teacher on a weekly basis to discuss issues regarding student welfare.

The Pastoral Care Program is tailored to the particular needs of each cohort and aims to develop students personally, socially and academically through a supportive and caring framework.

Topics that will be discussed during Pastoral Care include:

  • Learning Skills
  • Relationships
  • Healthy Living
  • Self Esteem

By introducing the program to younger students, the College aims to be proactive in instilling positive attitudes and habits. The College diary complements the Pastoral Care Program with information that supports student understanding and development.

Student Mentoring Program

Year 12 students benefit from the College Mentoring Program where students are assigned a Mentor, i.e. a graduate in the student’s selected area of interest or career.

Not only does the program provide information for students in their chosen field, but the mentors are also able to support students as they work through their Trial Exams and HSC.

Year 12 students are also allocated teachers as mentors who are able to discuss and guide them through their HSC journey, making sure students have the necessary skills and strategies to maximise their results.

Leadership

Galstaun College recognises that leaders are both born and made.

We encourage our students to put themselves forward for leadership roles and we ensure that those students who are keen to have this experience are able to do so. Leadership training programs and meetings are a regular occurrence.

Leadership roles include College Captain, College Vice Captain, Performing Arts Captain, Sports Captain, House Captains (4) and Prefects.

Student Representative Council (SRC)

The Galstaun College Student Representative Council (SRC) is a dynamic group of capable students who are committed to the progress and development of their College and to enhancing the school experience of every student.

The SRC has an elected representative from each year of Primary and High School.

The SRC is active in promoting charity activities, organising events for the House Competitions, and in advocating for matters pertaining to student welfare.

Its main goals are to provide a forum for student opinion, to develop leadership, provide resources for the students and promote involvement in College life by building spirit within the Student Body.

Student Counsellor

The College Counsellor enhances the welfare and well-being of the students by providing academic, social and career support to students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.

The College Counsellor provides support to students for their overall well-being, to ensure that they are in optimum health to be active, attentive and happy learners. Areas of support may include emotional regulation, behavioural management, family dynamics, stress management, social skills training, managing grief, cognitive and physical functioning.

When necessary, the counsellor will liaise with parents, teaching staff and other professionals to ensure continuity of service and duty of care. Support is provided both on an individual basis and as a whole class for psycho-education to compliment the curriculum and ensure students are given the necessary support to be active, healthy and responsible citizens.

Anti-Bullying Policy

The College implements a whole school approach in handling student welfare and bullying to make sure that every student is safe and happy at school. The Anti-Bullying Policy aims to empower students and foster a school culture where bullying is unacceptable. The school Anti-Bullying Policy allows the College to deal with bullying promptly and effectively by involving counselling, parental involvement, mediation, warnings and disciplinary action.

Bullying includes any sort of infringement involving physical, verbal, social, psychological and property abuse. A student is to report an incident of bullying to their pastoral teacher, teacher on playground duty, the school counsellor or College Principal. Students can also choose the option of Peer Mediation, which provides students with an alternative method of mediation. Students can request mediation through a staff member or a College appointed senior student.

If a parent suspects that their child is a victim of bullying, then they need to contact the school counsellor or College Principal as soon as possible. Once the matter has been investigated, parents will be notified regarding appropriate action. Parents of the victim and the perpetrator will be kept informed throughout the process.

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