A whole-school approach to wellbeing

Supporting student wellbeing is a shared responsibility across our school.

Teachers, School Services Officers, our Student Wellbeing Support Officer and school leaders work together to create safe, predictable and supportive learning environments. We explicitly teach the social and emotional skills students need to develop positive relationships, manage challenges, seek help and participate successfully in school life.
For some children, universal classroom approaches are enough. Others may benefit from additional support at different times. This can include individual check-ins, targeted small-group support, personalised strategies and close collaboration between students, families, staff and external professionals.
Our aim is to respond to what each child needs while continuing to build their confidence, independence and capacity over time.

Understanding behaviour

We view behaviour as an important form of communication and seek to understand what may be contributing to a child’s behaviour, rather than responding only to what we can see.

Our approach combines clear expectations and boundaries with curiosity, consistency and compassion. Students are supported to understand the impact of their choices, repair relationships when things go wrong and develop the skills they need to respond differently in the future.
We recognise that experiences such as stress, trauma, disability and neurodivergence can influence the way children communicate, regulate and respond to their environment. Understanding this helps us provide appropriate support while maintaining safe and respectful learning environments for all students.

Building social and emotional skills

Social and emotional learning is embedded throughout school life. Students learn about recognising and managing emotions, developing positive relationships, resolving conflict, showing empathy, making responsible choices and seeking support when they need it.
All students also participate in the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum, which supports children and young people to recognise their right to be safe, develop strategies for keeping themselves safe and identify trusted people who can help them.

Our broader wellbeing learning provides regular opportunities for students to develop resilience, gratitude, empathy and emotional awareness.

Belonging and connection

Belonging is one of our four school values because we want every student to feel that there is a place for them at Plympton.

Connection happens in classrooms, but also across the wider life of our school. Students have opportunities to participate in leadership, sport, music, clubs, performances and other activities that allow them to connect with others and discover interests and strengths.
At break times, a range of supervised activities and spaces provide students with different ways to play, create, socialise and connect. These opportunities are particularly valuable for children who may prefer something different from traditional playground activities.

Working with families

Families know their children in ways that we cannot, which makes strong partnerships between home and school an important part of supporting wellbeing.

When a child needs additional support, we value open communication and work collaboratively with families to develop a shared understanding of their strengths, needs and circumstances. Where appropriate, we also work with allied health professionals and Department for Education support services to help provide coordinated support.
We encourage families to contact their child’s teacher in the first instance if they have concerns about their child’s wellbeing. Our wellbeing and leadership teams can provide additional support when needed.

Helping every child thrive

Ultimately, our approach to wellbeing is about much more than helping children feel happy at school.

We want our students to develop the relationships, self-awareness, resilience, confidence and skills they need to navigate challenges, participate positively in their community and become increasingly capable of managing themselves and their learning.
By combining strong relationships, a genuine sense of belonging, high expectations and responsive support, we aim to create a school in which every child has the opportunity to feel safe, connected, capable and successful.