Wellbeing
Thriving at Lauriston
Wellbeing is at the heart of the Lauriston education and celebrates an inclusive, supportive community that enables our girls to develop life skills and express their full potential.
Our whole-of-school approach to wellbeing is built on the foundations of the Child Safe Standards as well as our core values. It is the wellspring that supports our girls to develop healthy self-esteem that enable them to embrace challenges and turn them into opportunities. Underpinned by the Seven Cs of Resilience developed by American pediatrics specialist, Dr Ken Ginsburg, and our bespoke research identifying 8 Domains of healthy personal development, our personal development curriculum in embedded into all of our programs from Kindergarten to Year 12 – to strengthen a girls’ sense of confidence and belonging and enable her to be a self-actualising global citizen.
Lauriston 8 Domains
An extensive research project conducted by Lauriston’s wellbeing experts, identified eight key elements that contribute to student wellbeing. Our 8 Domains are purposefully embedded throughout all learning experiences across the School to support the flourishing of all students.
| Self-Awareness | Healthy Holistic Habits | Emotional Awareness | Mindsets |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Self-awareness involves being aware of different aspects of personality including beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, behaviours, and feelings. As self-awareness develops, we learn to make changes to thoughts and interpretations in the mind developing resilience, self-confidence, and a sense of optimism. |
Everyday we must build habits to balance our physical, mental and emotional needs so they are engrained in daily life. At Lauriston, this includes a focus on the importance of a positive body image, being mindful and understanding the importance of nutrition and exercise. |
Developing emotional awareness means becoming aware of emotions in such a way that we know why we are feeling bad or experiencing different feelings. We focus on being able to label a range of and differentiate between emotions. Understanding what triggers emotional responses, appreciating the role of humour and gratitude. |
Mindsets are beliefs about our qualities such as personality, talent and intelligence. Some people believe these traits are set but at Lauriston we know these qualities can be developed through effort and dedication. Through a focus on the growth mindset, we seek to develop grit and perseverance, the benefit of failing and the understanding of accomplishment. |
| Self-awareness | Healthy Holistic Habits |
|---|---|
|
Self-awareness involves being aware of different aspects of personality including beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, behaviours, and feelings. As self-awareness develops, we learn to make changes to thoughts and interpretations in the mind developing resilience, self-confidence, and a sense of optimism. |
Everyday we must build habits to balance our physical, mental and emotional needs so they are engrained in daily life. At Lauriston, this includes a focus on the importance of a positive body image, being mindful and understanding the importance of nutrition and exercise. |
| Emotional Awareness | Mindsets |
|---|---|
|
Developing emotional awareness means becoming aware of emotions in such a way that we know why we are feeling bad or experiencing different feelings. We focus on being able to label a range of and differentiate between emotions. Understanding what triggers emotional responses, appreciating the role of humour and gratitude. |
Mindsets are beliefs about our qualities such as personality, talent and intelligence. Some people believe these traits are set but at Lauriston we know these qualities can be developed through effort and dedication. Through a focus on the growth mindset, we seek to develop grit and perseverance, the benefit of failing and the understanding of accomplishment. |
| Positive Direction | Positive Relationships | Role Modelling | Looking Outward |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lauriston teaches an understanding and management of self to achieve individual goals. We focus on what motivation is and how to practice motivational strategies and stay in the flow. We focus on understanding the importance of self-regulation and having a balance in life. |
Through building positive relationships with others, we are happier and fulfilled and feel supported and connected. We explore empathy, kindness, forgiveness and assertiveness as the building blocks for developing healthy relationships. |
Young people need role models and often take them from pop culture, family or teachers. Role model education is effective because it bridges the gap between the ideal and reality. We also focus on understanding different personality types and how these impact relationships, how values drive behaviours and how to manage conflict. |
Looking outward helps students to identify issues when working with others and to also consider other people and cultures in life. We create opportunities to be involved in the community to enables our girls to understand different perspectives, provide a sense of purpose and the opportunity to learn about their strengths and capacities to contribute to a greater cause. |
| Positive Direction | Positive Relationships |
|---|---|
|
Lauriston teaches an understanding and management of self to achieve individual goals. We focus on what motivation is and how to practice motivational strategies and stay in the flow. We focus on understanding the importance of self-regulation and having a balance in life. |
Through building positive relationships with others, we are happier and fulfilled and feel supported and connected. We explore empathy, kindness, forgiveness and assertiveness as the building blocks for developing healthy relationships. |
| Role Modelling | Looking Outward |
|---|---|
|
Young people need role models and often take them from pop culture, family or teachers. Role model education is effective because it bridges the gap between the ideal and reality. We also focus on understanding different personality types and how these impact relationships, how values drive behaviours and how to manage conflict. |
Looking outward helps students to identify issues when working with others and to also consider other people and cultures in life. We create opportunities to be involved in the community to enables our girls to understand different perspectives, provide a sense of purpose and the opportunity to learn about their strengths and capacities to contribute to a greater cause. |
Wellbeing ecosystem
Programs
Recognising a child’s diverse needs and celebrating his or her achievements helps to build self-esteem and a sense of belonging. At Lauriston, a focus on kindness, Reggio Emilia philosophy, skilled educators, and Bush Kinder Program help children to learn about and navigate the social demands of a learning environment to promote overall wellbeing. This ability to flourish sets the foundational building blocks that enable children to face challenges beyond the early learning precinct.
Our wellbeing program in the Lauriston Junior School is research based and in tune with a girl’s needs at each stage of her development. Underpinned by our ethos of ‘care, share and respect’ and based on the Lauriston 8 Domains, it equips them with skills they can draw upon to manage the demands of life. Programs that are embedded in our curriculum include The Resilience Project, Bodyworks Health and Wellbeing, Social Stencil, Bravehearts, Cyber Safety, Year 5 Courage Conference and the Year 6 Leadership Program.
SHINE (Strength, Health, Inspiring, Nurturing and Engagement), our wellbeing program for Years 7–12 focuses on developing social and emotional skills that will assist students to develop the self-confidence and resilience required to enable them to achieve their potential.
“By harnessing and developing students’ empathy and grit, the SHINE program aims to create not only academic success but future changemakers who are emotionally aware individuals, capable of lifting the spirits of their peers and being advocates for inclusivity.”
Academic support
Our nurturing and supportive educators are focused on building authentic relationships with their students, offering appropriate levels of academic challenge and engaging the interest of the students in their learning. Each girl is an individual whose needs may call for extension or individual support for particular learning needs. Within our curriculum, we formally embed wellbeing topics including, health, digital literacy and cyber safety.
Physical fitness
Regardless of a girl’s natural ability, Lauriston develops a culture of lifelong physical activity as integral to a girls’ health and as a foundation for wellbeing. As well as programs within the curriculum, sport is encouraged in the Junior School and compulsory from Years 7 to 10, with a wide range of recreational, team and competitive sporting opportunities to choose from, all of which are designed to develop confidence, resilience and teach the value of teamwork. At Howqua, our unique, Outdoor and Fitness Programs support girls in this important stage of their development.
The new Ullmer Sports, Health and Wellbeing Centre on campus will make available world-class facilities such as competition-sized netball courts, and a weights, yoga and movement room. It ensures all girls will have facilities that enable them to grow and flourish.
Student voice
We believe that students make valued contributions to our School and incorporating their voice is important to maintain a safe and inclusive environment. We regularly engage our students and involve them in decision-making about all aspects of their education at Lauriston. In the Senior School, students work with their teachers to determine activities that will better support their learning and engagement. The feedback of students is utilised by teachers to enhance teaching practice and student understanding.
Our Student Representative Council (SRC) and our Year 12 leaders is also a conduit for student voice. For example, students from the SRC are helping to write student-friendly versions of our new Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and to develop important policy such as the Reconciliation Action Plan. Student opinions are also collected to inform our key programs such as Howqua and to evolve the School’s uniform options. We also have students participating in the development of our SHINE program and working with House Captains in implementing activities within each House.
Inclusivity and Diversity
An important component of being a resilient person and indeed one of the Cs, is having connections with family, friends and school. It provides children and young people with a sense of belonging and enables them to build trusting relationships. Participating in co-curricular clubs, including sport, as well as community service activities, helps students to build these important connections.
Opportunities for leadership, mentoring, friendships and an expanded support network are also facilitated through our House system. From Prep to Year 12, each student becomes a member of one of four Houses – Kirkhope, Irving, Andrews and Mitchell. In these supportive and nurturing environments students can make friendships across year levels, and broaden their interests and involvement in the School community through the many friendly House activities such as sport, debating, public speaking, music and drama.
Global Outlook
Community service is a common thread that runs through the fabric across the whole school and is an intrinsic part of our wellbeing. It’s vital that we create opportunities that help the girls focus on the amazing opportunities that they have while also supporting those who need it. Being involved in community service activities enables our girls to understand different perspectives, provides them with a sense of purpose and the opportunity to use their strengths and capacities to contribute to a greater cause.
As well as Howqua, we also offer Duke of Edinburgh and Compass Programs. The IB also has a core focus on community service.
