Student Wellbeing
St. Dominic's Primary School Camberwell East
At St Dominic's, we believe that every child flourishes when they feel known, valued and connected. Guided by our 2026 theme, Many Hearts, One Home, we are committed to creating a nurturing community where every child feels a genuine sense of belonging and is supported to thrive academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
Relationships are at the heart of everything we do. Working in authentic partnership with families, we foster a culture of care, respect and inclusion, where each child is encouraged to grow in confidence, resilience and compassion.
Inspired by our Dominican pillars of Prayer, Learning, Service and Community, and aligned with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Engagement, student wellbeing is woven throughout every aspect of school life. We believe that learning and wellbeing are deeply connected, and that every child learns best when they feel safe, valued, challenged and supported. Through explicit Social and Emotional Learning, restorative practices and positive relationships, students develop the skills to build healthy friendships, respond positively to challenges and contribute meaningfully to their community. St Dominic's maintains a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, with clear processes that ensure every child feels safe, respected and included.
St. Dominic's School Norms now form the foundation of our Positive Behaviour Matrix. Explicitly taught and consistently reinforced, they provide clarity, consistency and a shared language for positive behaviour across our school community. They guide how we learn, interact and care for one another, creating a positive learning environment where every student can flourish and where our shared commitment to Many Hearts, One Home is lived each day.
Our School Norms
-
I am truthful.
-
I am respectful and friendly.
-
I am a cooperative and positive learner.
-
I learn and play safely.
-
I care for property and the environment.
Beyond the classroom, students are encouraged to live our Dominican values through service, leadership and outreach. Whether supporting local community initiatives, participating in environmental action, contributing to fundraising or engaging in faith-based experiences, our students discover that wellbeing is strengthened through belonging, purpose and making a positive difference in the lives of others.
At St Dominic's, wellbeing is not simply a 'program', it is a shared commitment that underpins learning, strengthens relationships and enables every child to flourish as a confident, compassionate and capable learner.
“When a learning community honours the sacred dignity of each person they engender a feeling of being valued and understood. The learning community believes that everyone can experience success and be supported to see their lives as being shaped by the God who is at work in all of creation.”
Horizons of Hope: Vision and Context (p. 6)
Mental Health in Primary Schools
The MHiPS Model
The model comprises a Mental Health Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) role (an experienced educator/s) and an evidence-based training program. The model has been informed by a needs analysis phase which included consultation in 331 schools across metropolitan, rural and regional Victoria and more than 1000 teacher surveys. A key strength of the model’s design is that it builds on existing school wellbeing and mental health structures while helping the education and health sectors to work together.
The MHWL Role
The role of the MHWL is to build the capability of the whole school about mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention), provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs, establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress.
Student Wellbeing Team at St Dominic’s
-
Natalie Kenny & Sophie Miezis (Mental Health Wellbeing Leaders - MHWL)
-
Natalie Kenny (Student Wellbeing Leader)
-
Anne Cochrane & Natalie Kenny (Child Safety Team)
-
Anne Cochrane (Learning Diversity Leader)
Student Wellbeing
Our Team works as part of the school’s wellbeing team to improve student engagement, connectedness and create a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment. They provide pastoral care and guidance to students, support attendance and mental health, assist during difficult times such as grief, refer students to specialist services when needed, and promote values and ethical matters. Additionally, they support the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of students while fostering an environment of cooperation and respect for diverse cultures and traditions.
Student Referrals
If you have any concerns for your child please make contact with any member of our Team. It may be necessary to set up assessment through external professionals, who will advise what steps to take.
Whole School Approach to Help Understand Mental Health
Our school values prevention and building the skills of positive mental health habits in our students. By the time our students leave our school we want them to have a tool belt of strategies they can use and practice to help them on the path of enduring good mental health.
Social Emotional Learning
What does SEL look like at St Dominic’s?
Harmony Week
Harmony Week celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. In celebration of our diversity, and the many different stories, histories, practices, languages, genders, traditions,foods and richness that is St Dom’s, Harmony Week is marked and enjoyed across our school.
Activities that showcase our proud cultural diversity include a Multicultural Dress/flag colors Parade, staff Harmony Bake, annual Harmony Dance program, working with Footsteps Dance, with all students learning culturally-inspired dances images and engaging hands-on activities across all curriculum areas.
Restorative Practice
“While problems and conflicts are unavoidable elements of life, good communication skills facilitate problem solving and resolution of conflicts. Ineffective communication creates a void that breeds misunderstanding and distrust.” (Dettmer, Thurston & Dyck 2002)
St. Dominic’s adopts a Restorative Practice approach as part of their positive behaviour management.
Restorative Practices is a proactive practice with a focus on RELATIONSHIPS. St. Dominic’s uses a Restorative Practices approach if social conflicts do arise. We believe and our practices reflect a culture of belonging, empowerment, participation and inclusion.
If conflict or upset occurs and with expert guidance from Restorative Practices trained staff, students are guided and supported to understand their actions and are encouraged to then ‘make things right’. The Restorative Practices approach is a ‘more asking, less telling’ approach. Students acknowledge the impacts of their choices on self and others.
Students are encouraged to be reflective (as reflection allows for learning), and where needed, explicit social skilling and the teaching of a more appropriate replacement behavior, will occur.
Respectful Relationships
St. Dominic’s is fully committed towards building a culture of respect and gender equality. We are a Respectful Relationships Partner School (RRRR- Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships). Respectful Relationships supports our school in promoting and modeling respect, positive attitudes and behaviors. It teaches our children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.
This video highlights what the Respectful Relationships Initiative is all about:
Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships
The Royal Commission into Family Violence, identified the critical role that schools have in creating a culture of respect. Changes in attitudes and behaviors can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviors and equality are modeled and embedded within our education settings.
St. Dominic's proudly adopts a whole-school approach to the Respectful Relationships initiative.
Our St. Dominic's community, together, can lead the way in saying yes to respect and equality, and creating genuine and lasting change. With this collective approach, it is hoped that every child within our school will have the opportunity to feel safe, confident, resilient and respected, and achieve their fullest potential. The Respectful Relationship initiative complements, reinforces and extends our teaching and learning in the SEL domain.
Our students are growing in a changing and increasingly complex world. At St Dominic's, we are committed to helping every child develop the confidence, resilience and skills to flourish both now and into the future. We provide a safe, welcoming and respectful learning environment where every child feels known, valued and supported.
Aligned with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Engagement, we believe that wellbeing, belonging and learning go hand in hand. When students feel connected and experience positive relationships, they are empowered to engage in their learning, develop agency and achieve their personal best.
Social and Emotional Learning is embedded in everyday school life. A strong focus is placed on building respectful relationships, developing resilience and teaching proactive strategies to prevent bullying. Each year, we proudly participate in the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence, joining schools across Australia to say, "Bullying. No Way!", on this day and every day.
Our Respectful Relationships curriculum, together with restorative practices, helps students develop empathy, kindness, respect and responsibility. Students learn positive ways to build healthy relationships, resolve conflict and respond confidently and safely when faced with challenges.
Student wellbeing is strengthened through meaningful opportunities to connect, contribute and lead. Our Student Leaders are positive role models who help foster school spirit and service, while our Buddy Program supports friendships and a strong sense of belonging across year levels. Lunchtime clubs provide students with opportunities to explore their interests, build friendships and feel connected within our vibrant school community.
Guided by our Dominican values of Prayer, Learning, Service and Community, and our commitment to Many Hearts, One Home, we nurture a culture where every child belongs, every voice is valued and every student is encouraged to flourish.
The right support, at the right time:
Aligned with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) commitment to inclusive education and the Vision for Engagement, additional wellbeing support is available for students who would benefit from explicit teaching and guidance in developing their social and emotional skills.
Our School Leaders facilitate personalised and responsive small-group social learning sessions in a safe, supportive and engaging environment. These groups provide students with opportunities to learn, practise and strengthen:
-
Social and emotional communication skills
-
Friendship and relationship skills
-
Problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
-
Self-management and emotional regulation skills
Students are then encouraged to apply these skills in authentic school settings, including the classroom, playground and wider school community. This helps build confidence, strengthen relationships and support every child to participate fully in the life of our Many Hearts, One Home community.
Buddies Program
Every student at St. Dom's is paired up with a buddy and typically, older students buddy up with younger students. Through these partnerships, the values of care, compassion, responsibility and friendship are shared between students and strong bonds are developed.
Buddies enable younger students to feel safe and cared for and older students feel a great sense of value and respect. Preps sharing lunch each Friday with their Year 6 buddies, is a weekly highlight for both groups.
Every Year 6 student is also paired up with a Staff Buddy. ‘Buddy Breakfast’ each term allows the adult to have special one on one Buddy time. These staff/student and student/student Buddy relationships and connections have a special place in our school.
Buddy Benches
If any student, at any time, is feeling alone in the playground, sitting on the Buddy Bench carries a strong message. ’Come and play with us’ or 'I can sit with you too’ reach out opportunities, are encouraged and praised.
Student Voice & Agency
At St Dominic's, we believe every student has a voice that matters.
Guided by our Catholic faith, Dominican values and our theme of Many Hearts, One Home, we create opportunities for students to share their ideas, make meaningful contributions and help shape our school community.
Aligned with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Engagement, we value student voice, agency and participation as essential to wellbeing, learning and belonging. When students are encouraged to contribute, lead and make decisions, they develop confidence, responsibility and a strong sense of purpose.
Student voice is embedded in everyday learning and school life. Through our Student Representative Council (SRC), Year 6 Leadership Team & programs, Buddy Program, classroom learning and partnerships with other schools and community organisations, students are empowered to lead, collaborate and make a positive difference.
By listening to and learning with our students, we foster a culture where every voice is valued, every contribution matters and every child is encouraged to flourish within our Many Hearts, One Home community.
Student Leadership
At St Dominic's, we believe every child has the capacity to lead. Students are encouraged to develop their strengths, share their gifts and contribute positively to our Many Hearts, One Home community.
Through our Student Representative Council (SRC), Year 6 Student Leadership Team, Buddy Program and a wide range of classroom, sporting, faith and co-curricular opportunities, students are empowered to take initiative, collaborate with others and serve their community. These experiences help students build confidence, responsibility, resilience and a strong sense of belonging.
Leadership at St Dominic's is not reserved for older students. From the early years onwards, all students are given opportunities to have a voice, make a contribution and experience success in ways that reflect their individual strengths and interests.
Aligned with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Engagement, we nurture student voice, agency and participation, helping our students grow as compassionate, capable and confident leaders who are ready to make a positive difference both now and into the future.
Learning Diversity
At St Dominic's, we celebrate that every child is unique. Every student brings their own strengths, experiences and ways of learning, and we are committed to ensuring that each child is known, valued and supported to flourish.
Aligned with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Engagement and Vision for Instruction, we believe every student has the right to access a rich, inclusive and engaging education. Through high-quality teaching, strong relationships and evidence-informed practice, we create learning environments where every child can experience success.
Our teachers differentiate learning to meet the diverse needs, interests and abilities of students. Working in partnership with families, our Learning Diversity Leader, classroom teachers and Learning Support Officers (LSOs) provide personalised support, ensuring students are appropriately challenged, encouraged and supported throughout their learning journey. For students who require additional adjustments, Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) are developed collaboratively with families and, where appropriate, external specialists. Regular Program Support Group meetings help monitor progress and ensure each student's needs continue to be met.
We are also supported by specialist consultants from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), including Learning Diversity Consultants, Educational Psychologists and Speech Pathologists, who work alongside our staff to provide expert advice and strengthen outcomes for students.
Our experienced staff provide a range of evidence-informed interventions and personalised supports, ensuring students receive the right support at the right time to meet their individual learning needs. These may include:
-
Reading Support – personalised literacy support that strengthens reading, writing and foundational literacy skills.
-
Levelled Literacy Intervention (LLI) – targeted small-group instruction to build confidence and proficiency in reading and writing.
-
Multisensory Structured Language (MSL) – an evidence-informed approach that develops reading, spelling, writing and comprehension through explicit, structured teaching.
-
Numeracy Support – personalised learning that strengthens mathematical understanding, problem-solving skills and confidence in mathematics.