Student Wellbeing

Student wellbeing

Wellbeing Captains 2026 – Mahati & Shivika

At Glen Huntly Primary School, we are deeply committed to nurturing the holistic development of every student. Our wide range of programs, activities, and facilities are designed to promote wellness, physical health, social-emotional growth, and academic excellence, creating a supportive and enriching environment for all students.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader                                                                                                       

The school has a dedicated leading teacher that heads up student mental health and wellbeing across the school. Their role is  to support and promote students’ mental health by coordinating wellbeing programs, providing guidance to staff on inclusive and trauma-informed practices, working with families and external allied health services, and helping to identify and respond to students who need additional social or emotional support.

Soft Start to the Day

Our school day begins with a “soft start,” allowing students to enter their classrooms at 8:50 a.m. This extra time gives students the opportunity to settle in by putting away their belongings, changing readers, engaging with their teachers or peers, or reading quietly. At 9:00 a.m., the bell signals the official start of the school day and formal lessons begin.

Welcoming Culture

Teachers at Glen Huntly are encouraged to “meet and greet” each student at the door. This personal interaction includes greeting students by name, making eye contact, smiling, and offering an optional fist bump or high five. This daily practice helps create a positive and welcoming atmosphere, setting the tone for a successful day of learning.

Physical Activity and Sports

Physical activity is a key focus at Glen Huntly, with structured opportunities for all students to stay active throughout the week. Every student participates in a one-hour physical education (PE) lesson weekly, with an additional hour of sport for students in Grades 4 to 6. Our Prep students benefit from one hour of the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) once a week in addition to their 1 hour of PE lesson to enhance their motor skills through a range of activities in the gym. The school also runs a before-school running club every Thursday morning. There is also whole-school movement breaks throughout the day, and we encourage students to walk or ride to school as often as possible.

Lunchtime Clubs and Activities

We offer a diverse selection of lunchtime clubs to keep students engaged, active, and socially connected. There is a club each day and these include the Gardening, Chess, Art, Kitchen, Dance, Gymnastics, Origami, LEGO/Board Games, Library, and Basketball Clubs, all supervised by staff members. Additionally, our school choir and band practice during lunchtime for students in Grades 2 to 6, providing further creative outlets.

Wellbeing and Mindfulness

Wellbeing is explicitly taught twice a week, with lessons focused on building resilience, self-esteem, confidence, positivity, and persistence. Students learn various mindfulness strategies to help them navigate emotions and stress.

Daily Wellbeing Check-ins

Classroom teachers conduct a wellbeing “check-in” with all students during roll call each morning. This process allows teachers to gauge how students are feeling and ensure they are supported as they start their day.

Zones of Regulation

Our school incorporates the Zones of Regulation framework, which teaches students to recognize their emotional state and how to manage it. The four zones—Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green—help students identify their emotions and develop strategies to shift into the Green Zone, where they are calm, focused, and ready to learn.

Therapy dogs – Paws in schools

Our Paw Pals program is a much-loved part of school life, supporting student wellbeing in a calm, positive and engaging way. Carefully selected and trained dogs visit the school to work alongside staff and students, helping to create a safe and supportive environment for all students.

The presence of dogs has been shown to have a calming effect, and at our school they play an important role in helping students regulate their emotions. Spending time with a dog can reduce anxiety, build confidence and support students who may be feeling overwhelmed. Whether it’s a quiet moment patting a dog, participating in a structured session, or using the dogs as part of a learning activity, students benefit from the sense of comfort and connection they provide.

The Paw Pals program also helps foster empathy, responsibility and positive relationships. Students learn how to interact respectfully with animals, while also developing their own social and emotional skills.

Overall, Paw Pals is a valued wellbeing initiative that contributes to a calm, inclusive and supportive school environment, where students feel safe, settled and ready to learn.

Staff training in wellbeing practices 

All staff at Glen Huntly have undertaken professional training around student wellbeing, mindfulness and trauma informed practices.  In addition a number of teachers are trained in mental health first aid.

Meditation                                                                                                                                                       

Students across the school participated in meditation sessions, taking time to pause, breathe and focus their attention. These sessions supported students to develop calmness, self-awareness and emotional regulation, helping them to manage stress and remain engaged in their learning. Teachers guided students through simple mindfulness strategies such as deep breathing and visualisation, creating a consistent and supportive environment where wellbeing is prioritised. Over time, many students demonstrated increased focus, improved behaviour and a greater sense of readiness for learning.

Buddy Program

The Buddy Program at GHPS fosters long-lasting relationships between older and younger students. Grade 6 students are paired with Grade 1 students, and Grade 5 students with Prep students. This relationship continues for two years, allowing buddies to grow together through activities like reading, art, and writing. This program strengthens our sense of community and provides both younger and older students with meaningful mentorship and connection.

 

Wellbeing Zone                                                                                                                                                 

The school has a Wellbeing Zone on both campus for any students wishing to visit during class time or during recess and lunchtimes. The Wellbeing Zone has a relaxed atmosphere with bean bags, plants, relaxing music, a tent, arts and crafts and is monitored by a staff member.

In addition, each classroom has a wellbeing corner which students can use if they need a break or some time out to reset.

Inclusion monitors                                                                                                                                         

The school has Grade 6 Inclusion Monitors. These are students that have volunteered to help organise, run or mediate games and activities between the Prep and Grade 1 students each lunchtime.

At lunchtime our Grade 6 House and Sports Captains are encouraged to organised sporting activities for other students. This may include a house soccer match between Grades 2 and 3 and a Grade 4-6 competition.

Circle time                                                                                                                                                           

All classes take part in Circle Time twice a week. Circle time aims to build relationships between students by teaching them to develop their social, emotional and communication skills that will help them negotiate future relationships.

It is also an important as it allows students to voice their own opinions and views and to raise issues of concerns. It is also lots of fun as many of the activities also include team building games.

During Circle Time, students engage in a variety of activities that promote social and emotional learning. These activities can include discussions, games, role-playing, and collaborative problem-solving tasks. The aim is to create a safe space where every student feels valued and heard, enhancing their self-esteem and emotional well-being.

Circle Time is also an opportunity to address and reflect on important topics such as empathy, kindness, cooperation, and conflict resolution. By regularly participating in these sessions, students develop essential life skills that contribute to their overall personal and social development.

At Glen Huntly Primary School, we believe that Circle Time build a positive school culture and supports our mission to nurture well-rounded individuals who are not only academically proficient but also emotionally intelligent and socially responsible.

Screen Time Management

To support healthy development, the school actively limits students’ screen time during the day. Digital devices are used only for educational purposes, such as research, publishing written pieces, graphing, coding, digital learning, or assessments, allowing students to focus more on hands-on learning, reading from books, fine motor skills like handwriting and peer interactions.

Respectful Relationships Program                                                                                                           

Glen Huntly teaches the Victorian Government’s Resilience, Rights, and Respectful Relationships program to all students at our school.  The program aims to promote social and emotional learning. It focuses on building resilience, fostering respect, and teaching students about healthy relationships. The program covers topics like emotional literacy, personal strengths, positive coping, problem-solving, and  preparing students for positive and respectful interactions.

High Impact Wellbeing Strategies                                                                                                           

The school teaches and promotes the Department’s 7 High Impact Wellbeing Strategies (HIWS).

The 7 strategies are:

HIWS 1: Build relationships with students.

Teachers prioritise building relationships with their students. They make authentic efforts to get to know their students and their needs. Positive teacher-student relationships play an important role in student wellbeing. They form a foundation for effective teaching and learning.

Key elements:

• Show genuine care and respect to students.
• Help students solve problems and take time to help them learn.
• Provide students with choice, empowerment and responsibility.

HIWS 2: Facilitate peer relationships

Teachers at Glen Huntly Primary foster positive relationships by promoting acceptance and respect in their classrooms. They provide opportunities for students to connect with peers and for collaborative learning.

Key elements:

• Provide a safe space for students to develop connections with their peers.
• Understand differences among students and how that may affect their interactions.
• Model and explicitly teach social and emotional skills.

HIWS 3: Establish and maintain classroom expectations

Teachers establish clear and consistent classroom expectations and consequences. These are clearly communicated to students and align with the school-wide approach. They are developed through a shared, ongoing process with students. Teachers model, expect and reinforce respectful behaviour. Classroom expectations are complementary to reasonable adjustments.

Key elements:

• Discuss expectations with students and seek their input.
• Create a sense of order and predictability in a classroom.
• Use proportionate and non-punitive responses when expectations are not met.

HIWS 4: Support inclusion and belonging

Teachers communicate and act in ways that promote acceptance. They celebrate the diversity of students and their families. Teachers develop students’ capacity to respect and include others. Teachers support all students to learn and thrive in their classrooms. They are aware of, and reflect on, their own cultures and biases. They do not attempt to minimise or dismiss inequalities and inequities.

Key elements:

• Ensure students feel valued, accepted, safe and comfortable in the classroom.
• Learn from students about their lived experience and promote an understanding of multiple and diverse perspectives.
• We respond swiftly and effectively to any language and behaviour that may be discriminatory, offensive or demeaning to others.

HIWS 5: Foster student self-efficacy

Teachers hold high expectations for all students and help students to develop a sense of self-efficacy. They know that the way students view their abilities, achievements and self in the classroom influences their wellbeing as well as their learning. Teachers foster self-efficacy by encouraging students to persist and providing feedback. They provide opportunities for students to experience success.

Key elements:

• Encourage students to try their best and celebrate all achievements.
• Set work and goals aligned with student abilities and consider each student’s progress compared to their competencies.
• Hold high expectations for all students.

HIWS 6: Engage students

Our teachers engage students and encourage high attendance. They provide meaningful experiences and tailor tasks to student interest and capability. Teachers have a good understanding of their students’ needs and interests. They highlight the relevance of topics and skills to students.

Key elements:

• Tailor tasks to student interests.
• Provide meaningful and challenging ways for students to complete classwork and assessments.
• Ensure there are opportunities for students to work in pairs or groups and to contribute to each other’s learning.

HIWS 7: Promote coping strategies and facilitate referrals

Teachers help students to identify and use positive coping strategies. This includes self-regulation and help seeking. They notice changes in a student and inquire sensitively. They facilitate referrals for students to their school’s wellbeing team, if needed.

Key elements:

• Support students to identify personal emotional responses.
• Promote positive coping strategies.
• Notice changes in student demeanour or behaviour and refer for more support if necessary.

 

 

School leadership: 

Student leadership is an integral part of school life, with opportunities for students to develop confidence, responsibility and a sense of service to the community.

Our Prep Buddy Program pairs our oldest and youngest students, fostering caring relationships and helping Prep students feel welcomed and supported as they begin their school journey.

The Student Representative Council meets monthly, providing a genuine forum for students to share ideas, represent their peers and contribute to school decision-making. Students from Grade 3 to Grade 6 vote for a class student representative that sits on the student council.

Grade 6 students have the opportunity to serve in a range of formal leadership roles, including School Captains, House Captains, Sport Captains, Music Captains, Sustainability Captains and Wellbeing Captains. In addition, every Grade 6 student undertakes a leadership responsibility, called action teams through participation in an action team, ensuring that all students have the chance to make a meaningful contribution to school life.

Our Grade 6 leaders also proudly host and run school assemblies, developing their public speaking and organisational skills while celebrating the achievements of the school community.