STUDENT INCLUSION

STUDENT WELLBEING

Student Wellbeing

At Caulfield Junior College, student wellbeing is a cornerstone of our educational approach. We recognise that the primary school years are a critical period for emotional development and for fostering a strong sense of belonging within the school community. Understanding that each child is unique, with diverse personalities and backgrounds, we celebrate and embrace this diversity wholeheartedly. Our foremost priority is to ensure that every student arrives at school feeling safe, valued, and supported. Alongside this, we are committed to explicitly teaching essential life skills, including problem-solving, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution, to equip our students for success both inside and beyond the classroom.

Our Programs:

At CJC we have a number of Wellbeing Initiatives:

Social Skills groups: Small group sessions run weekly where students are explicitly taught wellbeing concepts such as resilience, friendships, empathy and problem-solving skills.

SEL: Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a mandated part of our curriculum taught by classroom teachers, helping students develop skills like emotional regulation, empathy, relationship building, and responsible decision-making. Aligned with the Victorian Curriculum and Department of Education priorities, our whole-school approach fosters a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where every child can thrive academically and personally.

Wellbeing check Ins: For our students in Grades 3 to 6, we administer a brief 5-minute wellbeing survey every fortnight. This regular check-in helps us monitor their emotional health, identify any concerns early, and provide timely support to ensure every student feels valued and supported at school.

Recess & Lunch clubs: We offer structured lunch and recess clubs led by our Education Support staff for students who benefit from guided play and social skill development. These clubs provide a safe, supportive space where students can practice positive interactions and build friendships in a fun and inclusive environment. We have lego club, dance club, special interest club and much more!

Peer mediation: students from Grade 4 to 6 who elected to take part in the program have spent several hours learning the principles of mediation, restorative practice, confidentiality, impartiality and empathy that is being applied in their mission to help resolve conflicts in the playground.

School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support:

CJC is proud to be part of the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework—an evidence-based approach that promotes a positive, safe, and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Being an SWPBS school means we focus on proactively teaching and reinforcing positive behaviours rather than reacting to misbehaviour. We use consistent expectations, clear communication, and data-informed strategies to support both academic and social success for every student.

School-Wide Behaviour Matrix
We’ve developed a School-Wide Behaviour Matrix that outlines the expected behaviours across all school settings—classrooms, playgrounds, hallways, and more. These expectations are aligned with our core school values (HERO) and are explicitly taught to students throughout the year.
Positive Acknowledgement Systems
We use a range of systems to recognise and celebrate positive behaviour, such as reward tokens, certificates, class points, compass notifications or whole-school recognition events. This encourages students to make positive choices and feel valued for their efforts.
Explicit Teaching of Behaviour Expectations
Our staff consistently teach and model expected behaviours using structured lessons, visual aids, and real-life scenarios. This helps students understand not just what is expected, but why these behaviours matter in building a respectful and safe school culture.
Consistent Responses to Behaviour
The SWPBS framework supports a school-wide approach to managing challenging behaviour. Staff use consistent language, strategies, and restorative practices to ensure students learn from their mistakes and receive the support they need.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Behaviour data is regularly collected and analysed to inform our teaching practices and intervention strategies. This allows us to identify trends, support individual students, and refine our school-wide systems for continuous improvement.