School Policies

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all students and members of our school community understand:

  • our commitment to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for students
  • expectations for positive student behaviour
  • support available to students and families
  • our school’s policies and procedures for responding to inappropriate student behaviour.

 

Frankston Special Developmental School (SDS) is committed to providing a safe, secure and stimulating learning environment for all students. We understand that students reach their full potential only when they are happy, healthy and safe, and that a positive school culture, where student participation is encouraged and valued, helps to engage students and support them in their learning.  Our school acknowledges that student wellbeing and student learning outcomes are closely linked.

The objective of this policy is to support our school to create and maintain a safe, supportive and inclusive school environment consistent with our school’s values.

 

Scope

This policy applies to all school activities, including camps and excursions.

 

Contents

  1. School profile
  2. School values, philosophy and vision
  3. Wellbeing and engagement strategies
  4. Identifying students in need of support
  5. Student rights and responsibilities
  6. Student behavioural expectations and management
  7. Engaging with families
  8. Evaluation

 

Policy

  1. School profile

Frankston SDS is a Department of Education and Training (DET) school for students with a moderate to profound intellectual disability.  We offer a comprehensive and engaging curriculum in alignment with the Victorian Curriculum. We acknowledge the diversity of learners within our school and provide an individualised program that targets each student at the point at which they demonstrate a readiness for learning.

Our school program runs from our early education, four-year-old kindergarten program through to our Pathways program for our 16 to 18-year-olds.  Our learning priorities focus on the development of independence, communication and social competencies skills in order to enable students to achieve the highest level of independence over their lives as they move into adulthood.

Our school is located in Frankston, with students enrolled from a range of locations including:  Frankston, Carrum Downs, Mount Eliza and Baxter.  Most students travel to and from school via DET funded buses.  To access bus transport students must live within our designated transport zone.

  1. School values, philosophy and vision

Vision

At Frankston SDS students are ‘Learning for Life.’ Central to all teaching and learning programs is the development of skills in communication, independence and social competencies.

Mission

Frankston SDS is committed to:

  • Enabling students to achieve their personal best in an atmosphere of mutual respect, cooperation and celebration.
  • Ensuring all students feel valued and cared for in all aspects of their school experience.

Values

The following values are seen as being central to the life of our school and how all members of the school community should conduct themselves.

            Respect                      for yourself and others, being kind and learning our school rules

            Caring             for others in our classroom, school and the wider community

            Sharing                      with others, taking turns and working with others

            Individuality   being the best you can and doing the best you can.

 

  1. Wellbeing and Engagement strategies

Students behave positively when they know what is expected of them, when they feel safe, and that people care about them and their learning.  Great teachers and great teaching make a significant difference to how students behave and learn.  Positive behaviour doesn’t just happen.  Students need to know what is expected of them and what positive behaviour looks like.

Frankston SDS has a range of strategies to promote engagement, an inclusive and safe environment, positive behaviour and respectful relationships for all students. We recognise the importance of student friendships and peer support in helping children and students feel safe and less isolated. We acknowledge that some students may need extra social, emotional or educational support at school, and that the needs of students will change over time as they grow and learn. See FSDS Welfare Policies and Procedures Manual (available on FSDS’ website or a copy is available on request from reception)

  • High and consistent expectations of staff, students, parents and carers.
  • Prioritise positive relationships between staff and students, recognising the fundamental role this plays in building and sustaining student wellbeing
  • Creating a culture that is inclusive, engaging and supportive and that embraces and celebrates diversity and empowers all students to participate and feel valued
  • teachers at Frankston SDS adopt a broad range of teaching and assessment approaches to effectively respond to the diverse learning styles, strengths and needs of our students and follow the standards set by the Victorian Institute of Teaching
  • measures are in place to empower our school community to identify, report and address inappropriate and harmful behaviours such as racism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination and harassment.
  • School-wide Positive Behaviour Support. At FSDS we use an evidence-based approach to teaching and managing student behaviour.  This tiered approach to teaching behaviour explicitly teaches students how to behave appropriately across all aspects of their school day. 
  • Whole school reward system. Students earn Dolphin Dollars which they exchange for rewards.  Dolphin Dollars are earned when students follow the school rules and expectations.  Dolphin Dollars are used to teach pro-social behaviours.
  • Individual reward system. Personalised to students when required.  This system is used to shape behaviour more instantly.  Students earn a series of tokens which then enables them ready access to an immediate reward.
  • I Can Be Independent Our social safety program empowers students by developing knowledge around what are acceptable and unacceptable behaviours around their bodies.
  • Welfare and Therapy Team.  The team meets with students and teachers to provide all elements of welfare and wellbeing support for students.  Teachers follow a referral process to initiate support.
  • Assemblies and METV.  This whole-school programs provide an opportunity to publicly celebrate achievements of our students.
  • Trauma.  Staff working with students who exhibit behaviours as a result of childhood trauma have access to training.

Whole School

At Frankston SDS we use a variety of strategies to guide us in supporting student wellbeing and engagement. We:

  • set high and consistent expectations for all staff and students
  • prioritise positive relationships between staff and students through our School-wide Positive Behaviour Support approach to developing positive behaviour
  • analyse and respond to a range of school data such as attendance, Attitudes to School Survey, parent survey data, student management data and school level assessment data
  • deliver an individualised and targeted learning program in alignment with the Victorian Curriculum
  • provide individual learning plans incorporating three priority areas: communication, independence and social competencies
  • provide opportunities for students to succeed in their learning using targeted communication tools: Picture Exchange Communication, augmentative alternative communication, Boardmaker
  • provide positive behaviour plans for students who exhibit challenging behaviour
  • monitor student attendance and implement attendance and address on a case-by-case basis
  • provide student voice through whole-school assemblies and our MeTV weekly television program
  • we engage in school wide positive behaviour support with our staff and students, which includes programs such as:
    • Respectful Relationships
    • Bully Stoppers
    • Safe Schools

 

Individual

Frankston SDS implements a range of strategies that support and promote individual engagement. These can include:

  • student support groups
  • individual learning plan
  • positive behaviour support plan
  • referral to student welfare coordinator and student support services
  • referral to child first, headspace, lookout
  • attendance at care plan meetings with external stakeholders
  • working with student support services (sss) psychologists

 

  1. Identifying students in need of support

Frankston SDS is committed to providing the necessary support to ensure our students are supported intellectually, emotionally and socially. Frankston SDS teaching, ES and therapy staff play a significant role in developing and implementing strategies to help identify students in need of support. Frankston SDS will utilise the following information and tools to identify students in need of extra emotional, social or educational support:

  • personal, health and learning information gathered upon enrolment and while the student is enrolled
  • attendance records
  • changes in behaviour
  • academic performance
  • observations by school staff such as changes in engagement, behaviour, self-care, social connectedness and motivation
  • involvement with external child-focused agencies
  • communication with families
  • this policy also includes our commitment to upholding the standards under our Child Safe obligations.

 

  1. Student rights and responsibilities

All members of our school community have a right to experience a safe and supportive school environment. We expect that all students, staff, parents and carers treat each other with respect and dignity. Our school’s Statement of Values highlights the rights and responsibilities of members of our community.

Students who may have a complaint or concern about something that has happened at school are encouraged to speak to family and approach a trusted teacher or a member of the school leadership team.  We explicitly teach this important skill through our I Can Be Independent program.

  1. Student behavioural expectations and management

Behavioural expectations of students are grounded in our school’s Statement of Values and shaped by our school-wide positive behaviour approach to managing and developing positive behaviour in our students.

Violence, bullying, and other offensive and harmful behaviours such as racism, harassment and discrimination are not tolerated and will be managed in accordance with this policy. Bullying will be managed in accordance with our Bullying Prevention Policy.

Suspension, expulsion and restrictive interventions are measures of last resort and may only be used in particular situations consistent with Department policy, available at:

In line with Ministerial Order 1125, no student aged 8 or younger will be expelled without the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Education and Training.

The Principal of Frankston SDS is responsible for ensuring all suspensions and expulsions are recorded on CASES21.

Corporal punishment is prohibited by law and will not be used in any circumstance at our school.

 

  1. Engaging with families

Frankston SDS values the input of parents and carers, and we will strive to support families to engage in their child’s learning and build their capacity as active learners. We aim to be partners in learning with parents and carers in our school community.

 

We work hard to create successful partnerships with families by:

  • maintaining daily communication between teaching staff and families via our See Saw communication system
  • ensuring that all parents have access to our school policies and procedures, via our school website
  • maintaining an open, respectful line of communication between parents and staff, supported by our Communicating to Families Policy.
  • providing parent volunteer opportunities so that families can contribute to school activities
  • inviting families to celebration events such as school concert, literacy parade and Christmas parties
  • coordinating resources and services from the community for families
  • providing opportunities for families to attend Student Support Groups

 

  1. Evaluation

Frankston SDS will collect data each year to understand the frequency and types of wellbeing issues that are experienced by our students so that we can measure the success or otherwise of our school-based strategies and identify emerging trends or needs.

Sources of data that will be assessed on an annual basis include:

  • student survey data
  • positive behaviour data through the Dolphin Dollar program
  • SENTRAL behavioural incident data
  • school reports
  • parent surveys
  • case management
  • CASES21, including attendance and absence data

Frankston SDS will also regularly monitor available data dashboards to ensure any wellbeing or engagement issues are acted upon in a timely manner and any intervention occurs as soon as possible.

 

COMMUNICATION

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:

  • Available publicly on our school’s website
  • Included in staff induction processes
  • Made available in hard copy from school administration upon request

Our school will also ensure it follows the mandatory parent/carer notification requirements with respect to suspensions and expulsions outlined in the Department’s policies at:

Further information and resources

The following Department of Education and Training policies are relevant to this Student Engagement and Wellbeing Policy:

The following school policies are also relevant to this Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy:

  • Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
  • Bullying Prevention Policy
  • Inclusion and Diversity Policy
  • Statement of Values and School Philosophy

 

 

POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL

Policy last reviewed

June 2024

Consultation

School Council 17/06/2024

Approved by

Kris Baker, Principal

Next scheduled review date

June 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How to enroll your child at Frankston SDS

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Enrolment at Frankston SDS is based on specific eligibility criteria. Should you wish to discuss eligibility please feel free to contact the school. We look forward to your call.

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