St Bede’s
Student Wellbeing
As a Catholic school, St Bede’s shares in the mission of the Catholic Church. Christ’s commandment, “to love one another as I have loved you” is the foundation of our faith community, shaped by the core Catholic vales of love, justice, truth and compassion. At St Bede’s Catholic College, we focus on sound wellbeing for learning, as the two are inextricably linked.
Wellbeing & Support Teams
At St Bede’s, student wellbeing is a collaborative partnership between staff, parents and carers and our school and parish community. Our wellbeing structure is designed to allow all students to grow and develop in a supportive and nurturing environment. The College has a code of rights and responsibilities which guide all relationships within the College.
Leaders of Wellbeing and Engagement
Leaders of Wellbeing and Engagement work closely with students on a daily basis and are responsible for supporting and overseeing the Homeroom Team for each year group. Each Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement cares for a dedicated year group, liaising with parents, school staff, and other professionals to provide support for students and their families.
Homeroom Teachers
Homeroom teachers work closely with Leaders of Wellbeing and Engagement to provide support for their Homeroom class. These teachers will meet with students at the beginning of each day and are the first point of contact for both students and parents for general concerns. Homeroom teachers deliver Wellbeing sessions for students throughout the term, and support students with daily organisation, absences, uniform, and participation in daily prayer as valuable part of the faith life of the College.
Learning Support Coordinator
The Learning Support Coordinator is responsible for working with students with additional needs and oversees the Learning Support Team. Learning Support staff support the personalised learning of students at St Bede’s by communicating with staff to ensure needs of all students are met according to their unique profile.
College Counsellor
The College Counsellors provide specialist counselling and support services to students with wellbeing needs on a referral basis. The counselling staff are able to provide additional wellbeing support as a part of a range of strategies within the wellbeing framework of the College, and work closely with Executive staff, Leaders of Wellbeing and Engagement, and Learning Support Staff to support students.
At St Bede’s, we aim to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for all members of the school community.
Wellbeing & Learning
St Bede’s recognises the importance of students being able to have an awareness of their wellbeing, and to possess the skills and strategies to take ownership of their wellbeing outcomes. In order to access the best learning opportunities, students are supported to recognise that wellbeing is a spectrum, and we each have the power to make powerful contributions to improve our sense of self efficacy.
The 7-12 Wellbeing Continuum is overseen and delivered by the relevant Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement. This is supported through the valuable work of dedicated Homeroom teachers who work closely with their students to provide them with the skills and knowledge to bolster their individual wellbeing.
Each year group, from 7-12, has an appointed Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement, with classes allocated to Homeroom teachers. These staff work in collaboration with College Executive, Learning Support, and Counselling staff to foster positive wellbeing outcomes for authentic learning.
Homeroom
Students attend Homeroom at the beginning of each school day where attendance rolls are marked, and the day begins with a focus on prayer. In Homeroom, students are provided with important daily notices, and uniform standards are monitored. Home room is an extremely significant time of the day for students as they meet with their Homeroom teacher, who will build an important relationship with them as the first point of contact for wellbeing and organisational matters. Homerooms are organised across the four Houses of the College, Benedict, Dominic, Marion, and McAuley, with two classes from each House per cohort. Leadership opportunities for students emerge out of Homeroom, and students establish relationships that endure throughout their time at St Bede’s.
Assemblies
Assemblies at the College are hosted in whole of school formats in the Marian Hall. We gather as a community to celebrate student achievements, and mark special occasions as school. Students Leaders take an active role in delivering these very important assemblies, which are held on Fridays throughout the term, alternating with year group meetings and Wellbeing Sessions.
Wellbeing Sessions
Wellbeing sessions at the College draw upon our highly important Wellbeing Continuum, with a focus on our Learning and Wellbeing Framework. Students are given opportunities the draw upon the core values represented by the House system: Courage, Knowledge, Community and Faith. In these sessions students are encouraged to Take Notice, Be Active, Give, Connect, and Keep Learning. Across the 7-12 learning journey, student wellbeing is supported with valuable learning opportunities in these sessions as authentic means of recognising their own individual gifts and talents and developing self-awareness and efficacy as a part of a broader Catholic community enriched by our shared faith. This is a unique reflection of St Bede’s Catholic College as a vibrant, always-learning, welcoming and supportive community, with a culture of support and a distinct identity shaped by the charisms of our four Houses.
Community Days
Community Days are essential to fostering the strong sense of community and belonging at St Bede’s. Through these important days, opportunities are taken to Connect, Give, Keep Learning, and Take Notice. As a College, we celebrate the feast days of St Bede, St Benedict, St Dominic, and St Marcellin Champagnat as well as recognising Catherine McAuley as patron of McAuley House. In addition, the College celebrates community through social justice activities for Caritas and the Holy Child Program. The building of community is a significant aspect of life at St Bede’s Catholic College, and a means by which our students form lifelong bonds through participating authentically in their Catholic community.
Restorative Practices
As a Catholic community, St Bede’s is committed to the Gospel values of love and forgiveness, and in this the restorative focus of our disciplinary policies and procedures is a reflection of the model of Jesus Christ. Restorative action at the College is central to encouraging our young people to learn from their choices, and to build enduring relationships through positive conflict resolution approaches.
Reflection Days
Student Reflection Days are an integral part of the formation opportunities and Catholic life at St Bede’s Catholic College. Students are called to pause and reflect on their relationships with themselves, each other, God and the world around them.
Our students have lives which are extremely busy. Their lives are loaded with tasks and information. In this type of environment, it can be difficult to find the time to discern what is important in life, what is truth and what is the right path for life. Our Reflection experiences invite students into a deeper and more authentic connection with God.
Our students need time to slow down and reconnect with their spiritual selves. They need the opportunity to retreat, to pull back from their everyday life and assess their situation. Reflection days provide them with an opportunity to do just this.
