Seaview Downs Primary School

Student Wellbeing

At Seaview Downs Primary School, a key area of focus is on supporting students to develop social and emotional literacy, resilience and responsible decision-making, which is facilitated through our range of ‘Interoception’ resources. Our investment in helping students to develop these skills grants them the capacity to manage their feelings constructively, allowing them to and create and maintain positive social relationships with others and themselves.

Interoception

‘Interoception’ is the very foundation of independent self-regulation and has a huge influence on mental health and social connection. ‘Interoception’ is an internal sensory system in which the internal physical and emotional states of the body are noticed, recognised/identified, and responded to. Interoception skills are required for a range of basic and more advanced functions, such as knowing when to go to the toilet, being aware that you are becoming angry or upset and being able to manage your emotions proactively.

We foster the development of these skills through a number of channels. Our “Play is the Way” program is a philosophy of behaviour education that fosters independent, self-managing, self-motivated, empathetic, life-long learners and is cascaded through the school and reinforced by all teaching staff and leaders. In addition to Play is the Way, we also run the social skills enrichment program ‘What’s The Buzz’ for small groups of students.  In each lesson, the children help Archie solve the very same social dilemmas that occur in their everyday lives. As they do this, through activity, discussion, role-play, games, puzzles and quizzes, they learn how to express feelings and become a more positive problem solver. We find that most students will participate in the What’s the Buzz program until they are ready to ‘graduate’. Having further developed their social and emotional intelligence, they leave feeling proud of their achievements and better equipped to foster positive interpersonal relationships.

Our well-being team operate within a dedicated Interoception space, an environment to help students learn about self-regulation and emotional awareness. Students have access to one-on-one counselling with the use of a variety of supporting resources and the expertise of our Wellbeing Leaders. Students are educated about the availability of the Interoception space as a positive way to ensure curriculum and community success, and recess activities are regularly run in the Interoception space, where all students are welcome to attend.

 

Pastoral Care Worker

The Chaplaincy Service at this school is provided by a Pastoral Care Worker, on behalf of the local combined Christian community, employed by Schools Ministry Group (SMG). The Chaplaincy Service is funded by the National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP), administered by DfE SA, with additional contribution from the local community. The aim of this service is to offer pastoral and practical support to students, staff and the school community.

Our Pastoral Care Worker supports our school community in the following ways:

  • Working closely and in partnership with leadership and other wellbeing staff in the school to provide pastoral care and practical support to students, families and staff as requested
  • Being well positioned to work across the whole school to ‘build a sense of’ community, harmony and cohesion
  • Being trained and equipped to provide our school with 6 Dimensions of Chaplaincy:
    • role modelling and mentoring
    • social and emotional support
    • spiritual support
    • school engagement
    • community engagement
    • extra-curricular contribution

Chaplaincy Services promote student well-being, engaging young people in activities that are preventative and which support early intervention and referral of mental health issues. The School community is consulted and makes the decision to proceed with an application for NSCP funding for a Chaplaincy Service. Please talk to the School Principal for further details.