Paul Burton shares how a senior wellbeing team and Year 7/8 wellbeing curriculum are contributing to positive change at St Thomas of Canterbury College.

Wellbeing at STC!

This has been an exciting and somewhat daunting journey for us at STC but one which we believe is at the forefront of all we believe in at our College.

We started our journey by spending time on staff and creating opportunities and places to strengthen the four pillars of our personal wellbeing. What came out of staff surveys was a real drive to be physically active through yoga and aerobics while giving us a chance to clear our heads. We continue to implement these wellbeing blocks in to our school PD at key stages throughout the year where stress or workload maybe heightened.

This year we have established two key student initiatives. The first is a senior wellbeing team made up of four students who lead initiatives for the whole school. One example of this is to get our school disconnecting to reconnect during intervals and lunchtimes. Turning the school wifi off is one such way of doing this as well as challenging boys such as our year 10 rite journey classes to spend a whole day without any devices!!! The extra face to face communication this creates is priceless and can help in our young men feeling more connected within our community.

The second key intiative that will be set down over two years is establishing a yr 7 and 8 wellbeing curriculum to run alongside our health curriculum. This gives us a chance to look at key areas in greater detail such as mindfullness and resilience. We have engaged one of our school councillors Claire Burrough to help implement this.

It is great to see staff utilising some of these in their senior classes already. Below is a photo of a senior exercise fitness class using mindfullness to bring them back to a steady state after a rigorous workout.

The junior wellbeing curriculum is being run in term 1 and 4 for 100 minutes a week. Already we are seeing some boys increasing their ability to articulate themselves and self regulate their emotion in times of stress or states where they are over aroused. With all that has happened in our city among the already wide ranging challenges our youth are experiencing, we have placed wellbeing at the forefront of all we do. Our mentoring happens every morning where staff check in and make sure our boys are ready to go with mood metre exercises or circle time on Monday’s.

We continue to work on all of these initiatives to grow young men who are consientised and aware of themselves and those around them.

Carpe Diem!!

Paul Burton is a within school leader of Wellbeing and restorative culture at St Thomas of Canterbury College.