We commit to providing safe and supportive environments which nurture the wellbeing of all students and staff in our community, and hold firmly to the belief that they have a right to be safe, respected and valued in an inclusive environment. We know that when students are happy, they are more engaged with their learning.

Schools benefit from wellbeing initiatives and pastoral care support through Sydney Catholic Schools – in areas such as anti-bullying, positive behaviour, student counselling, refugee support and child protection – which range from universal support for all students, to targeted interventions for students with complex social and emotional needs.

The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.

Positive relationships are encouraged at St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Primary School Arncliffe. Teachers, students and parents discuss the importance of respect and responsibility for learning and behaviour. Our pastoral care policy reflects the school’s vision and mission, as well as that of the Catholic Church. The school implements the principles of restorative justice in the management of students. These principles include: acknowledging the inevitability of conflict and hurt in relationships; working towards healing by repairing relationships; and learning and growing from experience. Our school is committed to ensuring mutually respectful relationships between staff and students as well as the parent community. All decisions are based on the needs and interests of students.

StFrancisXavierCatholicPrimarySchoolArncliffe_StudentWellbeing

Pastoral Care

At St Francis Xavier’s we believe that pastoral care permeates all aspects of school life. It reflects the values, attitudes, beliefs and practices of our Catholic faith and involves all members of our school community.

Good pastoral care is exemplified by:

  • quality teaching and learning
  • appropriate student management
  • high expectations of student performance
  • teachers who take an interest in the lives of their students.

Pastoral care is concerned with fostering students’ self discipline. It aims to develop persons who are responsible and inner-directed, and capable of choosing freely in accordance with their conscience. Student Management seeks to promote a respectful, secure environment where students can prosper. It is intrinsically related to the principles and values of the Gospel, and to the Christian vision of pastoral care. Practices and procedures for student management at St Francis Xavier’s are based upon restorative practices.

As a philosophy, restorative justice at St Francis Xavier’s provides a framework of student management that moves away from the traditional punitive response, to one which, while still providing limits and consequences, looks for ways to repair and improve existing relationships.

Restorative Justice:

  • has clear expectations, limits and consequences
  • is more concerned with harm done rather than which rules/laws have been broken
  • is more concerned with making things right and healing rather than what  punishment is deserved
  • is focused on relationships and how people are affected
  • fits within the framework of the Catholic Education Office’s ‘Pastoral Care Guidelines for Catholic Schools’ (2003)
  • educate our students in a happy, secure environment
  • promote, live and celebrate Gospel values and the teachings of the Catholic Church
  • build self-confidence and instill a love of learning
  • nurture each student’s spiritual, intellectual, physical and emotional development
  • build a sense of optimism and hope.

As important members of the school community, students are valued for the contributions they can make to the school. Leadership potential is encouraged and supported.

Anti-bullying policy

Sydney Catholic Schools rejects all forms of bullying behaviours, including online (or cyber) bullying, by maintaining a commitment to providing safe, inclusive and respectful learning communities that promote student wellbeing for learning. Staff at Sydney Catholic Schools are committed to employing wellbeing strategies that allow for a healthy school environment where bullying is less likely to occur.

If your child is experiencing bullying of any kind, or you have a wellbeing concern, we have a number of support services available for parents/carers and students, as listed below.

Support services: