Smiling Mind

In 2022, we adopted the Smiling Mind program. Our mindfulness-based social and emotional learning program equips children with the skills they need to thrive in life, by building healthy minds and engaging in classroom activities. They take part in regular Wellbeing lessons that help students practise mindfulness which is supported by the Smiling Mind program. We want our students to be ‘Mindful’ rather than have their Minds full’.

Peer Mediators

At the beginning of each year, selected Year 6 students undertake training to facilitate restorative conversations with younger students. They wear hi-vis jackets at recess and lunch-times so they are easy to identify and support younger students to solve smaller problems or help facilitate games. Once problems become larger or more regular they are directed to the yard-duty teacher.

Buddy Program

The Orchard Grove buddy program is implemented across all levels of the school, each class has a buddy class. The Buddy program is designed to help students develop relationships with students in other year levels, provides younger students with extra support and widens their friendship circle across the school community. Buddy classes come together for a range of purposes, including relationship building exercises, class lunches and to undertake collaborative learning tasks.

RRRR (Resilience, Rights and Respectful relationships)

The program has been developed by the Victorian Government. Respectful Relationships education is a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12. The focus is to embed a culture of respect and equality across the entire school community. The program promotes social and emotional skills and positive gender norms in children and young people, which has been shown to improve health outcomes and children’s wellbeing. It also reduces antisocial behaviours including engagement in gender-related violence.

Student Voice & Agency

We value and promote learner agency, student voice and leadership in school improvement through consultation and planning alongside students. We are implementing an authentic learner agency to exercise self-determination through goal setting and tracking. We have strengthened our student leadership by establishing a Student Voice Team. We also offer a broad range of leadership opportunities for students. Our Junior School Council meets regularly discussing ideas that are shared from other students, they report their discussions to the School Council and occasionally participate in school council meetings.