At Mawson Primary School we are committed to enhancing the emotional, social, physical and moral wellbeing of all the members of our community. We use the acronym SCARF (Safety, Cooperation, Acceptance, Respect, Friendliness) for our values. These values underpin relationships and working respectfully and cooperatively together.
Restorative Practices
Restorative practice is a whole school teaching and learning approach that encourages behaviour that is supportive and respectful. It puts the onus on individuals to be accountable for their behaviour and to repair any harm caused to others as a result of their actions.
A restorative approach focuses on building, maintaining and restoring positive relationships, particularly when incidents that involve interpersonal conflict or wrongdoing occur.
When executive staff prioritise a restorative approach to relationships across the school community and provide adequate staff training and support for implementation, schools can reduce the frequency of behaviour incidents and improve school culture. Restorative practices work best when the whole school community is on board. There are many examples in literature of schools reducing suspension rates and improving student behaviour by adopting this approach.
Social and Emotional Learning
We recognise that learning social skills and socially acceptable behaviours is a process, which everybody moves through at a different pace. Learning appropriate social skills is seen in the same light as learning how to read or complete maths. Some people need more assistance in some areas and less in others. Positive Behaviour for Learning focuses on introducing, modelling and reinforcing positive social behaviours. Teaching behavioural expectations and rewarding students for following them is a positive approach used at Mawson Primary School.
Movement and Physical Activity
Physical fitness activities are undertaken daily throughout the school. Emphasis is placed on developing fundamental motor skills to assist children in becoming competent in a range of sports. Skills and understanding about sports are also explicitly taught.
Learning about Movement and Physical Activity incorporates building skills and understanding of play and fundamental motor skills. There is a strong focus on acquiring and practicing broad range of movement skills. Students explore how and why the body moves and what happens to our body when it moves. Students work to develop skills and dispositions necessary for lifelong participation in physical activities.
All Year 2 students participate in a water safety and awareness program every year. The program has in class and a practical component at a local swimming pool.
Sporting Houses
The school is proud to have four school houses. The children participate in school sporting activities throughout the year and are encouraged to dress in their school house colours on the day.
- Davis – Red
- Casey – Yellow
- Markham - Green
- Ingrid - Blue