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Positive Learning and Connection

At St Francis Xavier College, we understand that relationships are central to all we do. Our Positive Learning partnerships allow us to build stronger relationships between students and staff, improving the teaching environment and creating better opportunities for growth and learning.

Community

We have three clear expectations that underpin and inform our approach to working with students and with families:

Unconditional respect — A calm and just manner — Facing challenges together with optimism

Our Preventative Approach

Our approach to promoting Positive Learning Partnerships is built around developing a set of clear behavioural and social expectations within the school. These expectations are created with clear outlines on how they can be lived out by all members of the community, and the personal and social skills needed. Our College commitment is to developing routines and practices that promote positive behaviour, and using these to affirm and underpin our overall school culture.

In order to support the College’s Positive Learning Partnerships, we teach a variety of skills that promote respect, responsibility and resilience in our students. These lessons cover behavioural, emotional and social skills.

Our Responsive Approach

When conflict does arise, the College utilises a restorative approach which focuses on rebuilding and restoring healthy relationships. We explore how people are affected and work with members of the community to create positive and effective solutions. Our restorative approach helps to support the development of prosocial behaviours which enable healthy individual and interpersonal growth.

The aims of our responsive approach are to encourage accountability, make amends and move towards healing with empathy and a focus on learning opportunities. We aim to always recognise how fundamental quality relationships are to effective learning and community.

House System

The House system at St Francis Xavier College has been operating for over 25 years. It is made up of eight Houses which offer students a sense of belonging and a way to connect to College life. Our houses are Acutis, Bakhita, Bosco, Glowrey, Mackillop, Nagle, Ozanam, and Romero.

Objectives of the House System

  • Students become engaged in the extracurricular life of the school through inter-house competitions and events
  • Students’ sense of belonging is nurtured by being part of a smaller community and allowing for peer relationships to flourish
  • Students form positive and trusting relationships with staff and other students
  • Students receive individualised attention from staff to support their wellbeing
  • Students experience a sense of belonging through house spirit

Care Group

The focus for Care Group teachers is to create a culture of belonging and support students’ social and emotional development. They do this by forming positive relationships with students and creating the conditions so that the members of the Care Group can form positive relationships with each other. Care Group is a weekly lesson that explicitly teaches the skills of wellbeing.

Objectives of Care Group

  • Students feel a sense of belonging within the College community through their connection with the care group teacher and Care Group class
  • Students will each feel cared for and known as an individual and as a learner
  • Students will access information to understand and contribute to various elements of College life