Positive Learning Partnerships

At St Francis Xavier College we understand that relationships are central to all we do, and we aim to work collaboratively with all members of our community.

Our Positive Learning Partnerships allow us to build stronger relationships with students and to positively impact the teaching and learning environment.

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

1. Unconditional respect
2. A calm and just manner
3. Facing challenges together with optimism

Our Preventative Approach

Our approach to promoting Positive Learning Partnerships includes:

• Setting clear expectations
• Outlining how these expectations are lived
• Teaching the personal and social skills to meet these expectations
• Training staff to role model and coach students in these expectations
• Creating routines and practices to promote positive behaviour
• Creating a school culture which promotes positive behaviour

In order to support the College’s Positive Learning Partnerships, the following skills are taught to promote respect, responsibility and resilience:

• Preparedness to learn
• Effective communication
• Skills to access learning
• Reputation and representation
• Digital responsibility
• Care for physical resources
• Appropriateness in a work environment
• Social-emotional intelligence
• Self-regulation
• Safety
• Positivity
• Mindset
• Achievement
• Solutions focus
• Compassion

Our Responsive Approach

St Francis Xavier College recognises that it is a natural part of human relationships and living in community to experience times of challenge. In these times of challenge, the College accesses a restorative approach which focuses on relationships. By exploring how people are affected and how solutions can be found, we work with members of our community to restore healthy relationships and a positive learning environment. A restorative approach helps to support the development of prosocial behaviours which enable healthy individual development and restore relationships and connection to community.

A restorative approach aims to involve students in the process of healing and moving forward when harm has been done. It prompts them to recognise the nature and impact of wrongdoing so that they may move towards healing for themselves and for their relationships with others in the community.

The aims of a restorative approach are to:

• encourage and equip students to engage in self-directed positive and pro-social behaviours;
• recognise that quality relationships are fundamental to effective learning and living within a community;
• seek, celebrate and affirm the strengths of each person;
• provide a link between Gospel values and lived experience of the structures, procedures and practices of our College context.

The restorative approach:

• views anti-social behaviours or challenges in relationship as an opportunity for learning;
• separates the person from their actions;
• focuses on restoring relationships;
• builds empathy and compassion;
• encourages accountability (through active participation).