Blog

At Kingsgate we take very practical steps to manage social relationships and foster a sense of connectedness in lower secondary.

We place a more social focus on orientation processes by:

• Building into orientation activities opportunities for students to interact with their peers or with teachers in non-academic activities.
• Students meeting with their new teachers before they begin at the school e.g.  encouraging students during these visits to talk about their concerns about secondary school.
• Setting up long term social support activities such as peer support programmes e.g. allocation of ‘buddy’ students; senior students involved in an orientation/team building programme.
• Encouraging students to become involved in sport, arts and other extra- curricular activities (ECA).

Establishing school processes that focus on students’ emotional and social wellbeing such as:

• Teachers knowing about vulnerable students ahead of their arrival at the school e.g. teachers meet with Year 7 and 8 teachers to gather information about such students.
• Teachers working with vulnerable students e.g. early face-to-face contact with students who have been identified, with regular follow-up and monitoring.
• Implementing processes for monitoring all students e.g. regular meetings of Year level teachers  to discuss students.
• Preparing students by explaining that their social relationships might change e.g. Year 7 and 8 teachers have a role in this as part of alleviating anxiety about the transition process.
• Teaching students about how to manage unpleasant encounters e.g. Year 7 and 8 teachers have a role in this.
• Integrating into the curriculum opportunities for social learning. e.g. providing opportunities for cooperative learning.

Happy, sound, balanced, confident children have a greater capacity to be determined, courageous and critical learners.