At Whittlesea Primary School, we are committed to helping every child grow into the very best version of themselves. To do this, we need to explore beyond academics. We explicitly teach friendship skills, emotional literacy, self-regulation and problem-solving, because we know these skills are just as important as academic learning.
We utilise evidence-informed approaches and initiatives to inform our SEL. This is underpinned by the Victorian Department of Education’s Respectful Relationships. The importance of teaching Respectful Relationships education was highlighted in the Royal Commission into Family Violence's evidence and findings, which recommended that it be mandated in Victorian schools. The Government has accepted this recommendation and, through the Department of Education and Training, provides extensive information and support to help schools implement respectful relationships education.
Additionally, we use the Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationships resources. This sequence of learning supports students in developing resilience, practising kindness, and showing respect towards themselves and others.
With a strong focus on emotional literacy and regulation, we empower students to understand their emotions; what they are feeling, what may have caused it, possible triggers, and strategies to manage those feelings in safe and constructive ways. As students build this awareness, they become more confident, compassionate and capable learners.
Across all classrooms, visual supports reinforce this learning. Our Emotions Wheel helps students accurately identify and describe how they feel, building their emotional vocabulary and self-awareness. Our “How Big is Your Problem?” scale helps students reflect on the size of a challenge and consider whether their response is proportionate. These shared tools create consistent language across the school and help children develop practical strategies they can use independently.
To deepen their understanding of how their brains work, students learn about the Hand Brain Model developed by Dan Siegel. This simple, child-friendly model helps students recognise the different parts of the brain, the important roles they play, and how sometimes our “big feelings” can take over.
By understanding how their brains function and learning strategies to regulate their own behaviour, students build resilience, self-awareness, and confidence. This knowledge empowers them to become calm, capable and self-motivated learners.
Across the school, especially in Foundation to Year 2, we use the URSTRONG Friendology program to teach a consistent language and practical strategies for managing friendships. This approach supports students in confidently working through social challenges and building strong, healthy relationships.
Friendology empowers students to solve problems independently. They learn how to express their feelings, set respectful boundaries, show empathy, and work through small friendship “fires” on their own, building resilience, confidence, and strong relationship skills that will support them well beyond the primary years.
In Years 3 and 4, the Stronger, Smarter, Happier program supports students’ overall physical and emotional wellbeing while complementing the Sport program. Through a weekly rotation, students take part in a range of activities designed to help them care for both their bodies and their minds. The program includes sport sessions where students develop their skills, teamwork and sportsmanship. In the classroom, students also engage in lessons that explore healthy sleep habits, hygiene, mindfulness, resilience and general wellbeing. The rotation is further enriched by a hands-on cooking session, where students learn about nutrition and healthy eating. Together, these experiences help students build positive habits and develop practical skills that support a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
In the Upper Years (Years 5 & 6), students engage with The Resilience Project. It delivers emotionally engaging programs and provides evidence-based, practical strategies to support positive mental health and build resilience. The project includes stories and research on how we can build mental health in our day-to-day lives and support students' mental health at our school.
Through this program, teachers and students will engage in weekly lessons and activities around the key principles of Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness (GEM), as well as develop their Emotional Literacy to build resilience.
The Resilience Project’s School Program has been evaluated by the University of Melbourne, with parents observing positive changes in how children handled home situations.
