Wellbeing at Meadowglen
Safe. Known. Ready to learn.
At Meadowglen Primary School, we believe children learn best when they feel safe, connected and supported. Looking after the wellbeing of every child is at the heart of everything we do, and it is the foundation that makes great learning possible.
Our whole-school approach to wellbeing means that every child is known. Through consistent routines, caring relationships, and a clear, positive approach to behaviour, we work to make sure no child slips through the cracks, whatever their background, ability or circumstance.
Our Approach at a Glance
Built on Our Four Values
Everything we do for wellbeing rests on our four school values. They give every student a shared language for how we treat ourselves, each other, and our school.
Be Curious · Be Safe · Be Respectful · Be Resilient
Read more about our values →School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)
What it is
SWPBS is an evidence-based framework used across Victorian government schools to create safe, positive and supportive learning environments. It is built on a simple idea: positive behaviour can be taught, just like reading or maths.
What it looks like at Meadowglen
Our four values, Be Curious, Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Resilient, are turned into clear behaviour expectations for every setting, set out in our school-wide Behaviour Matrix. Staff teach these behaviours explicitly, model them, and recognise students who show them. When things go wrong, we use restorative practices to repair relationships and help students make better choices.
- Talk with your child about being Curious, Safe, Respectful and Resilient
- Notice and praise these behaviours at home
- Use the same calm, consistent language we use at school
Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS)
What it is
PCMS consists of eight evidence-informed practices developed by the Department of Education to support teachers in creating calm, safe and productive learning environments. These practices are based on the understanding that positive behaviour can be explicitly taught and reinforced through clear expectations, consistent routines and positive relationships. PCMS emphasises prevention, teaching and positive reinforcement, recognising that these approaches are more effective in promoting lasting behaviour change than relying on punishment alone.
What it looks like at Meadowglen
Every Meadowglen teacher uses these eight practices consistently, so your child experiences a calm and predictable classroom wherever they are:
1. Classroom expectations and rules
Clear, consistent expectations so students know exactly what is expected.
2. Procedures and routines
Predictable routines that help lessons run smoothly and reduce uncertainty.
3. Encouraging expected behaviour
Positive reinforcement that builds the behaviours we want to see.
4. Discouraging inappropriate behaviour
Calm, brief and consistent responses that redirect and re-teach.
5. Active supervision
Moving, scanning and interacting so all students stay engaged and supported.
6. Opportunities to respond
Frequent chances for students to participate and show their thinking.
7. Activity choice and sequence
Thoughtful pacing and choice that keeps students motivated and on task.
8. Task difficulty
Work pitched at the right level so every student can succeed.
Learn more (Department of Education): schools.vic.gov.au/pcms
Berry Street Education Model (BSEM)
What it is
As a Berry Street school, Meadowglen uses this trauma-informed model to help every child feel safe, build strong relationships, and develop the skills and stamina to engage in learning. It is grounded in the understanding that children learn best when they feel safe and connected.
What it looks like at Meadowglen
BSEM strategies are woven through our classrooms across four domains, Body, Relationships, Stamina & Engagement, and Character. Students learn to feel calm in their bodies (self-regulation), build positive relationships, develop persistence and confidence, and recognise and name their emotions.
- Help your child name their feelings (“it looks like you’re feeling frustrated”)
- Build calm-down routines at home, like deep breaths or a quiet space
- Celebrate effort and persistence, not just results
Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships (RRRR)
What it is
RRRR is a Victorian curriculum that all government schools teach. It builds students’ social and emotional skills, resilience, emotional literacy, and respectful, healthy relationships.
What it looks like at Meadowglen
RRRR is taught from Foundation to Year 6 through eight topic areas, including emotional literacy, positive coping, problem-solving, help-seeking, and respectful relationships. It helps children handle real situations in the classroom, the playground and the community.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
What it is
Through the Victorian Government’s Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative, every Victorian government primary school has a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader. This is a qualified teacher who leads a whole-school approach to mental health, focused on promotion, prevention and early intervention, and on connecting students and families with the right support.
What it looks like at Meadowglen
Our wellbeing team, led by the Assistant Principal – Wellbeing and Disability Inclusion and including our Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, school nurse, school social worker, and access to Student Support Services, works together to identify needs early and respond. We can connect families with school-based and external supports including psychology, occupational therapy and speech pathology.
Learn more (Department of Education): schools.vic.gov.au/mental-health-primary-schools
- Reach out early if you’re worried about your child, you don’t need to wait
- Keep us informed about changes at home that might affect your child
- Ask about the supports available; we’re here to help you navigate them
Support at Every Level
Not every child needs the same support, and needs can change over time. Meadowglen uses a tiered approach (a Multi-Tiered System of Support) so that every student gets the right level of help:
What Wellbeing Looks Like Every Day
A calm, predictable start
Each day begins with a Soft Start (8:50–9:00am) and a clear morning routine, so children settle and feel ready to learn.
Community Circle
Every class takes part in Community Circle, a daily circle time that builds connection, empathy and student voice, and gives every child a chance to be heard. Each circle begins with a greeting and an Acknowledgement of Country, and includes our school values, a check-in on how everyone is feeling, and a positive primer to start the day with connection and purpose.
Calm spaces
Every classroom has a calm space where children can take a moment to self-regulate, helping them feel settled and ready to return to learning. Strategies, including breathing techniques and identifying emotions, empower students to understand that all emotions are okay and it teaches them what they can do to regulate and reengage with the learning.
A Child Safe School
Meadowglen is committed to being a child safe school. We comply with all eleven of Victoria’s Child Safe Standards, which guide our policies and daily practice to keep every child physically, emotionally and culturally safe. Every child has the right to feel safe, be heard, and be respected at school.
Attendance and Engagement
Every day of school matters. We monitor attendance closely and treat it as a wellbeing signal, not a compliance issue, reaching out early, understanding barriers, and working with families to find solutions. Our school nurse and attendance officer plays a key role in supporting families.
We encourage every child to be a Meadowglen hero, Here Everyday, Ready On Time. Strong attendance helps children stay connected to their friends and their learning.
- Aim for every day, on time, it makes a real difference to learning and friendships
- Let us know early if something is making school hard for your child
- Book holidays and appointments outside school hours where you can
Disability Inclusion
Meadowglen is committed to being an inclusive school, where every child, including students with disability or additional needs, is welcomed, valued, and supported to take part fully in school life. Inclusion at Meadowglen is not something we do for a few students; it is part of the culture we build for everyone.
How we support students with additional needs
Our inclusion work is led by the Assistant Principal – Wellbeing and Disability Inclusion, working closely with families, teachers and allied health professionals. Support is tailored to each child and may include:
- A dedicated Education Support team providing classroom and small-group help
- Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Behaviour Support Plans, developed with families and reviewed regularly
- Student Support Group meetings that bring families, teachers and specialists together
- A Social Skills and Regulation Program for students who would benefit from it
- Reasonable adjustments to the classroom, curriculum and environment so every child can take part
- Support guided by the Victorian Disability Inclusion model and the Disability Standards for Education 2005
We believe families are the experts on their children, and we work in genuine partnership with you, keeping communication clear and making sure information is accessible across languages and formats.
Our School Social Worker
Meadowglen has a school social worker as part of our wellbeing team. Our social worker provides additional support for students and families, helping with social, emotional and family wellbeing, connecting families with community services, and working alongside teachers and the wellbeing team to support students who need a little extra help.
Wellbeing and Learning, Together
At Meadowglen, teaching and wellbeing are not separate streams, they are integrated. A safe, predictable and supportive classroom is the foundation for strong learning, which is why our teaching practices and our wellbeing systems are designed to work as one. When children feel safe, calm and connected, they are ready to learn, and that is exactly what we set out to create every day.
Need to reach someone directly?
Our front office can point you to the right person.