Wellbeing

Pastoral Care is central to the whole endeavour of education at St Patrick’s College. Our value system is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who serves as the example for our community’s commitment to compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Because the wellbeing of our students is central to life at the College, we take a holistic approach to nurturing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health of every person. Through our Pastoral Care structure, Positive Behaviour Support and Peer Support programs, and professional Student Wellbeing Support Services (SWSS), we guide and encourage every student to grow, connect, and thrive.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care is based on a deep respect for the dignity of each person, created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). We nurture the whole student - mind, body, and spirit - within a supportive community environment. Our approach emphasises:

Building Connections through Vertical Pastoral Care
Every student is allocated a House, each named after College founders, and a Tutor group. Tutor groups are made up of students in Years 7-12 and meet daily. Students stay in the same group for their time at the College and the Tutor becomes a consistent mentor.

Home Group is an integral part of the Croagh Patrick focus of building and valuing relationships, meeting daily. Year 9 students continue to maintain a connection with their Tutor Group throughout the year.

The Tutor, or Home group teacher, is the primary point of contact and is supported by a House Head. Our goal is to build a trusting, cooperative relationship between the College and your family.

Community & Cooperation
We build an environment where students learn to support one another, recognising that our wellbeing is interconnected.

Peer Support
Integrated into our House system, Peer Support empowers senior students to mentor younger peers, ensuring every student feels known and supported.

Responsible Choices
Students are encouraged to make decisions that benefit both themselves and the wider school community.

Clear Expectations
Clear expectations are modelled and taught to students through the positive behaviour curriculum. These are codesigned with student voice.

Positive Behaviour Support

The goal of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support is to create a safe, positive environment where students can thrive academically and socially. We focus on explicit teaching and positive reinforcement.

Our framework is built on three clear expectations for all students:

Participate in our Community
Being active, inclusive, and supportive members of the College.

Be a Learner
Engaging fully in class and taking ownership of academic growth.

Show Respect
Valuing oneself, others, and the school environment.

When conflicts arise, we use Restorative Practices to help students take responsibility for their actions and repair relationships, reflecting our commitment to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Resources

• Tips on Promoting Resilience in Children 
• eSafety Commissioner - The site of the Australian Office of the eSafety Commissioner provides expert advice on managing social media issues including mechanisms to report inappropriate online behaviour. 
• CyberSafety Solutions - Website created by Susan MacLean, one of the world's leading experts on cybersafety. Also follow Susan MacLean on Facebook for regular cybersafety updates and advice. 
• Raising Children - Website providing information to parents across all stages of child development. 
• The Resilience Project - The College delivers The Resilience Project to students, an emotionally engaging program providing practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness. This site offers simple ideas to help parents/guardians practise gratitude, empathy, mindfulness and emotional literacy daily.

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