Spiritual Formation
The poor state of mental health among young people is partly linked to a loss of identity, meaning and purpose.  When we, as a College say that our purpose is ‘to grow the God-given potential of each student, we’re referencing a belief that their identity and inherent value lies in Christ and a belief that a Christ -centred life fosters fulfillment and peace with ourselves, God, with others and the world.

As a result, we don’t leave students to create their own meaning and purpose because we believe their wellbeing is a spiritual matter. We contend that being a son or daughter of God is the state of being we were created for and is the foundation from which individuals and communities can thrive. We believe that wellbeing efforts that don’t have a spiritual cornerstone are missing the mark.

Curriculum
Wellbeing policy rarely references the role of the school curriculum.  But physical, personal and community wellbeing are explicit parts of PDHPE, Geography and Science curricula. Moreover, the critical thinking that our Western curriculum prizes enables students to critique the voices of those who would aim to manipulate students and undermine their wellbeing.  Moreover, at Charlton, the inclusion of Christian Life Studies, Invictus and EQUIP make significant contribution to wellbeing. However, in response to the claim of the Australian curriculum that it wants to develop, “confident and creative individuals who have a sense of self-worth, and personal identity that enables them to manage their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing”, we would argue that curriculum alone won’t do it.

Pedagogy
Curriculum only ever has impact when classroom pedagogy is effective.  Only when students love learning and feel they have an active role in it, will their confidence be built, and their personal and social capability grow.

Safe, supportive and respectful environment
This week, Mrs Davidge and I interviewed yet another student looking to come to Charlton because the environment at their current school is anything other than safe and respectful. Many teachers can think of students who have come to us and, within a short timeframe, have come out of their shell and found their wellbeing return – because of the environment we can provide. This is about strong and clear expectations, rules, procedures and policies grounded in the belief that every student is of infinite value and deserving of dignity while also being broken just as we are.

Specialist support services
In developing Charlton’s framework, we referenced the National School Well-Being Framework. But in it, the role of specialist support services such as Counsellors and Chaplains isn’t even mentioned. Like most faith-based schools, we allocate significant resources to support services such as Counsellors and Chaplains alongside resource allocation of Stage leaders and staffing the Personal Development subjects.

Physical environment
On a campus like Chalton’s, the role that the physical environment plays a significant role in wellbeing is obvious. From the Adventure playground, Middle school equipment, the Life Centre, to the hills, birds and bush, Sports courts and Oval,  the leafy outlook, diverse play and talking spaces with age-appropriate equipment enable fun physical activity and personal connections.

Diverse co-curricular and service opportunities
Also not identified in the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework is the importance of the role of diverse co-curricular and service opportunities.  We allocate significant resources to sporting and camping programs and service opportunities through student leadership, sports captains, Playschool helpers, Canteen, and Life Centre volunteers and in Service trips. We do this partly because these things enhance identity, belonging and fun, and are thus protective.

Staff wellbeing
Many of the aspects affecting student wellbeing are directly related to the actions of staff actions. Staff capacity for, and dispositions towards pastoral care, their classroom practice and relationships require commitment of time and emotional energy.  So, staff wellbeing is important in its own right. This is sustained in healthy culture in which we feel we are connected and growing, accountable but supported.

Relationships
Lastly, returning to the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework:  Its statement on “Schools as safe, supportive and respectful places”, references relationships in a single phrase on “inclusion”.  But relationships play a role so much more important than this, and so we have it as an element in its own right and is central to many of the other elements.

Underpinning this is our relationship with God. Our faith teaches that all are valued and loved by God, all are invited into a relationship with Him, and that all members of the community have a responsibility to care for one another. The Trinity, as a relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, demonstrates that God is inherently relational and desires to be in a relationship with humanity.

Maximizing each of these areas will enable us to do our part in contributing to students flourishing at Charlton.

 What do you think? We would love to hear your perspective.

Mark Ash
Principal