SWPBS & Wellbeing

SWPBS Vision Statement

At NSPS, we share a philosophy that promotes positive behaviour, prioritising social-emotional learning and strong relationships as foundational. A safe learning environment is created through consistent language, practices, routines and accountability. We ensure clarity for our school community and empower students to learn expected behaviours to create a positive, inclusive and engaged learning community.

SWPBS focuses on teaching, modelling, reinforcing, and consistently supporting positive behaviours across our whole school. Instead of using many different behaviour management strategies in each class, we have developed a consistent system of expectations for all students within our school, which is implemented in all areas, including classrooms, specialist subjects and other settings such as in the playgrounds and toilets.

At Neerim South Primary School, we believe that by helping students practise good behaviour, we will build a school community where all students have an environment where they can succeed and grow. To ensure the best outcomes, we need to explicitly teach the expected behaviours, reinforce them and acknowledge/praise when the students demonstrate them.

At Neerim South Primary School, we have prioritised the teaching of expected behaviours by timetabling regular multi-aged Whole-school SWPBS lessons. During these sessions, students work in their house groups to learn more about the behaviours we expect to see at Neerim South Primary School. These lessons also provide a great opportunity for our House Leaders to take on a more active role by leading team-building activities and helping to build house pride and whole-school spirit.

Encouragement, guidance, acknowledgement, positive feedback and praise are helpful for students to build their skills and grow in confidence. They are also essential to build a predictable, positive and respectful culture in our school. At Neerim South Primary School, Positive Points are awarded by staff when they see students demonstrating our expected behaviours. Students collect these points and, once they have enough, can “cash them in” for a range of fun and motivating experiences. It’s been wonderful to see students recognised and celebrated for making positive choices.

School-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) is a framework that brings together school communities to develop positive, safe, supportive learning cultures.

Positive Behaviour Expectations

Guidelines for safe, responsible and respectful actions.

Together, we can create a positive environment!

Behaviour	All Locations	Toilet	Outside	Learning Spaces	Transitions
Safe	Keep your hands and feet to yourself Stay within set areas	Move carefully Wash hands Wear shoes	Stay in set areas Walk on concrete pathways Use equipment safely Wear a hat when needed Wear shoes	Walk Keep calm, be sensible Place shoes neatly outside learning space	Walk in an orderly line Keep your hands and feet to yourself
Responsible	Use equipment correctly Seek help if needed Store all equipment appropriately	Aim to use the toilet during breaks Use toilets properly Leave the bathroom clean	Play fairly and include others We care for our school grounds and gardens, keeping it rubbish free Ask for help when needed Report any issues	Be an active learner Take care of equipment (ICT agreement components)	Be on time Have learning materials ready Be calm
Respectful	Use manners, including online (kind and appropriate language) Wear the correct school uniform Follow instructions when asked	Respect others’ privacy Wait your turn Flush the toilet Use appropriate volume Close doors gently	Use appropriate language Use manners (speak nicely/tone) Follow instructions We put our rubbish in appropriate bins	Respect everyone’s personal space Everyone learns differently Respect others’ right to learn Use appropriate language Use manners	Be respectful of others Line up quietly Walk between classes quietly

SWPBS & Wellbeing

Tier 2 Wellbeing Programs

Tier 2 wellbeing programs at Neerim South Primary School provide targeted support for students who require additional assistance with social, emotional, behavioural, or engagement needs. These programs are designed to build protective factors, strengthen emotional regulation and coping skills, and support positive peer relationships. Students are identified for participation through data, teacher referral, wellbeing concerns, and discussion through the Student Engagement Group (SEG).

Each program is structured, evidence-informed, and facilitated by trained staff, with progress monitored and reviewed as part of the MTSS framework.

Seasons for Growth

Seasons for Growth is a grief, loss, and change education program that supports students to understand and respond to significant life changes in healthy and adaptive ways. The program helps students develop emotional literacy, coping strategies, and resilience when experiencing change, loss, or disruption in their lives.

Participation in Seasons for Growth is guided by student needs and is facilitated in a small group setting by trained staff.

Mentor Program

The Mentor Program provides students with positive adult relationships with community volunteers at the school to support engagement, wellbeing, and connection to learning.

Peaceful Kids

Peaceful Kids is a mindfulness and relaxation-based intervention program designed to support students experiencing anxiety, stress, or emotional regulation difficulties. The program teaches practical strategies such as breathing techniques, guided visualisations, positive thinking, and mindfulness practices.

The aim of Peaceful Kids is to reduce anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and increase students’ capacity to manage stress in both school and everyday settings.

LEGO® Therapy

LEGO® Therapy is a structured social skills program that supports students to develop communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and social interaction skills through collaborative LEGO-based activities. Students work in small groups with defined roles, encouraging teamwork, negotiation, and shared attention.

The program supports students who may benefit from explicit teaching of social skills and provides a structured, interest-based approach to building peer relationships and social confidence.

Real Friends

Real Friends is a small-group wellbeing program developed by Emerging Minds. It is designed for students in Years 3–6 and is typically delivered in single-gender groups (boys or girls), depending on student need and group dynamics.

The program focuses on building social and emotional skills, strengthening peer relationships, developing empathy, and supporting help-seeking behaviours. Real Friends provides students with opportunities to explore friendship challenges, emotional regulation, and communication strategies in a safe and structured group environment.

Social Stories

Social Stories are individualised or small group supports used to help students understand social situations, expectations, and appropriate responses. They are used to explicitly teach students about routines, behaviours, transitions, or specific social scenarios that may be challenging.

Social Stories can be developed and delivered by members of the Wellbeing Team or implemented as an intervention by Individual Support Officers (ISOs) in collaboration with classroom teachers and the Wellbeing Team.

A commonly used resource is Social Sam, which provides ready-made social story content to support student understanding of everyday school situations. Social Stories may also be personalised to meet individual student needs and are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure relevance and effectiveness.