At Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle, your child’s wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do.
Our schools are communities built on faith, respect and genuine care; places where every young person is known, valued and supported to thrive
Our approach is guided by Catholic identity and shaped by clear policies and practices that nurture student wellbeing, positive relationships and safe behaviour in every school day.
As parents in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, by enrolling your child in one of our schools, you can expect the following:
- A school community for your child that is explicitly Catholic and unambiguously student centred, where wellbeing and learning are woven together each day.
- Consistent use of Positive Behaviours for Learning and transparent responses to bullying and unsafe behaviour.
- Safe behaviour planning that restores safety and relationships when harm occurs.
- Authentic avenues for student voice and leadership that build confidence and responsibility.
- A safeguarding culture that meets diocesan, state, and national standards, with prompt reporting and rigorous processes.
- A home-school partnership in which you are respected as the primary carer of your child.
To this end, outlined below, you will find information regarding:
Catholic Schools’ policies and procedures that support student wellbeing
Every student deserves to learn in an environment where they feel safe, supported and included- a commitment Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle takes seriously.
Wellbeing in our schools is not left to chance. It is planned, taught and supported intentionally through:
- System-wide policy and procedures that parents can expect to see lived out consistently.
- evidence informed wellbeing programs.
- explicit teaching of social and emotional skills.
These approaches help students:
- build strong relationships.
- develop resilience and confidence.
- understand and manage their emotions.
- contribute positively to the school community.
While the wellbeing, social and emotional programs taught in diocesan schools may differ, all are underpinned by Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle policies and procedures, including those listed below, which are designed to:
- set out clear expectations for respectful behaviour
- eliminate unsafe practices
- establish a strong stance against bullying
- create fair, consistent and compassionate processes
- support reasonable adjustments for students with diverse needs.
Catholic Schools Pastoral Care, Wellbeing and Safe Behaviour Policy: Our foundation for care
Our Catholic Schools Pastoral Care, Wellbeing and Safe Behaviour Policy places student formation and relationships at the heart of schooling. It affirms the dignity of every person, names wellbeing as foundational to learning and expects every member of the community to contribute to a safe, inclusive environment where Christ’s love is made visible in daily practice.
It commits schools using proportional, restorative responses and to procedural fairness for all involved, while partnering with families so that home and school support each child together.
It is the overarching document that guides all wellbeing, behaviour and safety procedures across our schools.
In summary, this framework aims to:
- ensure every child feels safe, respected and supported.
- guide how schools build positive relationships and respond to behaviour with dignity and fairness.
- shape all wellbeing, safety and behaviour practices across our schools.
Wellbeing Together – Student Wellbeing and Learning across the Whole School Caring for the whole child
Our Wellbeing Together Framework explains how we support every child’s social, emotional, physical, academic and spiritual development.
“When we nurture a child’s whole being we open doors to endless possibilities” – Susan Wright
The framework describes how schools create welcoming environments where students feel safe, included and valued, and where positive relationships and clear expectations help them succeed.
The framework articulates how we care for the whole child and work closely with families to help every student grow with confidence and compassion.
In summary, this framework aims to:
- support the social, emotional, physical, academic and spiritual growth of all students.
- build belonging through inclusive classrooms and strong connections to faith and community.
- strengthen partnerships between home and school to help every student grow with confidence and reach their potential.
Positive Behaviour for Learning Procedures: Teaching and supporting positive behaviour
Across our system, we use Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)—a proactive, evidence-based framework that supports our commitment to creating welcoming, safe, predictable, and supportive learning environments where every student can succeed.
In summary, Positive Behaviour for Learning:
- Ensures schools develop systems to define behaviour expectations, explicitly teach key behaviours or social skills, acknowledge positive choices, and respond to behavioural errors consistently.
- Uses behavioural data to problem solve, identify areas to focus on within the environment, and to identify students who may require more support.
- Is built on a multi-tiered system of support model that provides extra support to students based on their needs.
Safe Behaviour and Planning Procedures: Responding to unsafe behaviour with care
Our Safe Behaviour and Planning Procedure explains how schools respond when unsafe behaviour occurs. It guides staff through clear steps to assess risk, choose the right supports and put safety plans in place so all students can feel secure and ready to learn again.
Plans follow a simple, consistent structure that helps staff and families work together to reduce risk and support the student’s return to positive behaviour. Whether the issue is minor or more serious, the goal is always the same — keeping every child safe and supported.
In summary, these procedures endeavour to:
- support schools to plan step-by-step supports when safety is at risk.
- outline clear processes for schools to assess risk and create safety plans.
- ensure families are informed and involved in safe behaviour planning.
Antibullying Procedures: Preventing and responding to bullying
Our schools are committed to providing safe, respectful and inclusive learning environments.
Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle is currently developing updated Anti-Bullying Procedures that will align with the NSW Anti-Bullying Framework (2025). These procedures will outline how our schools adopt a whole-school approach to preventing and responding to bullying.
A working party has been convened and will continue its work throughout 2026 to review the draft procedures. This process will ensure the procedures are clear, effective, informed by best practice, and reflective of feedback from our school communities.
The procedures will focus on four key areas:
- Partnering: Working with students, families and the wider community to foster a positive school culture.
- Preventing: Explicitly teaching respectful behaviour through Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
- Responding: Establishing clear and consistent processes for reporting and responding to bullying behaviour.
- Implementing: Using evidence and data to guide monitoring and continuous improvement.
Following consultation and feedback, the procedures will be finalised, with full implementation planned for 2027.
Student Voice and Leadership Procedures: Empowering students to contribute and lead
We believe students are made in the image of God and called to contribute.
Our Student Voice and Leadership Procedure asks schools to establish authentic avenues for student voice and leadership that foster responsibility, confidence and service.
In summary, these procedures endeavour to:
- provide students with meaningful and age-appropriate opportunities to share ideas and take part in decisions, ensuring they feel listened to, valued, respected and connected to their school community.
- build student confidence, responsibility and a sense of belonging.
- provide fair and inclusive processes for student leadership.
