Student Wellbeing

Wellbeing Programs

At MacKillop, we aim to ensure a safe and happy learning environment for all members of the school community. Our Pastoral Care structure is designed to allow all our students to grow and develop in a supportive and nurturing environment. The College has a code of rights and responsibilities that guide all relationships within both the Primary and Secondary campuses of the College. Student wellbeing is a collaborative partnership between, staff parents and carers and our school and parish community.

Our Primary school offers many programs and activities to promote student wellbeing including:

  • The Buddy system is a peer support program to assist students in Kindergarten and Year 1 transition to school. Kindergarten students are matched with a Year 5 buddy, providing 2 years of peer support. These buddies meet regularly throughout the year and can lead to lifelong friendships.
  • Builder’s Club is an Early Intervention program using structured construction play to explicitly teach self-regulation, fair play, and teamwork using the “Builder’s Pledge”.
  • Junior Wellbeing Week is targeted social-emotional skill building, including practical playground skills like learning to lose gracefully.
  • Students in Years 3 and 4 participate in Rock and Water Program: Physical exercises teaching self-control, emotional regulation, and self-confidence.
  • Social Skills Intervention: Targeted support focusing on the explicit teaching of interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills for our students in Years 3 and 4.
  • Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is about learning how to manage feelings, manage friendships and solve problems.
  • In Year 5 our students are involved in Drumbeats. This program focuses on Emotional learning using hand drumming to regulate emotions and teach relationship skills.
  • South Sydney (Rabbitohs): Interactive sessions on mental health, anti-racism, and healthy habits.
  • Games2U & Positive Relationships: High interest reward events incentivising behaviour, attendance, and peer connection.
  • Aspire Leadership Program: Providing a genuine student voice to contribute to faith, wellbeing, and learning at the College through key awareness days.
  • Positive Relationships: Peer connection and middle school transition preparation program.
  • A variety of lunch clubs operate each term and are facilitated by passionate and creative teachers and parents within the school community. Some examples include Chess, drawing, knitting, gardening and LEGO.

The Secondary College has developed a strong structure to support the student body. Our Director of Wellbeing oversees our wellbeing team which focusses on both cohort specific leadership and developmental wellbeing of each school, Middle and Senior. Each Leader of Wellbeing usually stays with the same group from Year 7 to Year 12 to maintain Pastoral relationships and care as well as to organise year-relevant events such as camps and relevant extra-curricular activities such as year-appropriate Presenters from outside organisations.

  • A secondary Assembly is held every fortnight to acknowledge student achievements.
  • Josephites Undertaking Mission Projects (JUMP) was established at the end of 2017 and will be rolled out to each new Year 7 cohort in Term 4, replacing the program we called Community Service. So far, students have been able to participate in helping the homeless, local community organisations, fundraising, and promoting self-empowerment within the school.
  • Special presenter Luke Kennedy is a mental health speaker targeting root causes of “self-bullying” and negative self-talk.
  • South Sydney (Rabbitohs): Wellbeing, health, and social responsibility workshops.
  • Spelling Bee: Celebrates academic engagement and peer bonding.
  • Whole Year Camps and Retreats designed to build resilience, leadership, Faith, team building and peer bonding.
  • Aspire Leadership Program: Contributing to faith, wellbeing, and learning through active participation in Disability Awareness Day, Harmony Day, and MacKillop Feast Day.
  • Crazy Ideas Challenge: Enterprise program empowering creative solutions to community problems.
  • Health Literacy: Dedicated vaping prevention education.
  • Luna Park Wellbeing tiered reward system for positive behaviour and engagement workshops.
  • John Coutis: Inspirational speaker sharing lived experience to teach self-esteem and resilience.
  • Matt Cogin (Mod 1): Youth mentoring focusing on personal branding, being the author of your own story, and building skills for effective communication.
  • Headspace: Mental health literacy for anxiety and help-seeking.
  • Tomorrow Man/Woman: Workshops deconstructing stereotypes and building emotional vulnerability/confidence.
  • PPEP Talk®: Medically accurate education on adolescent health, and empathy building.
  • Life Skills: Financial literacy (Talk Money), real-world skills (Drivers Lic, Future Ready).
  • Academic Wellbeing: Explicit teaching of senior study habits.
  • Transition & Pathways: Modules mapping post-school transitions and professional networking (Careers, LinkedIn).
  • Mindset: Final-year motivation and focus, featuring Matt Cogin mentoring on personal branding, authoring your own story, and effective communication.
  • Thursday Sport was changed to Sport & Activity Afternoon (for Years 7-10) to include a variety of different activities that better support the different talents and interests of our students.

The following is available to all members of our College community:

  • Counselling and support.
  • Parent Forums are offered on issues that are raised by parents such as anti-bullying, cyber safety, drug education, mental health and more.
  • Student Leadership opportunities.
  • Rock and Water program aims to apply a physical/social approach to assist boys and girls in their development to adulthood by increasing their self-realisation, self-confidence, self-respect, boundary awareness, self-awareness and intuition.
  • Mindfulness has been shown to increase positive emotions while reducing negative emotions & stress, help us tune out distractions and improve our memory and attention skills, foster compassion and enhance relationships. At MacKillop we support students and their understanding of being mindful – maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surrounding environment.

At MacKillop, we all share a responsibility to create a culture of caring that will NOT tolerate bullying. We believe all members of the community have the right to a learning and work environment free from intimidation, humiliation and hurt. Please see the related documents below for more information.

Catholic Schools Broken Bay Prevention and Management of Student Bullying Policy