Student Wellbeing
Community, Connection, Belonging
We heard from families attending our Principal’s Tours that one of their main concerns about Cabra was our large, Year 7 to 12 campus. So we asked some of our students what it was like for them when they started out.
Relationships are the foundation of meaningful living and learning. Restorative practice and maintaining the dignity of every individual is central, and we encourage our students to engage with each other with kindness, compassion and empathy.
Pastoral care of students at Cabra seeks to nurture the whole person and is thus, reflected in every aspect of school life. Cabra offers a number of formal structures, staff, programs and services to enhance the care and support offered to our students, throughout their adolescent years.
Learning and wellbeing are explicitly connected. Our pastoral care programs are designed to promote a growth mindset so that students feel comfortable taking risks in their learning, thinking critically and creatively, and perhaps discovering a new-found talent as they do so. Valuing the interconnectedness of all creation and being open to God’s spirit at work in our midst, allows all of our students to grow.
Belonging to one of Cabra’s four Houses, Boylan, Kavanagh, Moore and Murphy, allows each student to be well-known by our staff and to feel strongly connected within our larger college community. We seek to give students an understanding of the long and rich history of Cabra, allowing them to feel a part of something much bigger than themselves, and to value thier place in this vibrant school. For generations our old scholars have told us of the importance in their lives of the friends they made while at Cabra.
The pastoral care approach is led and supported by the House Leader and Mentor Teachers. House Leaders work closely with students, staff and families throughout the year, whilst ensuring the pastoral care program meets the needs of the students in their care. The Mentor Teacher offers significant pastoral care support and is responsible for the overall development and care of students in their care.
Students also have opportunities to connect with others, through year level activities, classes and our extensive extra-curricular activities. Each year level has a pastoral care program which includes information/instruction on aspects of personal development, such as habits of mind, positive psychology, study skills and learning gratitude and resilience.
School-Based Counselling Service
Our School Counsellors work with all students. They are trained to be non-judgmental, reflective and respectful of individual differences. Our students can make appointments via our online learning platform SEQTA to meet with one of our highly experienced wellbeing professionals.
Wellbeing Space
Students can also access the Wellbeing Space located on the top floor of the Convent. This area is used as a ‘short-term’ breakout space for students who are not able to engage with their learning and need space to help them re-engage back into the classroom. The Wellbeing Space is a place to retreat, reset and re-engage.