Policy and Organisation
The organisation of the College is based on the belief that, to ensure the “total” development of each student, the most effective system is one which focuses on Pastoral Care. Since all aspects of a student’s development - physical, emotional, spiritual, social and intellectual - are inter-related and inter-dependent, it is not feasible for teachers to confine their interest in students to the purely academic if personal growth is to be maximised.
It is the responsibility of all teachers to come to know students in the widest sense and to establish a classroom atmosphere which encourages growth, self discipline and the acceptance of personal accountability. It is the classroom teacher who sets the tone of a school.
Formal Structures for Welfare and Discipline
West Moreton Anglican College is structured as a P-12 College within which a Senior School (Years 10-12), a Middle School (Years 7-9) and a Junior School (Prep-Year 6) function. This structure facilitates the College's objective of providing a high level of Pastoral Care for its students.
The individual care and support which students need for their growth and development is best provided through this structure. Sensitivity to the needs of the individual student is integral to their performance academically, and to their personal growth and development. This underlying principle forms the basis of the philosophy of Pastoral Care at our College. The formulation and implementation of special programs of pastoral care are designed to foster the personal growth of the students and complement this fundamental principle of care.
Each member of staff is expected to understand the responsibility he or she has to provide this level of care and support for the students, provide the widest possible education for the students, and inculcate in them the values and high standards espoused by the College.
Pastoral Care at West Moreton Anglican College is regarded as part of every teacher’s and teacher-aide’s daily interaction with students. This involves setting up a warm and accepting environment in which children feel safe and happy. It involves modelling appropriate behaviour and attitudes, and encouraging increasingly mature and responsible personal and social growth in students. Cognitive development takes place within this framework.
Behaviour Management Policy and Structure
Education for the all-round development of students must include training in socially acceptable ways of reacting and negotiating with others. Behaviour Management should be seen as part of the education process, not an interruption to the “real” business of academic instruction. Cognitive development cannot take place separately from the influences of self-esteem and interpersonal relationships.
Teachers and administrators have a cooperative responsibility for school discipline and tone. Discipline must involve the whole school community with regulations and classroom rules in harmony with school philosophy and ethos. It is, therefore, the responsibility of each teacher and staff member to be familiar with the standards and expectations of the College and be proactive in applying them. These are set down in the College's Code of Behaviour.