Trauma Informed Education

Trauma Informed Education

Previously, we identified as a school using a trauma-informed model and are proud to now be recognised as trauma-responsive. A trauma-informed model takes into account trauma and develops plans for what that looks like. A trauma-responsive model seeks to anticipate the potential existence of trauma so that its effect can be appropriately addressed at all levels of an organisation.

Ajuga School seeks to provide a safe, secure and relational environment. By doing so, we provide a climate most appropriate to foster opportunities for student growth in the socio-emotional, interpersonal, and academic domains.

Crucial to this is staff understanding of neurobiology and how brains develop, and the potential impact of complex trauma on brain development and behaviour.  As we become more familiar with the impact of trauma on both learning and behaviour, we are developing an understanding of the increased need for explicit teaching of social-emotional learning

Flight / Fight / Freeze Responses

When many of our students commence at Ajuga School they have developed a strong physiological threat response to perceived threats of harm: fight, flight, freeze. Their Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is activated unconsciously For some, their stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released, their heart rate and blood pressure increase, their breathing speeds up, and they become prepared to fight or flee. For others, heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure all reduce and they may faint. As such,  their capacity for higher-order thinking and more sophisticated thought processes becomes reduced.

The first step Ajuga School makes when welcoming new students into our setting is developing a safe space where students encounter unconditional positive regard. We create an environment that is safe, fosters belonging, recognises, acknowledges and celebrates each individual student’s skill.

Our school provides a safe, structured and inclusive learning environment where every student is recognised and supported to achieve their full potential.

Berry Street Education Model (BSEM)

At Ajuga, the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) forms the foundation of our trauma-informed approach, transforming our teaching practices since 2018. BSEM is an educator-designed, evidence-led framework that helps staff understand trauma, positive psychology, and the science of learning, providing practical strategies to create safe, supportive classrooms. We have built upon this strong foundation to ensure every student is ready to learn and able to thrive—and we’re excited to share these powerful practices beyond our school to yours.

Character strengths

In 2024, Ajuga School began embedding the VIA Character Strengths across all classes, supported by The Positivity Project based on positive psychology research. Each week, we highlight one of the 24 character strengths through Morning Circle, acknowledgements, and weekly focus activities. Families receive a weekly bulletin via Seesaw with an overview of the strength, along with videos and prompts to explore these strengths at home.

Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS)

Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS), developed by Dr. Ross W. Greene, is an evidence-based approach that addresses challenging behaviour by identifying and solving underlying problems collaboratively. Instead of traditional discipline, CPS uses empathy and partnership to help children express concerns and build skills such as problem-solving, flexibility, and frustration tolerance. Ajuga School began implementing CPS in late 2023, with our core team receiving coaching to ensure faithful use of CPS strategies across the school.