Wellbeing
At our school, student wellbeing and learning go hand in hand. We want every student to feel safe, included and ready to learn. Whether your child needs help with their mental, emotional, social or physical wellbeing, we are here to help them thrive at school and in daily life.
How we support student wellbeing
Supporting each student’s mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing is part of everyday school life.
We do this through:
- teachers who help students feel welcome and included
- access to school counsellors, school psychologists and specialist staff
- programs that support health, social skills, attendance and positive behaviour
- help for students who are new or changing year levels
- clear expectations for behaviour and respectful relationships
- staff who get to know each child and work closely with families
- developing health care plans for students
- open communication about wellbeing and support.
Visit Our principal and staff to learn about our wellbeing and specialist support staff.
Our wellbeing initiatives
At Ajuga, we are dedicated to creating a supportive and nurturing environment where every student can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. Our innovative initiatives focus on building essential skills, fostering empathy, and promoting wellbeing through evidence-based practices and meaningful experiences. Explore how our programs empower students to grow, connect, and succeed.
Art Therapy
Discover the healing power of creativity with Art Therapy at Ajuga. Led by Liz, our trained Art Therapist and Teacher, sessions on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday help students express emotions, develop self-regulation strategies, and build confidence through artistic exploration. This therapeutic approach supports mental wellbeing by encouraging self-expression and personal growth in a safe, nurturing environment.
Critical Core
Critical Core at Ajuga is a small group intervention led by Andrew every Friday, using a tabletop role-playing game designed for kids, tweens, and teens with autism. This engaging approach helps students build essential social and emotional skills such as emotional regulation, problem-solving, and communication. By participating in a supportive environment, students develop resilience and confidence to thrive academically and personally.
Collaborative and Proactive Solutions
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.
Berry Street Education Model
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.
Ajuga Animals
At Ajuga, caring for our animals, including a small flock of chickens as well as our school support dogs Buddy, Luna, and Leo, helps students develop empathy, build relationships, and connect with nature. Through these interactions, students also learn to recognise survival modes such as fight, flight, freeze, and collapse, gaining insight into how to support both animals and people to feel safe. This hands on experience fosters compassion and emotional awareness in a nurturing environment.
Trauma Responsive Practice
Trauma Responsive Education is at the heart of everything we do at Ajuga School, guiding our approach to teaching and supporting each student. By understanding the impact of trauma, we create safe and nurturing environments that promote healing, resilience, and academic success. This foundational approach ensures that all our programs and practices are tailored to meet the individual needs of every student.
Morning Circle
Morning Circle is a daily routine at Ajuga that brings students and staff together to start each day in a safe and supportive environment. During Morning Circle, students learn about character strengths, share acknowledgements, and discuss the focus for the week, helping everyone feel connected and ready to learn. This practice fosters community, emotional regulation, and a sense of belonging within our school.
Ready to Learn Plans
Ready to Learn Plans are collaborative, working documents created with students to support successful learning. These plans include tailored strategies, resources, and goals that help students identify their emotions and work within their window of tolerance, addressing challenges and supporting emotional regulation. By focusing on individual needs, Ready to Learn Plans empower students to stay focused, confident, and ready to engage in their learning journey.
The 4 R's
At Ajuga School, student support is guided by the four R’s: Regulate, Relate, Reason, and Repair, adapted from Dr Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential model. This sequential approach helps staff provide timely interventions that enable students to manage their thoughts and feelings effectively. By understanding survival responses like fight, flight, freeze, and collapse, we equip learners with strategies to build self-regulation and resilience.
Ajuga Superstars
Ajuga Superstars is a special acknowledgement provess that celebrates student growth, from small milestones to major achievements. Every fortnight, staff recognise these successes during meetings to contribute to the Ajuga Book of Awesome. The principal then sends personalised postcards to students, letting them know they are true Ajuga Superstars.
Progress Passports
At Ajuga, we prioritise acknowledgements and natural consequences over rewards or punishment, believing that students do well if they can. The Progress Passport is a personalised, student-driven tool that tracks small victories and emotional growth by setting and working towards individual learning goals. This helps build student confidence and resilience while recognising and celebrating their progress step by step.
Need support for your child's wellbeing?
Get in touch to talk about the right support for your child.
Additional learning support
Find out how we support students with disability or additional learning needs.
Our principal and staff
Get to know our principal and staff, who work together to create a positive school culture.