At St Francis Flexible School, wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. We know that Young People learn best when they feel safe, supported, and valued. Our staff are trained to build positive relationships with Young People, helping them feel connected and understood, even when they’re having a tough day. Each class partnership includes a youth worker who works alongside the Young Person and their family.
We use a trauma-informed approach, which means we focus on helping Young People feel calm and in control before asking them to learn. Our staff show Unconditional Positive Regard — this means we care for each young person no matter what, and mistakes are treated as opportunities to learn and grow, not reasons for punishment. When problems arise, we use Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS), a process that helps Young People talk through what’s wrong, understand each other’s point of view, and find solutions together.
Our daily routine is designed to support wellbeing too. Each morning starts with a class meeting, where Young People check in with each other and the class partnership. We also hold Community Meetings twice a week, where we celebrate Young People who have shown our core principles: Honesty, Respect, Safe & Legal, and Participation. This helps build a positive, supportive school community.
Part of our learning program includes specific lessons around wellbeing topics, and we also connect to outside services to support our Young People’s wellbeing.
At St Francis, we work to break down all barriers that may be preventing a Young Person from participating in school. To learn more about some of these supports please explore our page on what a day looks like.
