- Teaching and Learning
- Wellbeing
Wellbeing
A number of programs underpin the school’s approach to the development of student well being.
URStrong
URSTRONG’s whole-school friendship strategy has improved the social climate in schools around the world, connecting over a million kids, parents, and teachers with a common language of friendship.
Respectful Relationships
Respectful Relationships supports schools and early childhood settings to promote and model respect, positive attitudes and behaviours – and to teach our children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.
Berry Street Educational Model
BSEM is an educational model of curriculum and classroom strategies that aims to strengthen the educational outcomes for all students including those who suffer from the effects of trauma or stress. Berry St provides a positive model of education and encourages students to use a growth mindset in their learning.
The domains within the BSEM are Body, Stamina, Engagement and Character, all underpinned by Relationship. Students are taught strategies which assist them to self-regulate and ground themselves, allowing them to focus on their learning.
Brain-breaks are a fun way of re-engaging, stimulating or calming, and are used to enhance student focus.
Daily Fitness
Daily Fitness is a morning exercise program which teaches the children leadership and teamwork skills. Again, the cross-age framework supports students as they develop relationships in all sectors of the school. Older students guide younger students to develop the practical skills-based and gross motor skills they need to enjoy and develop competence in sport- based activities.
Daily Fitness, Daily Fun
If you’re passing Newstead Primary School soon after 9am, any day of the week, you’ll hear dance beats and pop music, and you’ll see the younger kids at the school stretching, star jumping, jogging on the sport and, occasionally, doing the Time Warp, the Bus Stop or the Nutbush. This is Daily Fitness, NPS’s unique, morning physical activity program.
The Daily Fitness routine begins at 9am. The grade Prep to 4s warm up with their stretching and dance moves, led by teachers revealing their favourite current tunes. Small groups of grade 5/6s set up separate activities and games in different areas within the school yard. The activities change every term but if there is a sports day coming up the activities may be geared towards practising for that particular day. Activities also hone skills for sport or simple hand-eye coordination. The activities make use of cones, hula-hoops, hurdles, balls or whatever is necessary.
Daily Fitness is a morning exercise program which teaches the children leadership and teamwork skills.
Once the warmups are finished, the 5/6 leaders take their group of Prep to 4s to an activity station, and the youngsters move through each activity every five minutes or so. At about 9.30 there is a ‘cool down’ session before the kids move into their classrooms for the day’s teaching.
In addition to the exercise benefits and skills development Daily Fitness builds leadership skills in the Grade 5/6s and encourages the students to mix with and relate to peers from the different year levels. As one student says, ‘Daily Fitness gets the whole school involved. It’s fun for all!’