Wellbeing

Wellbeing school statement

At Red Hill Public School, the wellbeing of children sits at the heart of everything we do.
We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, known, valued, and capable, and we are committed to creating a learning environment where all children can thrive—academically, socially, and emotionally.

We draw on the latest research into how the brain learns, grows, and responds to challenge. We know that a child’s ability to learn is closely linked to how safe, supported, and regulated they feel, and we design our classrooms with this understanding at the centre.

We explicitly teach children how their brains work, using age-appropriate language, visuals, and routines to help them understand the difference between the “learning brain”—the part that helps them think, reason, remember, and solve problems—and the “feeling brain”, which reacts to stress, uncertainty, or big emotions. By naming and normalising these experiences, children learn that it is completely natural to feel stuck, worried, or overwhelmed when faced with something new or challenging.

We also teach children how learning actually happens: that the brain grows stronger through repeated practice, that mistakes are valuable, and that effort and persistence create new neural pathways. Children learn that challenge is not a sign of failure, but a sign that their brain is stretching and developing.

As part of this work, we help children recognise the physical signals that come along with challenge—fast heartbeat, tense muscles, butterflies in the stomach—and show them how to use simple, effective strategies to calm their body and keep their learning brain switched on. This includes breathing techniques, self-talk, chunking tasks, asking clarifying questions, and knowing when to seek support.

Through this explicit instruction, children develop self-awareness, resilience, and agency. They learn to understand what is happening inside their brain and body, and most importantly, what they can do about it. This empowers them not just to cope with challenge, but to lean into it, becoming confident, capable learners who can manage frustration, recover from setbacks, and stay engaged even when work feels difficult.

Our commitment to blending neuroscience with high-impact teaching ensures that every child receives the clarity, structure, and support they need to learn well—both academically and emotionally.

We are a neurodiversity-affirming school. We recognise that children learn, think, communicate, and regulate in different ways, and we design our classrooms to reflect this. Clear routines, structured teaching, strong visual supports, and predictable expectations help every child—especially those with developing executive functioning skills—to participate confidently and successfully.

Our wellbeing practices are strengthened through:

• Positive relationships built on care, respect, and high expectations
• Explicit teaching of social, emotional, and regulation skills
• A whole-school language of zones, challenge, effort, and self-management
• Learning environments that balance high challenge with high support
• Consistent, school-wide expectations that teach children how to be respectful, responsible, caring, and cooperative learners
• Partnerships with families to ensure every child is supported across home and school
• A strong culture of inclusion, belonging, and pride in the Red Hill Way

We want children to know that mistakes are part of learning, challenge is a normal and essential experience, and they are capable of doing hard things. By developing these mindsets early, our children build resilience, confidence, empathy, and independence—skills that will serve them well throughout their schooling and in life.

At Red Hill, wellbeing and learning are inseparable.
When children feel safe, regulated, connected, and supported, they learn deeply—and they grow into the best versions of themselves.