St Joseph Catholic School

Student personal responsibility

As a Catholic school, we provide an education which has reconciliation, interdependence and personal responsibility at its core...

We want our students to learn to make appropriate behavioural choices, because it is the right thing to do, not because of fear or reward or punishment.  We acknowledge that in empowering students to develop personal responsibility, we are affirming a life-long process that we all share.

Our school's vision underlines our identity as a Catholic school - a place which witnesses to the Gospel and which respects individual dignity through authentic pastoral care. This vision values cooperation and challenges its members to be critical and reflective in an environment which fosters a spirit of inquiry.

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Developing personal responsibility

Our approach to working with our students is to focus on the development of personal responsibility. This is informed by the following principles:

  • The right of every person to be respected and included.
  • The right of every person to feel safe (both emotionally and physically).
  • The right of every teacher to teach.
  • Using the least intrusive strategy to maintain the relationship.
  • High expectations of every child.
  • Flexibility to make plans that meet each students’ needs.
  • Consistency in our approach and our shared understanding of how to help students learn to behave appropriately and to meet their needs more effectively.
  • Applying what we know about quality learning to teaching appropriate behaviours. Therefore, modelling and practice (both guided and independent) is vitally important.
  • Cooperation rather than competition. Teaching personal and social skills for the 21st century through cooperative learning in all classrooms.
Developing personal responsibility