Hannah Thomas, Director of Professional Learning

Yesterday we welcomed back Cranbrook School teachers with ‘The Inclusive Co-ed Campus’, a professional learning experience that continued our focus on enhancing student wellbeing, exploring this in the context of the School’s transition to co-education. In particular, this session aimed to ensure that our campus is an inclusive space where students and staff feel a strong sense of connection and belonging.

Firstly, Laura Jane Brennan and Angelique Sanders outlined the role of Multi -Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in enhancing student wellbeing, developing an understanding how Cranbrook’s decision-making matrix enables teachers to consistently and effectively support students’ academic, social and emotional, and behavioural needs.

Teachers then gained an insight into how Cranbrook’s students experience inclusion, through a presentation by Victoria Rawlings on the data, recommendations and actions emerging from the Corridor Cultures project, an extensive study into the School’s culture. Daisy Turnbull then clarified how this understanding of culture is informing our transition to co-education program.

Finally, the session focused on enhancing the way we create positive learning environments where all students and teachers thrive. Led by  Fiona Burgess, Adrian Harrison and Stephen Henriques, teachers collaborated to integrate Positive Behavioural Systems and Supports within our framework for behaviour management, focusing specifically on strategies teachers can use at the start of lessons to set high expectations and engage students from the outset. It was great to hear from our talented teachers Anthony Bray, Victoria Hounslow, Kate Kovalik and Ryan Sadler, who shared their top starter activities.

A huge thanks to all those involved in the planning and delivery of this session, particularly Laura Jane Brennan, who has expertly guided and supported Cranbrook through the Whole School Wellbeing Initiative, and whose insights into the ways we can enhance student wellbeing have been so valuable. Huge thanks also to Victoria Rawlings, whose powerful insights from the Corridor Cultures project will help us ensure all students can be themselves at Cranbrook.

Hannah Thomas
Director of Professional Learning