Scots College

PERFORM is the wellbeing framework at Scots College, comprising Purpose, Engagement, Relationships, Faith, Organisation, and Resilience, with Maintenance. The framework guides pastoral care, classroom practice, tutorials, and assemblies to promote wellbeing and engagement. Explicit teaching of social skills and values supports relational development, and a restorative approach to behaviour management keeps relationships at the centre of pastoral care. The college promotes healthy relationships through explicit social-emotional learning, a health curriculum, and programs such as the House system and student-led activities. The Wellbeing Centre provides confidential counselling and mental health support, and the Wellbeing Team builds student wellbeing capability with strategies that students can use now and in the future. Staff are trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid to recognise and respond to mental health concerns and connect students with appropriate support.

The Āwhina Learning Support (ALS) Team cares for and supports students who face challenges in learning or who learn in different ways. Some challenges are short-term (physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing) and others are ongoing (neurological, cognitive, auditory, or visual). The team helps students develop literacy and numeracy, learning and study strategies, and self-belief and work ethic. They support teachers by adapting curriculum and assessments to ensure teaching is diverse and inclusive in approach, running classes for a small number of students at the Principals' discretion, and endeavouring to ensure provision of Special Assessment Conditions. They liaise closely with the Scots College Wellbeing team. Valuing every learner, recognising their potential, growing their achievement.

English is the language used as the medium of instruction and communication, with staff acting as liaison with Māori and Pasifika families. Te Reo Māori and NZSL are embraced and used; Te Reo Māori is taught to all Junior School students as an additional language. In Year 7, students experience a language carousel of Te Reo Māori, Spanish, French, and Chinese, and Middle School students select one of those languages or English acquisition (MTLOTE). Continued language study in Senior School is encouraged but not compulsory (except for IB Diploma students). In the IB Diploma years, students may continue to study an additional language and/or literature in a language where there is native or near-native proficiency when possible. The college actively seeks to support MTLOTE and mother-tongue learning for MTLOTE students.

The Wellbeing Centre provides confidential counselling and mental health support and is open on school days, with the Wellbeing Team consisting of the College Counsellor and Director of Wellbeing who oversee counselling and health services for students and staff. The team delivers counselling and mental health nursing in a safe, confidential space to help individuals talk through difficulties and make changes. Appointments can be made via the Scot-E Wellbeing area or by referrals through the online forms. Scots College has implemented key wellbeing initiatives, including the Komodo Wellbeing Application, the Stand-Up Project (SUP), and Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for staff. Five staff members completed MHFA instructor training to train others and build a network of wellbeing support across the community, with a focus on early intervention and connecting students to appropriate support. The MHFA program aims to improve mental health literacy and reduce stigma so students feel empowered to seek help.

Scots College has a Child Protection Policy that applies to any student defined as a child under the Children's Act 2014 and uses a framework for student safety. The policy includes provisions for identifying and reporting abuse and neglect, with Abuse Recognition and Reporting details. Guidance aligns with partnership/mahi tahi, protection/kaitiakitanga, and participation/whai wahi, and te Tiriti o Waitangi, with involvement of family/whānau in decision-making. Student welfare is the primary concern, and the college keeps students at the centre of decision-making, with systems to recognise and respond to concerns. A designated child protection person (the child protection coordinator or deputy) is the primary point of contact for concerns about students, and a child protection team may consult with the coordinator, headmaster, principals, and the board. If a wellbeing concern is raised, procedures for Responding to Student Wellbeing Concerns are followed, and information may be shared with external agencies as appropriate. The school may engage with external agencies to address student protection needs and has a process for information sharing and review of child protection matters. For more detail, see Supporting Student Wellbeing and related procedures.