STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

The Victorian Registration Standards (Sch 2 Cl 16) (CECV Guidelines Ref 1.4) requires that all schools must have a clear statement of philosophy.

At St Patrick’s Catholic Primary school, we believe that the social, emotional, moral, spiritual and physical wellbeing of our students is pivotal to student health, safety, learning and success.  We are therefore committed to:

• Provide an environment for each student through a belief in self, in others and in a loving God must be encouraged to strive for excellence and to have hope for the future;
• Ensure students learn best when they feel safe, connected and when the learning is relevant to their lives and to their stage of development and readiness;
• Fostering an environment where teachers take the time to build relationships with the students in their care. This includes the teachers' awareness of the many cultures and diverse needs of the students of St Patrick’s;
• Encouraging learning that involves risk-taking and students see challenges as healthy steps toward skill acquisition and growth;
• Developing student’s understanding, acceptance and responsibility for their own actions and behaviour through a Whole School Approach To Positive Behaviour Support (WSAPBS);
• Fostering leadership in all of our students. To achieve this, we have programs and activities which encourage each student to lead among their peers;
• Allowing each student to live a healthy and active lifestyle. To do this, we provide education on a healthy lifestyle, and encourage sporting and other recreational activities; and
• Caring for each student’s emotional and pastoral needs. To do this, we have a pastoral care framework and provide support such as education on resilience and mental health.

Updated July 2025