National Safe Schools Framework 5-8 - Safe Schools

Safe Schools

Activity 1

Do you see what I see?

We all have different perceptions about our school providing a safe place to learn and develop. Our perceptions are often different from others’ due to our different personal experiences.

What does a safe school look and feel like to you?

Get ready

You’ll need:

  1. Student survey handout
  2. Learning journal

Activity Steps

Step 1

Brainstorm and list the key roles of your school in supporting the academic, wellbeing, safety and personal development of students.

Step 2

Discuss how each of us has different perceptions of school based on our own personal experiences.

Step 3

Watch the video of students talking about their varying perceptions of their school.

Step 4

Complete the perceptions Student survey and collate and share the data.

Step 5

Analyse the data and identify issues in the survey for which student perceptions are similar and those for which they differ. Think about and share possible reasons for this.

Step 6

With a partner, select an issue that the survey shows students perceive to be of concern and where you think improvements need to be made within the school community.

Step 7

Think about a strategy for improving your particular issue and create an infographic that presents the survey data related to students’ perception. Include a slogan for promoting positive change. Consider using Infographic software or data visualisation software such asMany Eyes or Create Visual.ly.

Step 8

Display your infographic around your classroom or the school.

Step 9

Your goal

  • Think back to your personal responses to the survey. In what areas did you respond ‘not true’? Of these, which area is the most important for you to work on? Write this as a goal.
  • Find the relevant infographic. Read through the suggested strategies. What strategy could help you to reach your goal? Think about who might help you to achieve your goal. Write down the strategy or strategies and any people who could help you.
  • Next, think about how you will know that you have achieved your goal. What will you be able to do and say?
  • Finally, set a date for achieving your goal and record it.

You may wish to create a table, such as the ‘Personal goal setting’ table below, to record your action plan in your learning journal.

Personal goal setting

Goal What do I want to achieve/improve?
Strategy How can I achieve this? What steps do I need to take? Who might be able to help me achieve my goal?
Outcome How will I know that I have achieved my goal? What will I be able to do and say?
Timeframe By when do I need to achieve my goal?
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Activity 2

Safe schools circuit

It is important that we feel safe in both our physical and online environments. Respecting ourselves and respecting others helps to keep our relationships at school, at home, online and in the community safe and positive experiences for everyone.

Get ready

You’ll need:

  1. Poster paper and markers
  2. Circuit brainstorm handout

Activity Steps

Step 1

Seated in a circle, think about then take turns to share one action or behaviour that you or your school community can do to ensure that the learning environment is safe and respectful for everyone. Try to communicate your ideas using one word, a phrase or a short statement.

Think of responses that are different to those ideas already shared.

Step 2

Six questions related to safe schools are written on poster paper and placed at circuit stations around the room.

  • Form six groups. Negotiate roles for members in your group: Reporter, Decision coordinator, Time checker and Sheepdog. Each group needs a different coloured marker to record their ideas at each circuit station.
  • When your teacher instructs you, move to an unoccupied circuit station. (This will be your group’s home station.) Read the question, discuss and negotiate a group response. Using your group’s coloured marker, one member of the group needs to write the group response on the poster paper. Because this is a brainstorming activity, keep in mind that your responses need to be different to the responses already recorded on the poster.
  • On the teacher’s signal, move onto the next station and repeat the task. Continue this process until your group has completed the circuit and returned to your home station. As you move around the circuit, ensure that everyone in the group has a turn at writing the group’s response.
Step 3

During this session, the whole class comes together. The Reporter from your group presents your home station poster and shares the contributions from all groups.

While listening to the Reporters present the responses to the questions, think about the ideas and what they mean for you. Some of the following questions might guide your thinking:

  • What ideas are really important to me? What ideas would be really helpful for me at this time?
  • Do I have any questions about any of the ideas? Do I need to clarify anything?
  • What ideas might I try? What ideas might I suggest to a friend who needs help?
  • How and when can I use these ideas? Can I use them at school? At home? When I’m online? When socialising out of school?

Share your reflections with the class.

Step 4

Consider entering your reflections in your learning journal or diary. You could organise your thoughts using a KWA chart:

K W A
What I now know What I am wondering
(What I want to clarify or find out about)		 What action I can take
(What I can do about what I have learned)
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