College Life
Enhancing Wellbeing
'We value diversity, inclusivity, and resilience. We promote a balanced lifestyle to empower individuals to flourish.'
At BDC our wellbeing program teaches the skills and attitudes that enhance mental health, support learning and cultivate wellbeing. In our primary years this is achieved through our Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) program and the Walker Learning approach. This is supported in our secondary years in the house system and tutor groups, with a sequential pastoral care program focussing on inclusion, student voice, and leadership.
Our approach at BDC is one that focuses on prevention and early intervention. To ensure that mental health concerns are responded to effectively and promptly, key staff are trained in youth mental health first aid. The college has the Director of Wellbeing, two chaplains, educational psychologists and a family therapist to provide individual support. Wellbeing Team members at BDC also deliver tailored group programs for targeted interventions that students may opt into for specialised support and skill building.
Pastoral Care in the Primary School
Pastoral care aims to provide a supportive and caring environment where students can reach their intellectual, spiritual, physical, emotional and social potential. Students are supported to become independent and interdependent members of the community, able to contribute to a wide range of activities.
We aim to develop students who have high self-esteem, are responsible, are capable of making sensible, informed choices, and who can recognise their fundamental rights and responsibilities. Our key rights and responsibilities aim to assist each student in the primary school to come to a better understanding of what it means to show respect for all.
We understand that every child has the right to:
- Be treated fairly and with respect
- Be themselves
- Be safe and be heard
- Learn
- Have fun and enjoy school
- Be proud of Bishop Druitt College
Pastoral Care in the Secondary School
Students are assigned to a tutor group within one of the six college houses for pastoral care. The house structure and activities generate a strong sense of belonging and include regular tutor meetings, chapel, sports, creative and performing arts, opportunities for student leadership and to engage in peer support, and more. All students are encouraged to represent their house in as many activities as their talents and interests allow. Inclusion in some activities is compulsory, whereas for others it is either voluntary, by appointment or by election. Every student is expected to support their house to the best of their ability.
The names of the six houses at Bishop Druitt College acknowledge the outstanding achievements of six exemplary contributors to contemporary Australian culture. Their accomplishments establish goals for which all Bishop Druitt College students can strive - in the creative and performing arts, in sports and in community service.
Creating a safe school environment
Protection for children and young people is of paramount importance. Anglican schools are required to follow the diocesan policy as well as NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) policy.
Anglican schools have a responsibility placed upon them by Gospel values. They are bound by Christian, legal and professional obligations to provide spiritual and educational opportunities within a safe and protective environment and, when matters of concern arise, to have in place a procedure for reporting inappropriate behaviour, harm or sexual abuse.
Accordingly, Bishop Druitt College and the Anglican Diocese have established relevant formal policies and procedures.
All complaints of child sexual abuse and sexual misconduct are taken very seriously. If current students or parents of a current student wish to make a complaint or seek assistance they can contact one of our school's Student Protection Officers - the Director of Student Wellbeing, one of our Assistant Principals or the Principal.
Working with Children Check
A Working With Children Check clearance is a requirement for people who work or volunteer in child-related work at Bishop Druitt College. It involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct.
Wellbeing Dog
Embark on a transformative journey towards holistic wellbeing at Bishop Druitt College, marked by the introduction of our esteemed Wellbeing Dog, Barkley. This friendly Labradoodle has seamlessly integrated into our school community, emerging as a pivotal force positively influencing the mental and emotional health of students, staff, and parents alike. Operating within The Dogs Connect Program, Barkley's presence introduces a new dimension to our comprehensive school-wide wellbeing initiatives.
Barkley's role extends beyond mere companionship, actively participating in a spectrum of carefully curated wellbeing programs and activities. Grounded in scientific research affirming the therapeutic benefits of canine interaction, Barkley contributes to stress reduction, fostering a sense of calmness, and cultivating a consistently positive atmosphere within our school environment.
With a comforting paw and a perpetually wagging tail, Barkley stands as a steadfast companion, providing emotional support and enhancing the overall wellbeing experience for our school community.
Counselling Services
The Wellbeing Centre provides a range of services and programs aimed at supporting students and their families in both the primary and secondary schools. Services offered by the centre include:
Individual Counselling
If you are going through a tough time and are struggling to deal with something that has happened in your life, talking to a professional whose job it is to listen and facilitate positive change can make a difficult situation more manageable.
Family Counselling
If your problems are more related to your family situation, then counselling that involves other members of your family with a focus on hearing and understanding each other better can be helpful.
Parental Consultation
Many parents struggle to always know what is the best way to support their child. Sometimes being able to talk it through with an independent person can help bring clarity and understanding to a particular issue or situation.
Advocacy and Referral
If you have a specific issue that could be better dealt with by a specialist in the community then we can support you in finding the right service for you. For example: mental health, legal or sexual health services, etc.
Group Work Programs
Throughout the school year we run a number of specific issue-based programs where students are often invited to attend. These programs address issues such as grief and loss, self-esteem, and relationships and bullying, and they provide an opportunity to explore a particular topic in a range of creative ways often using art as the primary medium.
Who We Are
Referral Process
Referrals can be made via your class teacher or your year coordinator. You can also come to the Wellbeing Centre and make a time to talk with someone. Parents can also contact any of the counsellors by phoning the school.
Confidentiality
The counsellors at the Wellbeing Centre all operate within strict guidelines regarding confidentiality. Discussions you have with a counsellor are kept confidential unless there is a risk to your safety or the safety of others.
The Bishop Druitt Way
'Enhancing and supporting student wellbeing is integral to the BDC Way. Everyone has the right to be safe, to learn, to be respected and to be treated with dignity.'
Bishop Druitt College sets its standards very high across all aspects of daily college life. This high expectation is referred to as ‘the Bishop Druitt Way’. The Bishop Druitt Way nurtures a child’s character, builds community and aims to transform children into world prepared citizens.
The Bishop Druitt Way has five tenets:
- Prioritise wellbeing
- Empower for life
- Embrace diversity
- Pursue excellence
- Serve our community
The Bishop Druitt Way builds and supports the entire school community, making positive and enduring connections between its members. It encompasses all aspects of college life through a combination of structured activities and personal relationships. The Bishop Druitt Way is concerned with the total wellbeing of individuals within the college community and with the development of the whole person.
These tenets are core to upholding the Bishop Druitt College vision. The Bishop Druitt Way is supported by our college values of mutual respect, integrity, inclusivity, courage, justice and generosity of spirit.
The Bishop Druitt Way builds upon the traditions of the college using active themes that combine our pastoral care programs, outdoor experiences, leadership and mentoring models, and our service learning opportunities with our unique rites of passage.
The Bishop Druitt Way themes are:
Pre-Kindy - School readiness
Kindergarten - New friends
Year 1 - Independence at college
Year 2 - Being part of a group
Year 3 - Growing up
Year 4 - Belonging
Year 5 - Discovery
Year 6 - The gathering
Year 7 - Challenge and change
Year 8 - Empowerment
Year 9 - Body esteem and life skills
Year 10 - Leadership and legacy
Year 11 - Social conscience
Year 12 - I am world prepared
In the primary school at Bishop Druitt College we recognise the importance of providing a range of leadership opportunities for students.
Our junior primary students students are given a number of areas of responsibility, including daily tasks that assist the running of the school and broader roles such as raising environmental awareness and assisting with recycling.
Students also have the opportunity to informally mentor younger students in multi-age groups and through sport offerings. The elected school captains have significant areas of responsibility, including hosting assemblies and representing the school at internal and external functions such as Foundation Day, Grandparents’ Day, community ANZAC Day services and Harmony Day. Primary captains also represent the views and needs of the BDC Primary School student body in their weekly meeting with the Head of Primary.
The school captains join six other students to form the Student Representative Council. The SRC is an extremely active group that oversees fundraising for various local, national and international charities. The college’s house system also provides leadership opportunities. House captains are elected by their peers and lead their house in sporting and cultural activities. Leadership qualities are recognised formally each year with the awarding of the P&F Junior Primary and Senior Primary Awards for Leadership at the annual Presentation Day.
The Bishop Druitt College vision and values document says of our departing collegians:
‘Bishop Druitt college aims to develop graduates who are dynamic, caring and optimistic. They will be well-rounded individuals who are grounded in the Anglican way of faith, hope and love’.
In the secondary school we actively promote ways in which students can become involved in the community, both here at school and in a broader sense. Student leadership takes the form of both formal positions and informal opportunities, where students can make a difference in the lives of others.
The Bishop Druitt College Student Executive is made up of sixteen Year 12 students who are elected by their peers to represent the student body. There are ten student leaders who represent five core areas: academic, service, sports, leadership and the arts, and six house leaders. These students focus on college fundraising activities, college event organisation (Foundation Day) and student welfare issues. They meet on a weekly basis, chair the secondary assembly and present the ‘Senior Spotlight’ at each assembly.
Year 10 students have the opportunity to become leaders for the college's peer support program for their house group. All Year 10 students are trained in peer support activities and philosophy, and apply to their tutor teacher and head of house to become a peer support leader. As leaders they are responsible for the Year 7 students within each house and run a program of six peer support sessions throughout Terms 1 - 3. These sessions include activities based on topics such as belonging and participation.
Year 8 students elect Student Representative Committee (SRC) members from each house group and meet regularly in relation to middle school issues. They are elected by their house peers and represent the middle school for the duration of one year.
House fundraising provides opportunities for students to volunteer their time for charitable causes. Two houses per year are responsible for nominating charities to receive funds and then organising fundraising opportunities such as mufti days and food stalls.
Other opportunities for student leadership can be found through the college co-curricular program. Students can volunteer for activities such as:
- Assembly presentations (music, drama and speeches)
- Doorknock appeals
- Anzac Day commemorations
- Blood donor promotions
- College tours
- College events (greeting guests, performing music and hospitality service)
- St John’s Anglican Church Op Shop
- Chalkies Café (hospitality service)
College Nurse
At Bishop Druitt College, the commitment to student wellbeing goes beyond academics, with a dedicated Registered Nurse on duty every school day. This invaluable service provides primary health care to students, staff, and visitors, fostering a healthy and supportive learning environment.
The college Nurse plays a crucial role in addressing a range of health-related needs. From treating injuries and monitoring students with medical conditions to administering medications and coordinating the NSW Health school vaccination program, their expertise ensures that health concerns are promptly and effectively managed.
Collaboration is key at Bishop Druitt College, and the college Nurses work closely with teaching and support staff, as well as the Student Wellbeing Team.
Parents and carers can rest assured that the nurse will promptly communicate with them during school hours if a child requires collection or further medical attention.
To streamline information, parents are encouraged to enter relevant medical details on the Parent Lounge, facilitating efficient and personalised care.
For medical conditions requiring an Action Plan, parents can upload the necessary documentation to the Parent Lounge.
Medication administration at school requires a completed Medication Consent form, available on the Parent Lounge or from Student Services.
Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy seeks to promote a deeper understanding of Christian faith and spirituality in the life of the college. Students, parents and staff are welcome to access chaplaincy.
Chaplains are available to guide and prepare members of the community for baptism, eucharist, confirmation and marriage, according to the rites of the Anglican Church of Australia.
Chapel Services
Our student-led chapel services take place weekly for primary students and fortnightly for secondary students. Their focus is an invitational exploration of Christian beliefs, stories and values as we engage with the world. Students from all faiths attend these inclusive services, highlighting the diversity and acceptance of the college community.
Four times per year we gather for whole school services and liturgies, including Ash Wednesday, Easter, induction of new leaders and Christmas. Our year ends on a high with the annual carols service.
There are also various whole school services of Holy Communion held throughout the year, which parents are invited to attend.These include special celebrations such as Easter and Christmas services.
It is a BDC tradition for students to recite the college prayer at important occasions throughout the year. The words of the college prayer were written by foundation primary teacher, Naomi Lunn, in 1994.
Retreats, Rites of Passage, Camps and Graduations
The chaplaincy team are integrally involved in experiential learning. Students participate in camps, retreats and rites of passage as their school years progress. Formal graduations in Year 6 and Year 12 are marked with beautiful services at St John’s Anglican Church in Coffs Harbour.
Faith Extension
Students are invited to extend their faith by attending lunchtime fellowship groups that use games, conversation and media to deeply engage with the scriptures and develop personal faith.
'We are committed to providing learning opportunities to support students to reach their potential, both educationally and culturally.'
Goori Group
Bishop Druitt College is developing and improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. We are committed to providing learning opportunities to support students to reach their potential both educationally and culturally. One mechanism for such learning is the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives across the curriculum.
As a school we aim to professionally develop staff and provide classroom and other resources to enable the teachers and support staff to offer meaningful educational experiences for students. Through our ongoing commitment to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students we believe that we can assist all students to understand acceptance and celebration of diversity in our world and the belief that we all have a connection with the Indigenous and the non-Indigenous communities both locally and throughout the broader world.
Goori students of Bishop Druitt College, both secondary and primary, participate weekly in Goori Group with Mr Clark Webb. The students have been learning traditional Gumbaynggirr language, culture and stories, and learning about the many valuable sites around Coffs Harbour and the surrounding area.
Service
The duty of any Christian is to be socially conscious of the wider community in which they live and of the world. In doing this, we grow and become better people by contributing at any age to the well-being of our fellow brothers and sisters in our community and beyond.
The Five Marks Of Mission:
Witness to Christ's saving, forgiving and reconciling love for all people
Build welcoming, transforming, communities of faith
Stand in solidarity with the poor and the needy
Challenge injustice and oppression
Protect, care for and renew life on our planet
In an education setting, social justice principles teach us to realise that we are indeed blessed and can indeed share our resources with those less fortunate than ourselves. Scripture teaches us to do so, and so we here at Bishop Druitt College engage our students, their families and teachers to provide for others.
The college community is involved in raising funds to support ABM through emergency relief and by assisting community development projects throughout the world. Empathy for others is one of the great Christian virtues.
In our actions of kindness and consoling those around us we live the message of Christ. In helping others who are experiencing difficulties we become more Christlike.
This has been a significant recipient of Year 12 fundraising activities since 2004. There are currently two orphanages in Cambodia - one in Phnom Penh and the second in Siem Reap - and they have been given land by the government to set up a third at Sihanoukville.
As well as donating money we have welcomed Sunrise President, Geraldine Cox, to the college on two occasions to speak to students and the wider community. Links have also been made through visits to the orphanage on the annual Year 11 Vietnam/Cambodia cultural trip.
Since 2007, Year 12 and the staff of the college have donated money to Tabitha Foundation. This organisation has a number of programs in Cambodia, but the one that we have donated to is house building. This ties in with our Year 11 cultural trip, as we spend time building houses for some of the most impoverished families in Cambodia.
The college has successfully raised in excess of $20,000 each year over the past few years, which has allowed our students and staff to build about 20 houses each trip.
The college provides 50 students (and a dozen parents and staff) who volunteer their time each Saturday morning to work at the St John's Anglicare Op Shop. Not only does their time and effort add to the mission of fundraising at St John's, but it also opens to these students whole new worlds as they engage in the business of the shop and meet people from varied backgrounds in the local community.
Each year, in partnership with Anglicare, the college community participates in the collection of gifts, food and other items for the Anglicare Christmas Appeal. Every year level in Bishop Druitt College participates in meeting the needs of this event.
A commitment has been made by Year 12 to give part of their fundraising money to a local charity. In recent years funds have been given to Telstra Childflight and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
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