We commit to providing safe and supportive environments which nurture the wellbeing of all students and staff in our community, and hold firmly to the belief that they have a right to be safe, respected and valued in an inclusive environment. We know that when students are happy, they are more engaged with their learning.

Schools benefit from wellbeing initiatives and pastoral care support through Sydney Catholic Schools – in areas such as anti-bullying, positive behaviour, student counselling, refugee support and child protection – which range from universal support for all students, to targeted interventions for students with complex social and emotional needs.

The college promotes the wellbeing of each girl through an extensive pastoral care program, and opportunities abound for students to develop their leadership potential. The college welcomes and encourages an active partnership with parents in order to best support students’ learning and wellbeing.

To foster a culture of genuine interest and care for all, teachers and students are called to practice the six Ursuline values of accept, respect, unite, act, empower and serve.

At St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove, there is a strong focus on empowering our students to value themselves and take the steps needed to enjoy good mental health.

Our pastoral care approach:

  • Respects the dignity of each person
  • Is affirming and celebratory
  • Is built on Gospel values and the restorative practices of reconciliation, compassion and love.

Counselling
St Ursula’s offers a confidential counselling service to students. Areas that may be addressed in counselling include anxiety and fears, family changes, grief and loss, stress, depression, relationships with friends and adults and eating disorders.

The Pastoral Care Program at St Ursula’s integrates the academic, social, personal and religious dimensions of college life. Our goal is to support each member of our college community to realise their potential.

Each student is a member of a pastoral care class and is cared for daily by a pastoral care teacher. Each pastoral care class shares a wide range of nurturing, supportive experiences together.

Through the program, students are encouraged to:

  • Increase their resilience and coping skills
  • Set and achieve personal goals
  • Develop a deeper sense of respect for themselves and others
  • Collaborate to achieve shared objectives
  • Live out their values
  • Understand their emotions to help manage stress and anxiety
  • Develop their leadership capabilities
  • Learn responsible social behaviours.

The wide range of activities students participate in include:

  • Group work and self-reflection sessions
  • Workshops
  • Project-based learning
  • Guest speakers
  • Theatrical performances
  • Camps and retreats
  • Mentoring
  • Social justice activities
  • Wellbeing sessions
  • Special assemblies
  • Liturgies and masses
  • Community-based projects.

St Ursula’s Big Sister/Little Sister Peer Mentoring Program has been successfully building strong bonds of trust and friendship between Years 7 and 12 students for over 30 years. It is a critical part of our Pastoral Care Program, helping:

  • Year 7 students transition to secondary school with the ongoing encouragement and support of senior students
  • Year 12 students build their leadership skills.

Over the year, participants have opportunities to interact through informal and structured activities. They build friendships through shared participation in pastoral lessons, morning teas, playground activities, college masses, assemblies and sports carnivals.

St Ursula’s recognises our students’ effort and achievement with a variety of awards:

  • Pastoral Awards – given for a combination of classroom and academic achievement
  • Academic Awards – for overall academic achievement
  • Serviam Awards – recognising hours of community service achieved.

Anti-bullying policy

Sydney Catholic Schools rejects all forms of bullying behaviours, including online (or cyber) bullying, by maintaining a commitment to providing safe, inclusive and respectful learning communities that promote student wellbeing for learning. Staff at Sydney Catholic Schools are committed to employing wellbeing strategies that allow for a healthy school environment where bullying is less likely to occur.

If your child is experiencing bullying of any kind, or you have a wellbeing concern, we have a number of support services available for parents/carers and students, as listed below.

Support services:

St Ursula's College Kingsgrove - Angela Merici