MPPS Respectful Relationships Commitment Statement

Moonee Ponds Primary School is committed to reducing the prevalence of Family Violence in society through implementing a whole school approach to Respectful Relationships Education.

We recognise that our school is more than a space for young people to learn. Our school is a place where all community members deserve to feel respected, safe and valued. Schools, like ours, have the opportunity to lead, influence and contribute to healthy community culture.

Respectful Relationships is a mandated program that supports schools to promote and model respect, and positive attitudes and behaviours. It teaches our children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence. It reinforces the fundamental right that everyone has to feel physically and emotionally safe.

As a community we invite everyone to actively engage and promote respectful relationships as we live out our school values of learning with respect, care, optimism and collaboration.

Please see here to read our full commitment statement.

RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS: THE WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH

A whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships draws on the Victorian Curriculum and links what is taught in the classroom with:

  • The social, physical, cultural and spiritual environment of the school
  • The school’s policies and procedures
  • Community partners and organisations that can support the school community.

This whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships draws on a significant body of research, including the Victorian pilot of Respectful Relationships Education in Schools (RREiS), which demonstrated that changes in attitudes and behaviour can be achieved when:

  • Positive attitudes, behaviours and gender equality are promoted across the school community
  • Classroom learning is reinforced by what is modelled within the school community.

A whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships recognises that schools are more than spaces for young people to learn. Schools are also:

  • An important hub in the community, with the opportunity to influence and contribute to healthy community culture
  • A workplace where all staff deserve to feel respected, safe and valued and to be treated equally regardless of their gender (see Figure 1)
Figure 1: Schools as a workplace, education institution and community hub

CURRICULUM CONTEXT: RESILIENCE, RIGHTS AND RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

In 2016 respectful relationships education became a core component of the Victorian Curriculum. The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRRs) teaching and learning resources have been developed to support schools to deliver the curriculum.

The Victorian Curriculum F–10 includes learning about respectful relationships in both Health and Physical Education and Personal and Social Capability. In the Health and Physical Education curriculum, students develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to strengthen their sense of self, and build and manage safe and respectful relationships. In the Personal and Social Capability curriculum, students learn to recognise and regulate emotions, develop empathy for others and establish and build a framework for positive relationships.

The teaching and learning RRRRs resources support schools in delivering a whole-school approach to Respectful Relationships.

The learning materials cover eight topics of Social and Emotional Learning across all levels of primary and secondary education. Years 11 and 12 include the relevant topics of goal setting, time management, and safer socialising in place of emotional literacy.

The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships teaching and learning resources are available online at: education.vic.gov.au/respectfulrelationships.

At Moonee Ponds Primary School, we teach weekly RRRRs lessons throughout the year across Foundation to Year 6. This includes teaching the following topics:

  • Topic 1: Emotional Literacy
  • Topic 2: Personal Strengths
  • Topic 3: Positive Coping
  • Topic 4: Problem Solving
  • Topic 5: Stress Management
  • Topic 6: Help-seeking
  • Topic 7: Gender and identity
  • Topic 8: Positive Gender Relationships

The RRRR curriculum is part of our approach to teaching student empowerment and wellbeing. This includes approaches such as mindfulness, growth mindset and the zones of regulation. Further information is available in a family and year level handbooks that can be found on our Parent Download section of the school website at http://www.mpp.vic.edu.au/our-school/community/

Don’t hesitate to talk to your class teachers or leadership if you have any questions or feedback.

For further information about Respectful Relationships see the Department of Education Websites at: Teach Respectful Relationships and  Respectful Relationships