Coodanup College – A safe and orderly learning environment

Georgie Wynne and Stacey Plaut from the Fogarty EDvance team, along with members of the Swan View Senior High School leadership team (Cohort 7), recently visited Coodanup College to gain an insight into how they have successfully established a safe, calm, and orderly learning environment. The team at Coodanup College talked through the processes and practices that they have implemented over the last 5 years to ensure that the school was a safe space for learning.

Coodanup College use Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) as their schoolwide behaviour framework, which has been implemented with high fidelity as reflected by their data. The PBS committee create pre-organised packs for teachers to teach the behaviour expectations relevant to that fortnight. When students demonstrate the ‘focus’ behaviour, they earn points through the VIVO reward system which they can use to purchase items from the VIVO store, such as:

• Stationery, stickers, books, etc.
• Choosing the song of the week, from a curated list, to replace the school bell
• Ball tickets / leavers jumpers.

The team from Swan View Senior High School found the visit inspiring and motivating.  Highlights included seeing PBS in action and learning about the transformation of the College through RUOK Day, the Year 6 transition process and the implementation of the Zones of Regulation program.

It is impressive to see how the leadership team at Coodanup College have been innovative in the way they have established and maintained a calm and orderly learning environment. Specifically, the creative use of VIVO points (eg ball tickets), the playground obstacle course for Autistic students, and the school therapy dogs. Of note was also how well student services processes and practices are integrated within the school community to ensure the behaviour framework is owned by all staff. 

Coodanup College is available to host school visits once per term. For more information or if you would like to schedule a visit, please contact Kelly Bennett – Principal (kelly.bennett@education.wa.edu.au).

Find out more about the implementation of PBS in Secondary Schools here.