School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support
Our Vision
At Dandenong South Primary School, we provide a positive and engaging learning environment that equips students with the knowledge, skills and social competencies they need to become respectful and responsible citizens who contribute positively to society.
Our Mission
To provide an optimal learning environment where every child has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed.
Our School Values
At Dandenong South Primary School, we take a holistic approach to learning. We recognise that students thrive when their academic, physical, social and emotional needs are supported.
Our school values provide a clear framework for how we learn, work and interact with others. We encourage all members of our school community to be:
SAFE
We make choices that keep ourselves and others safe.
RESPECTFUL
We treat ourselves, others and our environment with kindness and respect.
RESPONSIBLE
We make positive choices, take responsibility for our actions and contribute to our school community.
What is School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support?
School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is an evidence-based framework that supports schools to create positive, safe and inclusive learning environments.
SWPBS focuses on teaching, modelling, encouraging and recognising positive behaviours, rather than simply responding when behaviour concerns arise.
At Dandenong South Primary School, SWPBS provides a consistent approach across the whole school. Students are explicitly taught what our school values look like in different settings, including classrooms, the playground, specialist areas, assemblies and other school environments.
By creating clear expectations and consistently acknowledging positive behaviour, we aim to:
- build positive relationships and a strong sense of belonging
- create safe and supportive learning environments
- support student wellbeing and engagement
- develop students’ social and behavioural skills
- provide consistency in how behaviour is taught and acknowledged
- maximise opportunities for students to learn and succeed
Our Behaviour Matrix
Our Behaviour Matrix clearly describes what being Safe, Respectful and Responsible looks like across different areas of our school. Students are explicitly taught these expectations and are given opportunities to practise them. Staff consistently model and reinforce the behaviours we want to see. This helps students understand not only what is expected, but also what these behaviours look and sound like in different situations.
Click here to view our SWPBS Behaviour Matrix
Recognising Positive Behaviour:
An important part of SWPBS is recognising students when they demonstrate our school values.
At Dandenong South Primary School, we use value tokens to acknowledge students who demonstrate behaviours that reflect our school values:
🔴 Safe
🟢 Respectful
🟡 Responsible
Staff use specific positive feedback to explain to students what they have done well and why their behaviour demonstrates one of our school values.
Students can receive value tokens from classroom and specialist teachers, as well as teachers on yard duty, when they demonstrate behaviours that reflect our school values. This means that positive behaviour can be recognised consistently across the whole school.
Our Reward System
Each student has a positive behaviour chart in their classroom. Students work towards completing their chart by collecting value tokens.
- Foundation – Grade 2: 10 tokens
- Grades 3 – 6: 15 tokens
When students complete their chart, they can choose a reward from a classroom reward menu. Reward choices are developed with students to encourage student voice and ownership.
Completed charts are placed in the SWPBS tub for each year level. At each whole-school assembly, one chart is drawn from each year-level tub. The selected student is recognised, and their whole class receives a special reward. This provides opportunities to celebrate positive behaviour at both an individual and whole-class level.
Everyone Has a Role
SWPBS is a whole-school approach. All staff share responsibility for teaching and reinforcing our school values.
Students are encouraged to recognise and demonstrate positive behaviours, while staff provide consistent teaching, modelling, feedback and acknowledgement.
Families also play an important role by talking with their children about our school values and encouraging them to be Safe, Respectful and Responsible at school and in the wider community.
Together, we are building a positive school culture where every student feels safe, valued, supported and ready to learn.