At Dutton Park State School Pastoral Care is not just about teachers caring for students - it is also about students caring for each other.
Dutton Park School State School has 310 students. That is small enough for students across grades to get to know each other, and to play together.
Our ‘Buddies’ program also contributes to the creation of a friendly and caring school community.
Prep children are paired with a Year 6 ‘Buddy’ to assist with their first experiences of the primary school. The strong relationships formed not only result in the Prep students feeling safe and cared for it also enables the Year 6 students to feel valued and respected.
Each week, our Year 6 students participate in positive, supportive, structured one-on-one activities with our Prep students. These activities focus on oral language and include reading, computers and technology, literacy and numeracy puzzles and games and sport. The camaraderie transfers to the playground, where the Year 6 Buddy becomes a ‘go to’ person in times of need.