Student Wellbeing, Engagement & Support

Each year group has a Pastoral Team of staff whose focus is to support the physical and emotional wellbeing of students.

Pastoral Team

Each Pastoral Team is led by the Deputy Principal and Assistant Principal of Pastoral Care. For non-academic queries or concerns, these staff members are the best people to contact initially.

Head of Year

The Head of Year oversees the pastoral care of an entire student cohort, working in partnership with students, parents and staff to address any pastoral concerns that may arise. They collaborate closely with Homeroom Teachers so each student’s individual needs are supported, while guiding them to meet the expectations of a student at Bunbury Catholic College.

Wherever possible, the Head of Year remains with the same group of students from Year 7 through to graduation, providing consistency and ongoing support.

Homeroom Teacher

The Homeroom Teacher meets with students each morning to check in, provide support, and help them prepare for the day ahead. Homeroom is an integral part of our Pastoral Program, and it is important that students are present and engaged.

During Homeroom, students take part in daily prayer, receive important notices, and make sure they are organised for each subject. The Homeroom Teacher also leads the Pastoral Care Period on Wednesday mornings, covering social and emotional wellbeing, personal organisation and goal setting.

Mental Health Practitioners

Kristie Rolfe and Adrienne Hunter are a valuable resource for students. They are an integral part of our Pastoral Care team, ensuring our students are able to thrive in a caring and supportive environment.

College Nurse

Our College Nurse, Teresa, is available to students Monday to Friday during school hours. The role is focused on promoting student wellbeing and maintaining a safe, nurturing environment as part of our pastoral care team, collaborating closely with teachers and families to provide compassionate and supportive care to our students.

Pastoral Programs

Berry Street Education Model

College staff are trained in the Berry Street Education Model — a suite of trauma-informed, strengths-based strategies for engaging all students with learning.

Teenage Mental Health First Aid

Young people often turn to each other first when they are worried or upset, so it’s important they have the skills to provide support and help when this happens. Bunbury Catholic College makes it a priority for every student to be offered Teenage Mental Health First Aid (TMHFA) training, which teaches students to:

Intervene early: recognise the warning signs.
Offer support: the skill of open, supportive conversation.
Respond in a crisis: where a friend may be at risk.
Reduce stigma: support for a friend experiencing mental health problems.

What our students say about TMHFA

Since the program was introduced in 2021, positive feedback has highlighted its value — and in the counselling space we have seen first-hand evidence of students putting TMHFA into practice.

“I really like it; it helps you understand important things in life.”

“It was good, and I participated more than I usually do because of the stickers.”

“It was fun and it was very nice to learn how to spot signs that your friend is hurting.”

“I enjoyed it because I have had a friend (in primary school) that has had mental health problems, and learning how to deal with this would have been extremely helpful back then.”

“I wish I learnt this earlier.”

“Don’t be afraid to speak up if something is wrong.”

“It was very easy to follow.”