RRRR (Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships) at Watsonia North Primary School.

What is it?

The RRRR (Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships) program is a mandated Victorian Government initiative and an important part of the student wellbeing framework at Watsonia North Primary. It is divided into eight topics that fall under social and emotional learning: emotional literacy, personal strengths, positive coping, problem solving, stress management, help seeking, gender and identity and positive gender relations.  The Department of Education has developed a set of level appropriate resources and lessons that target each topic. Research tells us that Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) helps our students to succeed in school, at work and in life – helping with their decision making, awareness of self and others and self regulation. Students who are self-aware and confident try harder and handle failure better, helping them develop resilience and achieving better academic results. SEL has a positive impact on mental and physical health, reducing emotional distress and increasing self-esteem.

Respectful Relationships education also focuses on building and promoting gender equity in relationships, challenging gender stereotypes and tackling family violence. At WNPS we have started to implement this as a whole school approach. The Respectful Relationships program recognises that schools are a workplace, a community hub and a place of learning. Everyone involved in our school community deserves to be respected, valued and treated equally. Changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and equality are displayed across the school community, and when classroom learning is reinforces this. Respectful Relationships supports schools and early childhood settings to promote and model respect, positive attitudes and behaviours. It teaches children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.