Professional Practice
Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

A section of a Health and Physical Education (HPE) unit plan on developing protective strategies for students, implemented in a Kindergarten classroom in accordance with a school policy informed by the National Safe Schools Framework.

In order to support students’ wellbeing and safety, I implemented a unit plan with a focus on students’ safety, actively supporting students to develop understanding and skills to keep themselves and others safe, as recommended by the Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood (SCSEEC) (2010). The unit facilitated the provision of a safe and supportive environment as it equipped students with knowledge and skills to identify and handle safety issues relative to context, as suggested by Trump and Kenneth (2011). The focus on safety practices was wide-ranging and included scenarios from a variety of contexts pertinent to Kindergarten students, including safe practices in water, around medicines and poisons, on roads, and with ICT. It also included ways of seeking help in emergency situations, effectively empowering students with essential skills to keep themselves and others safe.