Catherine Amesbury, Deputy Principal - Student Engagement, shares a simple moment on campus that speaks to something much bigger. How everyday acts of kindness shape a culture where students feel known, supported and able to flourish.
The other day, I was walking across the bridge on Valley Campus with my hands full, moving quickly from one meeting to the next. In that familiar juggling act, something shifted just enough and everything tumbled to the ground. Before I could even bend down, two students were already there.
“I’ll get that for you, Miss,” one said.
“Do you need a hand?” asked the other.
I accepted their help, thanked them, and continued on my way. Yet that small moment stayed with me. It was not the dropped papers that mattered. It was the instinctive kindness displayed by the students.
“It reminded me that culture is not built in grand gestures or policies alone. It is built in the micro moments we share every day.”
Kindness creates the conditions for learning
Every interaction is an opportunity to care for one another, to reinforce that this is a place where people notice, respond and look out for each other. When students feel safe, connected and that they belong, they are far more able to flourish and unlock their individual excellence.
In practice, a culture of care is shaped through intentional choices. It is choosing a warm word over a sharp one. It is pausing to engage rather than walking past. It is making eye contact, smiling, and acknowledging someone’s presence even on a busy day.
Communication is powerful. The words we use and the tone we take ripple outward. With just a few thoughtful words, we can remind someone that they are seen and that they matter.
We also know that kindness is contagious. Research describes a ripple effect in which cooperative behaviour spreads through social networks. When someone experiences help or compassion, they are more likely to extend it to others.
This is why we are so intentional in our wellbeing approaches across the school. Through our Junior School program Grow Your Mind, our Middle School reflections in Yumma, and the strengths based framework in Senior School, students are encouraged to be other focused and to practise everyday acts of kindness.
“Kindness, quite simply, creates the conditions for learning to thrive.”
Why it matters for families
For families, this matters deeply. A culture of care means your child is known, supported and encouraged not just academically but personally. It means they are surrounded by peers and adults who model respectful communication and understand that success is not a solitary pursuit.
Kindness is not the same as always agreeing or avoiding difficult conversations. It can include honest advocacy, setting boundaries, and respectfully expressing our needs. It is an active choice to treat one another with dignity, even when opinions differ.
I often reflect on that moment on the bridge and feel grateful to work in a place where students instinctively reach out to help. It reassures me that our culture of care is not just something we talk about, it is something we live.
As we look ahead, my hope is that we continue to build on these everyday gestures. Small acts, repeated often, shape the kind of community we all want to belong to.
Catherine Amesbury
Deputy Principal - Student Engagement