Positive environment
Well-being at school
Our school is concerned about the well-being of each student and each of its passengers. Through its actions, it promotes a pleasant climate of mutual aid, listening, sharing, prevention and the fight against bullying.
The school’s population is made up of over 50 different nationalities. This richness encourages openness to the world, to different religions and cultures and reduces the problems of racism and rejection.
The school’s setting and large outdoor spaces help to reduce conflicts between pupils: an airy school, large playgrounds, playgrounds and sports areas supervised by several adults and regulated by rules known to all.
The teaching staff undergo regular training to prevent violence and offer activities to help pupils gain a better understanding of themselves and others, acquire psychosocial skills and live better with themselves, others and the environment. This is also done in collaboration with outside contributors (P.S.E – School Health Service, C.P.M.S. – School Psychology Service, Childfocus etc.).
Prevention & Living together
Throughout the year, the teaching team implements a prevention programme, offering various activities and events. In general, various discussion forums are set up on a regular basis.
- Talking circles allow students to express themselves on a common theme and create a sense of belonging.
- The Class Council is an ideal opportunity to discuss issues relating to class life, resolve conflicts, initiate class projects, help each other, etc.
- The Student Forum brings together class representatives elected by their peers, teachers and the school management. It is run by 6e pupils from the 2 sections and deals with issues relating to school life and shared areas (corridors, canteen, football pitch, recreation, parties, etc.).
- Philosophy workshops open the way to dialogue on major philosophical issues such as friendship, life, happiness and truth, and develop critical thinking, thinking skills and social skills such as listening, expressing oneself, waiting one’s turn, accepting that others have different ideas, etc.
In Kindergarten and Primary sections: learning to cooperate and prevent bullying
The Graines de médiateurs and KiVa programmes aim to create group cohesion, develop empathy, learn to set limits, control impulsiveness, manage and express emotions and develop non-violent ways of communicating. They cover general themes ranging from the importance of respect in human relationships to the mechanisms and consequences of harassment. Pupils are invited to think about different ways of taking action against harassment and to put them into practice.
In the Secondary section: building connections through collective projects
As well as raising awareness in the classroom at the start of the school year, various activities are organised throughout the year to strengthen links between pupils, both within a class and between different years.
The sports day, for example, helps to bring the whole class together. During the two days of various activities, pupils have the opportunity not only to choose activities that are out of the ordinary, but also to take part with pupils from other classes and years, encouraging exchanges between younger and older pupils. School trips, overnights at school, class and Christmas dinners and FLA/FLE breakfasts are just some of the ways in which our pupils learn to communicate and live better together.
Intervention & support
Each section has an intervention team trained in dealing with difficult situations and responsible for intervening in specific bullying situations:
- Graine de mediateurs in Kindergarten
- KiVa in primary
- Cellule Bien-Être in secondary.
These teams are introduced to all pupils at the beginning of the year. When a pupil sees a classmate in difficulty or is in difficulty themselves, they first call on their class teacher or an educator. Depending on the situation, the teacher contacts the Kiva Intervention team or the Cellule Bien-Être. The situation is dealt with and the pupil(s) concerned are supported.
The team intervenes, assesses the situation, and provides tailored support to the students involved. The goal is to prevent any recurrence by ensuring regular follow-up.
A teacher, a parent or the school management can contact these units. Pupils are monitored and the people concerned are informed so that they can be vigilant to ensure that the situation does not recur.
Humanitarian projects
Pupils are made aware of various citizenship initiatives.
Some of the projects are led by outside contributors, providing a window on the world.
Some initiatives are carried out in partnership with external organizations such as Les Restos du Cœur de Wavre or ClassContact, offering students a tangible connection to the world and its realities. Activities like the “Bol de Riz” help raise funds to support local projects, such as l’École de l’Escalpade, and many others.
Other projects involve a personal commitment, such as making shoe boxes or visiting a nursing home.
These different projects are chosen and run jointly, depending on the age of the children, the issues involved and the project initiators.
We encourage everyone to participate on a voluntary basis.
Vert so Green
Born of the Ecole Plus Propre project and following on from other ecological projects such as the pond, the vegetable garden and Sun For Schools (solar panels), Vert So Green mobilises everyone in the school to act in an eco-responsible way.
It’s a daily challenge, whether it’s sorting waste, choosing the right school equipment, saving on heating or mobility.
We encourage young and old alike to take part in ‘Veggie Thursday’, to work in the vegetable garden and greenhouse, to reduce their waste and avoid wastage.
As part of the Miyawaki Forest, each pupil and member of staff has planted a tree. The intention is to create a small treasure trove of biodiversity on the school site and to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy ecosystem.