In today's educational landscape, the holistic development of students extends beyond academic achievements. Schools are increasingly recognising the importance of fostering emotional, social, and behavioural wellbeing to ensure students thrive both inside and outside the classroom. A comprehensive approach to student wellbeing involves tracking behaviours, managing incidents, supporting individual learning plans, and maintaining open communication with families. This is where Sentral's Wellbeing module comes into play.
A unified platform for student wellbeing
Sentral's Wellbeing module offers a centralised platform that empowers educators to monitor and manage various aspects of student wellbeing. With over 25 years of experience collaborating with schools and educators, Sentral has developed a system that provides a comprehensive view of each student's journey. Key features include:
- Behaviour Management: Track and manage behaviour levels, ensuring timely interventions and support.
- Awards and Recognition: Create, manage, and track school awards programs to celebrate positive behaviours.
- Incident Management: Record and address incidents such as detentions and suspensions, linking multiple students to a single event when necessary.
- Individualised Planning: Use templates to create and manage student plans, including health records, emergency care, personal learning plans, and independent education plans.
- Data Reporting: Filter and report on wellbeing data to inform school planning and decision-making.
- House Points System: Award, track, report, and display house points, celebrating house achievements electronically.
These features work in tandem to provide a holistic view of student wellbeing, enabling schools to implement proactive strategies and interventions.
Introducing automatic parent notifications
A recent enhancement to Sentral's Wellbeing module is the introduction of Automatic Parent Notifications. This feature allows schools to set up automated notifications to parents using generic or customisable messages. Notifications can be sent via:
- SMS
- Portal Notifications
These notifications can be triggered for various events, including:
- Incidents
- Awards
- Detentions
- Suspensions
Administrators can configure these notifications in the Wellbeing Setup section, ensuring that relevant parties are informed promptly and efficiently. This enhancement aims to strengthen the partnership between schools and families, fostering a collaborative approach to student wellbeing.
Benefits of automated parent notifications
The integration of automated parent notifications offers several benefits:
- Timely communication: Parents receive real-time updates on their child's wellbeing, enabling them to take timely action if needed.
- Customisation: Schools can tailor messages to suit their communication style and the specific needs of their community.
- Efficiency: Automating notifications reduces administrative workload, allowing staff to focus more on student support.
- Engagement: Regular updates keep parents engaged in their child's development, promoting a supportive home environment.
By leveraging technology to facilitate communication, Sentral's Wellbeing module helps create a cohesive support system for students, educators, and families.
Enhancing parent-child conversations
One of the most significant advantages of automated school notifications is the enhancement of communication between parents and their children. Traditionally, after school, many parents ask their children, "How was school today?" and often receive the standard response, "Good." This limited exchange can make it challenging for parents to engage in meaningful conversations about their child's day.
However, with the advent of automated notifications, parents receive timely updates about their child's activities, achievements, and areas of focus at school. For instance, receiving a notification that your child contributed well in a maths lesson or helped a peer can serve as a conversation starter. Instead of the generic "How was school?" parents can ask specific questions like, "I saw you contributed well in maths today; what were you learning about?" or "I heard you helped another student; tell me more about that."
This shift from general to specific inquiries not only makes conversations more engaging but also encourages children to share more about their experiences. It fosters a deeper connection between parents and children, allowing parents to stay informed and involved in their child's education. This approach aligns with research indicating that strong parent-child communication contributes to better academic outcomes and overall wellbeing.
Streamlining processes: The advantage of a unified platform
One of the standout benefits of Sentral's Wellbeing module is its unified platform. Traditionally, managing student wellbeing involved juggling multiple systems and manual processes, leading to inefficiencies and potential oversights. Sentral consolidates various functions such as behaviour tracking, incident management, award systems, and parent communications into a single interface. This integration ensures that all relevant data is accessible in one place, reducing the risk of information gaps and enhancing the quality of interventions.
For educators, this means less time spent navigating between different systems and more time dedicated to teaching and supporting students. The streamlined processes not only improve operational efficiency but also contribute to a more cohesive and proactive approach to student wellbeing.
Conclusion
Incorporating technology into student wellbeing practices enhances the ability to monitor, manage, and support students effectively. Sentral's Wellbeing module, with its comprehensive features and recent enhancements like automatic parent notifications, provides schools with the tools needed to foster a nurturing environment. By embracing such innovations, educational institutions can ensure that student wellbeing remains at the forefront of their mission, paving the way for students to succeed academically and personally.
