At Mercedes College, our students benefit from the appointment of a dedicated Learning Enrichment Team, registered and endorsed Educational and Developmental Psychologists, and qualified Health Administrator. These specialists, alongside College leadership, help ensure that wellbeing is threaded throughout curriculum and pastoral care across all Year Levels.

Restorative Practices

Our students are encouraged to be guided by our Mercy Keys in all their actions, however in instances of disruptive behaviour or undisciplined learning, our faculty engages in restorative practices to guide them back to positive behaviours. This technique underpins our relationships with students, and engages them to reflect on their behaviour, empowering them to make more positive choices.

Family Resources

Trusted parenting tips and resources can be located anytime through SchoolTV. Opportunities to hear from guest speakers and visiting specialists are also promoted through our weekly newsletter, The Hedge, and other communication channels.

College Psychology Service

Registered, endorsed Educational and Developmental Psychologists support students, consult with families, liaise with external providers, conduct staff training, analyse student learning and wellbeing data to identify and address emerging individual and cohort challenges, plus work as members of the Learning Enrichment Leadership Team to support our diverse learners to flourish.

Growth and Personal Skills (GPS)

Students in Middle and Senior School benefit from weekly GPS sessions with their Home Group. These sessions follow developmentally targeted themes and learning activities that build intra and interpersonal understanding, individual capacity, and resilience, as well as skills that will continue to benefit them beyond their school years.

Career Guidance Assessment Programme

Year 10 students participate in our Career Guidance Assessment Programme facilitated by BDO Industrial and Organisational Psychology School Services. This programme provides a comprehensive assessment, followed by an individualised consultant-facilitated feedback session with students and their families. Each individualised report guides students with their Year 11 and 12 course and subject selections, as well as career planning beyond school.

Wellbeing within our curriculum

Our Faith and Spiritualty programme ensures students’ spiritual development together with their academic development, experienced through Liturgies, Masses, Reflection Days, and Retreats. An emphasis on global understanding and service, embedded in the International Baccalaureate, further supports this holistic education.

Health and Physical Education lessons promote healthy lifestyle choices, with students encouraged to engage in a wide variety of curriculum extension activities across arts, clubs, and sports.

Break Free  and Being You are optional curricular extension activities specifically for Year 9 students. Participants explore and challenge gender stereotypes, expectations, and misconceptions through structured, teacher-facilitated and judgement free discussions and activities. Immersive activities are complemented by guest speakers and practical demonstrations on topics such as self-defense and resilience, enabling students to build strong social relationships and a deeper understanding of self.

Open to students from Reception to Year 12, the Student Mentoring Programme has been a core wellbeing offering within the College for decades. Year 12 students, old collegians, and members of our College community support the wellbeing of our children and young people through building positive one-on-one relationships, enhancing self-esteem, confidence, and overall wellbeing for both participants.

Founded some 30 years ago, our Study Thinking Extension Programme (STEP) sees Year 9 and Year 10 students immersed in experiential programs about intra- and interpersonal skills, etiquette, and team building through investigative scenarios, team exercises, field trips, mindfulness sessions, and environmental maintenance of our produce garden on campus.

Students can also connect with First Nations people through our annual Trek to Mimili in the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara, (APY Lands), located in the remote north west of South Australia.

Health support services are coordinated across the College with a focus on the management of complex health matters, development and oversight of Student Health Plans including medication management for school, camps and excursions, coordinating our First Aid response, health incident debriefing, health education, facilitating referral pathways for students and families, and management of the School Immunisation Programme.