School & Student Wellbeing Systems
Better learning starts with understanding what affects wellbeing.
Student disengagement, attendance concerns, challenging behaviour and growing pastoral care demands are complex. Responding to each issue separately is rarely enough.
FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute works with education providers to examine the underlying determinants influencing learners, staff and learning environments. Our research-informed Universal Wellbeing approach supports coordinated school and student wellbeing systems grounded in primordial prevention.
The challenges education providers face
When the same issues keep returning, what is being missed?
Teachers, learning support teams and school leaders often manage overlapping pressures. The aim is to understand what is contributing to those pressures, rather than treating each symptom as an isolated problem.
Disengagement & attendance
Explore the conditions influencing participation, motivation, attendance and learners' connection to education.
Behaviour & learning barriers
Look beyond immediate incidents to the broader determinants affecting learning, behaviour and participation.
Fragmented student support
Strengthen coordination between pastoral care, teaching, leadership, whānau and relevant support services.
Teacher & staff pressures
Consider the organisational and environmental conditions influencing staff wellbeing and capacity to support learners.
Diverse learning needs
Support a more connected understanding of learner circumstances, inclusion and equitable participation.
Short-term responses
Move from disconnected activities towards an intentional, whole-of-setting wellbeing approach.
The FWI difference
Not another one-off wellbeing initiative.
Many approaches focus on responding after disengagement, distress or disruption becomes visible. Primordial prevention asks a different question: what conditions are contributing to these outcomes, and what can be changed at their source?
FWI's Universal Wellbeing Model provides a structured way to consider wellbeing across six dimensions and 70 determinants, helping education providers develop a more comprehensive understanding of the learning environment.
- Look at underlying determinants rather than isolated symptoms.
- Connect learner, staff, organisational and environmental factors.
- Inform coordinated pastoral care and wellbeing planning.
- Build staff understanding and organisational capability over time.
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Who we work with
Support across the education sector
Universal Wellbeing principles can inform the design of support systems across different educational environments. Each setting requires a response suited to its learners, people and responsibilities.
Primary schools
Consider engagement, learner development, inclusion, school culture and coordinated pastoral care.
Secondary schools
Explore attendance, student engagement, transitions, behaviour, wellbeing and pastoral support systems.
Tertiary & training providers
Examine learner participation, retention, pastoral care coordination and learning environment determinants.
School leadership teams
Develop a shared approach to identifying needs, planning systems and supporting staff capability.
SENCOs & learning support
Bring a wider determinants-based perspective to learner needs, collaboration and support planning.
Education networks & agencies
Explore research-informed approaches to whole-of-setting wellbeing and cross-team coordination.
A structured approach
How a wellbeing system can be developed
The exact scope is discussed with each education provider. A practical pathway may include the following stages.
Understand the setting
Discuss the concerns, existing systems and priorities of learners, staff and leadership.
Explore determinants
Apply the Universal Wellbeing perspective to identify factors that may be influencing outcomes.
Build capability
Consider relevant education, workshops and coordination roles to support implementation.
Review & improve
Use appropriate evaluation and feedback to guide ongoing planning and refinement.
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Professional learning & systems support
Give your people a shared framework to work from.
A sustainable system needs more than a policy or a presentation. FWI offers Universal Wellbeing education and professional development pathways that can help people build a common understanding of wellbeing determinants and their practical application.
Depending on your setting, a discussion may cover Universal Wellbeing workshops, professional education, evaluation and the development of coordinated support systems.
Research-informed foundations
A different starting point for lasting improvement.
FWI's Universal Wellbeing work draws on over 17 years of applied research. The Universal Wellbeing Model considers six dimensions and 70 determinants, offering a broad framework for understanding the conditions that influence wellbeing.
In education, this means looking at the whole context in which learners and staff participate, rather than assuming a single programme will resolve every challenge.
What makes this approach distinctive?
Primordial prevention: addressing determinants before harms become established.
Whole-of-setting thinking: connecting learners, staff, leadership and systems.
Capability and evaluation: supporting informed planning and ongoing review.
Tailored discussion: considering the needs and context of each education provider.
Frequently asked questions
School and student wellbeing: common questions
What is a school wellbeing system?
A school wellbeing system is a coordinated approach to understanding and supporting the conditions that influence learner and staff wellbeing. It may bring together leadership, teaching, pastoral care, learning support and evaluation rather than relying on separate activities.
How can schools address student disengagement and attendance concerns?
Start by understanding the contributing factors in the specific setting. FWI's Universal Wellbeing approach supports consideration of wider determinants that may influence engagement, participation and attendance, helping inform a coordinated response.
Does FWI provide pastoral care systems for schools and tertiary providers?
FWI can discuss research-informed Universal Wellbeing systems and support approaches relevant to school and tertiary pastoral care. The scope of any proposed work should be confirmed through an enquiry.
What is different about primordial prevention?
Primordial prevention focuses on the underlying determinants and conditions that contribute to harms, rather than only responding after problems have appeared. It complements, but does not replace, appropriate individual support or specialist services.
Can staff undertake Universal Wellbeing professional development?
FWI offers Universal Wellbeing professional education and development pathways. Contact the Institute to discuss suitable options for teachers, support staff and education leaders.
Start a conversation
What is your school or education provider trying to solve?
Tell us about the challenges you are seeing, your existing support arrangements and what you want to improve. We can discuss whether a Universal Wellbeing approach may be appropriate for your setting.
FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute · New Zealand · contactus@fwi.ac.nz