Positive behaviour for learning (PBL)

At Peakhurst West Public School, we are committed to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment through the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) framework. Our students are encouraged to embody three core values in all aspects of their lives:

• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• Be Safe.

These values not only guide behaviour within the school but also help students make positive choices in the wider community.

What is PBL?

PBL is an evidence-based approach that involves the entire school community working together to create a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment where every student can thrive. To strengthen this commitment, we have a dedicated PBL leader who plays a key role in engaging students and staff by creating informative PBL videos and monitoring classroom expectations. Additionally, each year, two PBL leaders are nominated from each class to help ensure that expectations are consistently upheld. These student leaders contribute by creating videos to share with their peers, reinforcing key messages such as the student code of conduct. This proactive approach encourages student ownership of positive behaviours and supports consistent practice across all classrooms.

Find out more about positive behaviour for learning (PBL) here.

Benefits of PBL

Increased positive and respectful relationships between students and teachers

• Increased engaged learning time

• Improved social and emotional wellbeing

• Encouraging safe, respectful and responsible behaviours

• Creating a safe and supportive learning environment

Why explicitly teach behaviour?

Just like academic skills, social and behavioural skills must be taught, practised and acknowledged to ensure students understand and use them consistently. PBL provides a proactive approach to behaviour management by teaching expected learning behaviours, reinforcing those behaviours through rewards and recognition, and using a consistent and clear approach to behavioural expectations across the school. Through PBL, we aim to improve student wellbeing and academic achievement, strengthen positive peer and teacher relationships, reduce incidents of inappropriate behaviour, and foster a safe, positive and respectful school environment.

Why does PBL look like at PWPS?

Weekly lessons

Our weekly PBL lessons, taught by classroom teachers, explicitly teach and reinforce our school-wide behaviour expectations across different areas of the school. Lessons focus on what expected behaviours look, sound and feel like in settings such as the classroom, playground, hall, library and other shared spaces. This consistent whole-school approach ensures all students receive clear and consistent messages about positive behaviour, helping to build a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment for everyone.

PBL leaders

At the beginning of each year, PBL Student Leaders are selected from each class to take an active role in promoting our school-wide expectations. These students act as positive role models within their classrooms and across the school, consistently demonstrating and encouraging respectful, responsible and safe behaviour. PBL Leaders also help bring our expectations to life by creating videos and other resources that demonstrate expected behaviours in different school settings. Through this leadership role, students are empowered to have a voice in strengthening our positive school culture and encouraging their peers to uphold our shared expectations.

PBL mascot

Peaky the Blue Tongue Lizard is Peakhurst West Public School’s PBL mascot and represents the positive values and behaviours we encourage across our school. Blue tongue lizards are also known for being gentle and calm, reflecting the kindness, care and respect we encourage our students to show each day.

Peaky is used throughout our PBL program to help students recognise, understand and remember our school-wide expectations. As a familiar symbol across the school, he encourages students to make positive choices and contribute to a safe, respectful and responsible school community.

Positive reward system

At Peakhurst West, we believe that positive reinforcement encourages students to keep making good choices. We have a reward system that motivates students to strive for positive behaviour, shows them they are making progress, provides positive feedback, and helps reinforce our core values and expectations.

PBL Awards

Our Gotchas and Peaky Awards are an important part of our PBL approach, recognising and celebrating students who demonstrate our school-wide expectations:

• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• Be Safe.

Gotchas

Gotchas provide fast and frequent recognition of positive behaviour throughout the school day. Staff “catch” students demonstrating our expectations in the classroom, playground and other school settings and provide a Gotcha while explaining the positive behaviour they have noticed. Students place their Gotchas into their class collection, with winners regularly drawn and celebrated at whole-school assemblies.

Peaky awards

Peaky awards recognise students who consistently demonstrate our PBL expectations through their everyday actions. This may include showing kindness and respect towards others, taking responsibility for their learning and choices, working cooperatively, following instructions, making safe decisions and being positive role models within our school.

Bronze awards

The bronze award recognises students who continue to demonstrate our PBL expectations of being Respectful, Responsible and Safe. Students earn a Bronze award after receiving 5 peaky wwards.

Silver awards

The Silver award celebrates students who consistently demonstrate positive behaviour and uphold our school-wide expectations. Students earn a Silver Award after receiving 3 bronze awards.

Gold awards

The gold award recognises a high level of commitment to consistently demonstrating our PBL expectations and being a positive role model within our school community. Students earn a gold gward after receiving 2 silver awards.

Platinum award

The platinum award is the highest PBL award at Peakhurst West Public School and celebrates an outstanding commitment to being Respectful, Responsible and Safe. Students earn a platinum award after receiving 2 gold awards and are invited to celebrate their achievement at our special Platinum Party at the end of the year.

How families can help

Read and talk about the PBL information shared by the school

• Discuss our school values: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe
• Talk with your child about what these behaviours look like at home and at school
• Acknowledge and reward your child when they demonstrate positive behaviour
• Respond consistently to inappropriate behaviour, using meaningful consequences. A strong partnership between school and families leads to better outcomes for students — academically, socially and emotionally.

Read more about PBL in our parent information booklet here.

PBL student expectations matrix

Watch some of our PBL videos

Silver seats

Hats

Toilets

Eating time

Have any questions about PBL?

Contact us to speak with one of our friendly staff members, who will be happy to assist.