At Berinba Public School, our Ways of Being are at the heart of who we are and the community we are building together. They provide clear expectations for how we learn, behave, connect and contribute, while also inspiring our students to think about the kind of people they want to become.

Our Ways of Being go beyond a set of school rules. They provide a shared language for students, staff and families and help us create a learning environment where every child can feel safe, connected, challenged and supported. They are woven through our classrooms, playgrounds, relationships, celebrations and everyday interactions.

We believe education is about more than what students know. It is also about developing the character, confidence, curiosity and relationships that enable young people to thrive. Through Caring, Sharing, Achieving, Belonging, Integrity and Thinking, we encourage our students to recognise their strengths, take responsibility for their choices, contribute positively to their community and continue growing as learners and people.

Our Ways of Being are both expectations and aspirations. They help students understand what is expected of them today while inspiring who they can become tomorrow.

Caring

We show kindness, empathy and respect for ourselves, others and our environment.

Caring means noticing the people around us and understanding that our words, choices and actions matter. We encourage students to treat others with kindness, listen with empathy and offer support when someone needs it.

It also means learning to care for ourselves recognising our emotions, asking for help, making safe choices and developing the confidence to look after our own wellbeing.

Through caring relationships, we create a school where students know there are people who believe in them, support them and want them to succeed.

Sharing

We contribute, collaborate and make space for others.

Sharing is about much more than sharing our belongings. It means sharing our ideas, experiences, talents, time and opportunities with others.

Our students learn to listen, take turns, collaborate and recognise that everyone has something valuable to contribute. We encourage them to celebrate the success of others, offer help when it is needed and understand that we achieve more when we work together.

Sharing strengthens our connections with one another and reminds us that Berinba is a community where we learn with and from each other.

Achieving

We challenge ourselves, keep learning and celebrate growth.

At Berinba, achievement is not one-size-fits-all. Every student brings different strengths, experiences, interests and aspirations to their learning, and success can look different for every child.

Achieving means setting goals, giving our best, embracing challenges and continuing when learning becomes difficult. It means having the courage to try something new, learning from feedback and recognising that mistakes are an important part of growth.

We celebrate academic achievement, but we also celebrate progress, creativity, persistence, independence, leadership, kindness and personal improvement.

Our aspiration is for every student to experience success and discover just how much they are capable of achieving.

Belonging

Every face has a place.

We want every child who walks through the gates of Berinba Public School to know that there is a place for them here. A place where they can be themselves, build friendships, discover their strengths and feel connected to something bigger than themselves.

We celebrate the diversity of our students, families, cultures, abilities, experiences and perspectives. We teach our students to include others, value difference and recognise when someone may need an invitation, a helping hand or simply someone beside them.

Through connections in all directions between students, staff, families and our wider community—we create a school where people feel welcomed, respected and connected.

At Berinba, every face has a place, every voice has value and every person contributes to our community.

Integrity

We make choices we can be proud of.

Integrity means being honest, responsible and accountable for our choices. It is having the courage to do what is right, even when it may be difficult or when nobody else is watching.

We encourage students to take ownership of their actions, keep their word, tell the truth and treat people fairly. Importantly, integrity also means recognising when we have made a mistake and being willing to repair, restore and make things right.

We want our students to understand that mistakes do not define us. What matters is how we respond, what we learn and the choices we make next.

Through integrity, students develop trust, responsibility and the confidence to stand by the values that matter to them.

Thinking

We are curious, reflective and open to possibility.

We encourage our students to wonder, question, investigate, create and solve problems. We want them to be curious about the world around them and confident enough to ask why, how and what if?

Thinking also means listening to different perspectives, considering evidence, reflecting on our choices and being willing to change our thinking when we learn something new.

We inspire our Berinba students to become active rather than passive learners young people who are curious, creative and increasingly able to think for themselves.

Through rich learning experiences, challenge and reflection, students develop the confidence to explore ideas, solve problems and imagine new possibilities.

More Than Expectations

The Berinba Ways of Being provide consistency and clarity across our school, but their purpose reaches much further than behaviour.

They help us develop the whole child.

We want our students to leave Berinba not only with strong foundations in literacy, numeracy and curriculum learning, but with the confidence and character to build relationships, make thoughtful decisions, respond to challenges and contribute positively wherever life takes them.

That is why our Ways of Being are deliberately framed around 'being', not simply doing.

• We are learning to be Caring.
• We are learning to be Sharing.
• We are learning to be Achieving.
• We are learning to experience and create Belonging.
• We are learning to act with Integrity.
• We are learning to be Thinking people.

They are expectations for today and aspirations for tomorrow.

Together, they help create a Berinba where students are supported to learn, connect, grow and thrive.

Every face has a place. Connections in all directions.

Our School Values

At Berinba Public School, our values of Caring, Sharing and Achieving are deeply connected to our school’s history and the community we have grown from.

They reflect the spirit of Berinba across generations and continue to guide the way we learn, connect and grow together today. These values honour where we have come from, who we are today, all whist shaping a school where every face has a place and every student is supported to belong, grow and thrive today.