Berry Street Education Model
BSEM Foundation Training
We are pleased to share that Knox Gardens Primary School is currently participating in the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) Foundation Training. This four-day training program is being delivered over two years, from 2026 to 2027.
The Berry Street Education Model is a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach designed to inform and guide teacher practice, student learning, student engagement, and psychosocial functioning.
The four-day course is arranged around the five Berry Street Education Model domains:
Day 1: Body – How to help students to regulate their stress response, de-escalate in school and classroom contexts and provide strategies for increased focus.
Day 2: Relationship – Positive relational classroom management strategies that promote on-task learning.
Day 3: Stamina & Engagement – How to create a culture of academic persistence in the classroom by nurturing student resilience, emotional intelligence and a growth mindset. Engagement – How to motivate students with strategies that increase their willingness to learn.
Day 4: Character – How to harness our values and character strengths approach for effective learning and for future pathways.
Our first training day was held on Monday 27 April, focusing on the Body domain. Our second training day will be held on Monday 31 August, focusing on the Relationship domain. The remaining training days will take place in 2027 and will focus on the Stamina & Engagement and Character domains.
We look forward to continuing our learning throughout the training and implementing strategies that support the wellbeing, engagement, and success of all students.
Morning Circles
As part of our Berry Street Education Model journey, teachers have also begun implementing Morning Circles in their classrooms during the first 10 minutes of the school day. Morning Circles are a short, predictable routine that helps students feel welcomed, connected, and ready to learn. They provide opportunities for students to greet one another, build positive relationships, share important information, and start the day with a sense of belonging and purpose.
We encourage families to ensure students arrive at school on time each morning so they can fully participate in Morning Circles and begin the day feeling connected, settled, and ready to learn.
Research behind the Berry Street Education Model highlights that predictable routines help create a sense of safety and connection for students. Morning Circles are designed to strengthen classroom culture, foster positive relationships, and support student wellbeing, engagement, and readiness for learning, while helping to establish a calm and positive tone for the day ahead.
Ready to Learn Plans
As part of our Berry Street Education Model journey, teachers are also supporting students to develop and use Ready to Learn Plans. These plans help students recognise when they are beginning to feel overwhelmed or escalated and identify strategies that can help them regulate and return to learning. Teachers and students work together to develop strategies, such as include movement breaks, sensory tools, mindfulness, or talking to a trusted adult.
Ready to Learn Plans are designed to give students a clear and positive way to recognise when they are becoming overwhelmed and know what they can do to feel settled and ready to learn. With support from their teachers, students can use the strategies in their plan when they need them and build confidence in understanding and managing their emotions.
The Berry Street Education Model emphasises the importance of helping students feel safe, supported and connected. Ready to Learn Plans provide students with clear pathways for managing difficult moments, while strengthening their self-awareness, regulation skills and readiness to learn.
