Student Support
A key principle of the Brentwood experience is providing support for the wellness of our students.
We recognize the importance of having support structures in place for all aspects of student life. Facilities and programs to support students’ mental and physical wellness can be found in all corners of the campus as well as throughout the school calendar. We continually strive to help our students understand and find solutions to the challenges they face.
Academic Support
Brentwood has an unwavering commitment to student success. Academic support nurtures students toward fulfilling their potential and fosters a culture of excellence throughout the School.
We balance our deep belief in personal responsibility, and our value of grit (it doesn’t just apply to the rugby pitch or the stage!), with a readiness to answer a raised hand, approach a topic from a new angle, and to collaborate in order to solve problems and make learning as inclusive as possible.
Brentwood is a busy place and, to ensure students have the opportunity to fully access academic support, our teachers make themselves available during various times of the day. During academics mornings, students can take advantage of our timetabled study block—known as Tutorial—allowing them to seek assistance with specific subjects or projects. Three afternoons per week our Math Help Centre is open, where students can benefit from one-on-one assistance. Teachers on duty in the houses are also available to support students during the academics evening study block—known as Prep.
For students who have identified learning exceptionalities and require more support to ensure success, the Learning Centre is offered as a class in the academic morning. Students with a Learning Centre block are able to work on learning strategies, which may include assistive technology support, executive functioning skills development, as well as IEP goal creation and how to improve their self-advocacy skills.
In addition to the support provided by teachers, Brentwood has a strong philosophy of peer tutoring. This formalised role taken on by our senior students is a collaborative effort organised by the Student Academic Council and supported by the Deputy Head-Academics and Director of Teaching and Learning. Peer tutoring offers another custom option for students to choose—to connect with a type of support that best suits their learning style.
Whether the learner or the leader in a given situation, all of our students are guided by our core values of Grit + Joy.
Boarding House Staff
Houseparents, Assistant Houseparents, and Boarding Faculty Assistants all play a constant role in our students' lives—by living full-time in the boarding houses, teaching classes during the morning, and coaching sports or facilitating arts in the afternoons. When challenges arise for students, the relationships they have built with the House Staff provide a comfortable place to ask for help and receive support.
Wellness Framework
Brentwood has developed a framework to help students better identify, understand, and monitor changes in their wellness. This Wellness Framework acts as an intentional and proactive tool used to enable reflection, personal development, and the clear identification of the support systems that are available at the School.
Maeda Health Centre
Medical staff in the Brentwood campus Maeda Health Centre provide care for both the mind and the body. Our Health Centre Team are readily available to help students during this busy and potentially change-filled time in their lives. Maeda is a safe place to come and talk with empathetic, experienced, and welcoming healthcare providers. The Nursing Team is in constant communication with House Staff to ensure our students are supported in all that they do. In addition, they arrange for appointments both on and off campus for physical and mental wellness—as well as dispensing medication and administering immunizations right here in the health centre.
B-Well
B-Well is a program for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students who have completed voluntary peer-support training and who are truly passionate about wellness. With the important key message (caveat) that their priority at Brentwood is to be a student first, B-Well members develop and refine their mental wellness literacy in order to notice shifts and changes in their peers. Throughout the year, they organise and facilitate various B-Well events and activities, including, but not limited to: the Wellness Conference, volunteer community service, peer counselling, health awareness campaigns, and fundraising and service for local non-profit organizations.
The potential that lies within every student should never be underestimated, because every student that I met there, everyone, every last one, had something to offer.
Head of School 1976-2000
