Relationship based Education is a philosophy of education that puts relationships at the centre.
It is a tool for long-term culture change and for addressing challenges.
The key messages are:
Parents Victoria has 100 years’ experience when it comes to listening to parents and educators at Victorian public schools. We know that things don’t always run smoothly; misunderstandings and conflicts occur between teachers and students, between school and home, and we’ve helped to resolve many of them. We believe that quality relationships are the key to quality education for our children. These pages provide empirical evidence, a philosophical background, practical advice and examples to support our belief that relationships are central to learning.
The resources on these pages are intended for educators and parents.
Staff and parents at Victorian public schools can contact us by clicking the button below.
Want a brief summary of Relationship based Education to share with colleagues and friends?
Download our 2-page flyer with a basic rundown of the program and philosophy behind it, success stories from school leaders and contact details.
If you want a little more detail, this collection of articles by John Hendry OAM and David Moore explore the issues of a kind/resilient culture, the ‘me first/we first’ distinction, and restorative practices.
Our 2022 Annual Conference focused on RbE, and all the presentations are available on video. We looked at the What and Why of RbE with John Hendry OAM (originator of RbE) and Kristin Reimer PhD from Monash University. We also learned a lot about the How from two schools that have implemented RbE: Ocean Grove Primary School and Prahran High School. Their stories are inspiring!
A practical guide for families and schools.
Strong school communities are built on relationships—and relationships are built on trust.
When people feel embedded in a community, they feel “protected, respected, and connected” and this
generates enormous trust.
This is a very thought-provoking video discussion between two thought leaders in the areas of education and child development: Dr Billy Garvey – Developmental paediatrician, researcher and author,
“Growing up in a gang-ridden neighbourhood in Cape Town, you come to assume that children are problems to manage rather than humans with potential. Being
(Lecturer, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music) I recently had the pleasure of working with John Hendry in a professional development day for tertiary and secondary teachers.
(Head of Music & Creative Industries, Box Hill Institute) Reflections on John’s Workshop: Empowering Music Educators Through Flow and Connection John’s recent professional development workshop
Ocean Grove Primary School began to bring Relationship based Education into the school in early 2022 with a staff in-service day presented by John Hendry.
This article in the Conversation, by two Flinders University researchers, examines school can’t (also known as school refusal) in Australia. They observed and interviewed teachers
More endorsements for John Hendry’s Relationship based Education work in schools: “Your work at our school has had a profoundly positive impact; kindness is one
Sessions 1 and 2: P-6s John connected brilliantly with the students. They found his presentation fun and engaging. They loved the pet activity and the
(Campus Principal, School for Student Leadership – Snowy River Campus) John has visited our school as a guest speaker to talk to our year 9
A practical guide for families and schools.
Strong school communities are built on relationships—and relationships are built on trust.
When people feel embedded in a community, they feel “protected, respected, and connected” and this
generates enormous trust.
This is a very thought-provoking video discussion between two thought leaders in the areas of education and child development: Dr Billy Garvey – Developmental paediatrician, researcher and author, Billy is also the founder of the social enterprise Guiding
“Growing up in a gang-ridden neighbourhood in Cape Town, you come to assume that children are problems to manage rather than humans with potential. Being labelled as ‘troubled’ or having teachers pity you… is a
(Lecturer, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music) I recently had the pleasure of working with John Hendry in a professional development day for tertiary and secondary teachers. In the lead-up to this event, John and I met
(Head of Music & Creative Industries, Box Hill Institute) Reflections on John’s Workshop: Empowering Music Educators Through Flow and Connection John’s recent professional development workshop offered music educators a deeply enriching experience, blending theory and
Ocean Grove Primary School began to bring Relationship based Education into the school in early 2022 with a staff in-service day presented by John Hendry.
This article in the Conversation, by two Flinders University researchers, examines school can’t (also known as school refusal) in Australia. They observed and interviewed teachers and students across ten South Australian schools from all sectors.
More endorsements for John Hendry’s Relationship based Education work in schools: “Your work at our school has had a profoundly positive impact; kindness is one of our new school values and underpins all conversations we
Sessions 1 and 2: P-6s John connected brilliantly with the students. They found his presentation fun and engaging. They loved the pet activity and the magpie story. Staff were also had very positive reviews about
(Campus Principal, School for Student Leadership – Snowy River Campus) John has visited our school as a guest speaker to talk to our year 9 students. John has an amazing ability to walk into a
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