Lindisfarne Pulse Launch

At Lindisfarne College, we're always looking for ways to keep our tamariki safe and support their emotional wellbeing as part of their overall hauora.

What is Pulse?

Pulse is a regular wellbeing check-in tool that gives our tamariki a simple, private, and consistent way to share how they're feeling. It supports the development of mindfulness and emotional awareness, building on the work we already do to nurture these skills as part of our school values. Pulse also strengthens our focus on social and emotional learning, which helps children recognise and self-regulate their emotions.

Through Pulse, we aim to support:

• Students to feel safe seeking help and sharing how they feel
• Increased understanding and vocabulary around feelings and emotions
• Opportunities for students to have a voice and offer feedback to the school
• Development of self-regulation, reflection, and calming strategies
• Greater understanding of gratitude and empathy

Why are we using Pulse?

We know that Aotearoa has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the OECD. While that's a confronting truth, we believe that by starting early, through building strong emotional foundations and teaching our children to communicate and express themselves, we can make a meaningful difference. By helping our students recognise, share, and manage their feelings now, we're giving them tools for life. Pulse uses an evidence-based framework to help schools understand and support student wellbeing. The data it provides, visible only to selected staff, will help us offer more timely and targeted support to individual students, classes, and year levels.

How does it work?

Each fortnight, students will be invited to check in through Pulse by answering a few short questions about their wellbeing and school experience. Pulse helps teachers notice patterns and respond more effectively to student wellbeing. Over time, if a student regularly checks in as orange or red, teachers can offer a quiet chat or provide early support to prevent escalation. If a large number of students in a class or year group check in as orange or red, teachers or school leadership may respond with a class or school-wide conversation, or by implementing a school wide response.

What information does Pulse collect?

When we set up Pulse, the school will enrol students using their name, school email, class, and year level. Each check-in includes two identifiable questions:

1. How are you feeling today?
2. Which of these [emotions] best describes how you are feeling?

These responses are visible only to relevant school staff. If a student requests support from a staff member, that person will be notified by email and via the Pulse Dashboard that a student would like to chat. There is no open text field for students to type messages freely. All other responses are anonymous and shown only as class, year-level, or school-wide data.

Who can see the responses?

Only staff responsible for a student's class or cohort can see their individual responses to Pulse check-ins.

Does my child have to participate?

Participation in Pulse is optional. If you would like your child to be withdrawn from Pulse check-ins, please email Mr David Cournane (cournane.david@lindisfarne.school.nz) by Monday 16th February.

Where does Pulse store and process information?

Qoria, the provider of Pulse, takes data confidentiality seriously and has designed the platform with student privacy in mind. All data is securely stored, password protected, and encrypted. Qoria regularly backs up information to secure local data centres across major regions. Their employees cannot access identifiable individual responses.

Where can I find more information?

You can learn more about Pulse and its supporting frameworks here:

• FAQ for Parents and Guardians
• Pulse evidence-based frameworks
• Privacy Policy

If you have any further questions, please contact David Cournane at cournane.david@lindisfarne.school.nz