MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT HANDBOOK - Leaning Tree Steiner ...
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MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT HANDBOOK
WELCOME Dear Family, Thank you for your enquiry regarding a place for your child at Leaning Tree Steiner School. We have enclosed information about the enrolment process and the appropriate enrolment forms. If you would like to know more about our school, please don’t hesitate to call and arrange an appointment to come and discuss your queries. If you have not already done so, you will need to book a school tour during which you will be able to visit our classrooms, meet staff and find out more about the school and its ethos. If you wish to apply to enrol your child/children, please complete the Application for Enrolment form for each child and return this to the school with $100.00 per application. We ask that you read the enclosed enrolment information carefully to ensure you become familiar with our procedure. The details provided are correct at the time of publication. We look forward to receiving your completed application in the near future. Yours sincerely, Mike Friday Education Manager
ENROLMENT PROCEDURE
• Contact School to make an appointment for a school tour. The school tour includes a visit
to the classroom and meeting the teachers and Community or Education Manager. You will
have the opportunity to ask any questions about the structure of the school, the curriculum,
policies and what is involved in being a parent in this school community. You will also be
able to provide details about your child regarding their development and learning styles. An
enrolment pack can be given at this point, or posted or emailed prior to visiting.
• A one day trial is available at this stage, if required. A trial day fee of $50 per child is
payable to cover insurance and resources used.
• Complete and return the enclosed enrolment forms and submit the registration fee
$100.00 non-refundable application fee per child.
• The School will contact the family to arrange an Admissions Interview once the school has
received the completed enrolment form and there is a suitable vacancy. Please note that it
is important that the family inform the school of any changes to contact details to facilitate
this.
• To secure your child’s position and commence schooling, the Endowment fee of $400.00
per family must be paid at this time. Children cannot attend until the endowment is paid.
Term fees and other costs will be invoiced to you during the week your child begins school
(a discount applies for paying the year upfront as per the schedule of fees). Refer to the fee
structure for tuition fee discounts.
• One month trial period commences. During this time staff meet regularly with the family
should the need arise. This trial period is reviewed by the Education Manager. Fees for the
time spent at the school will be invoiced should the trial reveal that the school is not a
suitable placement.
“Receive the children in reverence,
educate them with love, let them go forth in freedom”
Rudolf Steiner
ENROLMENT GUIDELINES
• Families need to have a genuine desire to support the Leaning Tree Steiner School’s Ethos,
Mission and Values statements. Leaning Tree Steiner School is committed to a vision of parents
as the first educators of their children.
• Enrolment into the school expresses a commitment by parents to support school policies,
practices and activities. This commitment extends to the Governing Body and the Parents and
Friends’ Association.
• The acceptance of an application form does not guarantee an enrolment interview or an offer of
enrolment.
• In accepting an offer of enrolment, parents agree to pay all school fees and charges by the due
date. If genuine financial need exists, parent contact with the Business Manager is required.
• Upon acceptance of offer of enrolment, the Education Manager will, at all times, enrol a student
with a one month trial period to be reviewed at determined intervals by the Education Manager.
• The School is committed to principles of Reasonable Adjustment and will examine the needs of
each student individually at time of enrolment and on an on-going basis.
• One term’s notice is required before transferring to another school. Term fees will be invoiced
and expected to be paid for incomplete terms unless an alternate arrangement is made with the
Education and Business Manager.
• Consistent attendance when enrolled at a school is an important aspect of a child’s sense of
belonging and access to learning opportunities in a school environment. All enrolled students
are expected to attend daily and on time. Any unexplained non-attendance must be reported to
the School by 9.30am. Less than 90% attendance is considered “low attendance”. Upon
identification of low attendance, a parent teacher attendance meeting is called by the teacher
to discuss issues related to non-attendance and to identify areas where the school community
can support family to achieve attendance improvement.
COMMUNICATIONS School Information Leaning Tree Steiner School will communicate all school information using email. Please keep your contact email up to date with the School. Newsletters are published every 4 weeks and sent via email. The newsletter includes an updated term calendar to keep you informed of upcoming school events. Absences The school day begins at 8.45am and finishes at 3.00pm. All families must notify the school of any absences prior to or on the day of absence. Please phone, email or use the SMS system to notify the school prior to 8.45am on the day your child is absent. Taking family holidays during the school term is discouraged. Lateness If your child is late (arrives after 8.45am) they are required to collect a late note from the office, signed by their parent/carer. After 5 late notes are collected in one term, you will be required to attend a family and teacher meeting to assist you with identifying strategies to arrive on time. School Queries or Compliments Please direct all queries or compliments to the relevant person as per the Communication Flowchart which is available on the School Website or located at the end of this document. Concerns or Complaints Please direct all complaints or concerns to the relevant person as per the Communication Flowchart which is available on the School website or located at the end of this document. Additionally, a Concerns, Complaints and Disputes Policy document is available to download from the school website should you need to lodge a concern.
SCHOOL FEES
The Necessity for School Fees
Although schools receive some Government monies, fees constitute a necessary and substantial part of
their income. Without fees and other support from the local community, Leaning Tree Steiner School
would not be able to function.
Parents who enrol their children in the school assume a moral and legal obligation to pay fees.
Parent Responsibility
When enrolling children in the school, parents are advised of the fee structure and commit themselves,
in writing, to fulfilling the responsibility they are undertaking. The seriousness of the commitment must
be emphasised and parents understand that a school is a financial as well as an educational institution,
dependent upon fees to remain viable. The parent who signs the Letter of Acceptance accepts
responsibility for payment of the fees. It is also the responsibility of parents to notify the Business
Manager in writing if they are experiencing difficulty with the payment of fees.
Governing Body Responsibility
The Governing Body, which has a responsibility on behalf of the school community, reviews school fee
levels each year, to help ensure the viability of the school and the quality of the education it provides.
The school makes every effort to be both just and compassionate in both:
• Its consideration of those who need a tuition fee reduction and
• Its insistence that those who incur a debt must meet their commitment.
The Governing Body is also responsible for ensuring that arrangements for the payment of fees are
adequate.
Genuine Need
As would be expected in a community school, provision exists for deferrals of payment of fees when
parents find themselves in circumstances of genuine need. In such circumstances parents need to write
a letter and seek assistance. The completed form, when returned to the School, must be accompanied
by the requested supporting documentation. The matter will then be dealt with respectfully and
confidentially. Application for reduced tuition fees does not automatically mean that a reduction will be
given. Each case will be considered on its merits.
Confidentiality
All matters related to tuition fee reductions or inability to pay is treated confidentially.
Billing Schedule
At the beginning of the school year, an account for the Annual Tuition Fee, Building Fund Levy,
Term 1 levies, and any additional fees and charges – including subject levies - will be forwarded. Term
Fees and levies for Term 1, 2 and 3, where applicable, will be charged at the beginning of each term.
Parents have the option of paying in the following ways:
• Total payment of the account on invoice,
• The account to be divided into three equal instalments; each instalment to be paid by the end of
each term or
• Regular payments (weekly/fortnightly/monthly) by way of either EFT, Direct Debit facility via
bank (please request a DDR form), payment by mail, telephone or in person (Monday-Thursday
by EFTPOS, cheque or cash).
All fees and charges for the school year must be paid by in full by 30 November.
Payment Variations
Requests for any variations or deferments in the payment of accounts must be made in writing to the
Business Manager within 14 days of receipt of the account.
Endowment
The endowment fee of $400.00 is payable upon the initial enrolment of a family.
Family Discounts
1st Child nil family discount of Tuition Fee
2nd Child 20% family discount of Tuition Fee
3rd Child 75% family discount of Tuition Fee
Non Payment of Fees
School policy is to send out reminder letters in week 3 of each term if fees of the previous term have not
been paid. It is expected that families experiencing difficulties paying fees will enter into a payment plan
and maintain the payment plan until the debt is cleared. If a payment plan is not entered into, your
child’s enrolment may be terminated for non-payment of the fees. Any fees that have not been paid will
be lodged with the general courts to recuperate the School’s costs. The school will not pay the court
costs and it will be added to the account.
Withdrawal of Enrolment
One term’s notice, in writing, to the Education Manager is required if a student leaves the School. If this
notice is not given, fees will be charged in lieu.
How Can Our Fees Be Paid?
If you opt to pay annual fees in full 28 days after being invoiced you will receive a 5% reduction on the
Tuition fees component. Fees can be paid in advance by EFT, Direct Debit facility via bank (please
request a DDR form), payment by mail, telephone or in person (Monday-Thursday by EFTPOS, cheque or
cash).
Bank Account Details
Leaning Tree Steiner School BOQ BSB: 126573 Account 22356133.
Please reference the invoice number or your surname when depositing funds.Where Does Our Funding Come From To Operate?
As an independent school, Leaning Tree Steiner School relies heavily on Term fee income from parents
and building fund contributions. We are considered a “mid fee” private school. Paying your fees on
time helps us to provide the quality Steiner education that you seek for your child. Leaning Tree Steiner
School is a wholesome environment dedicated to nurturing your children in a balanced and holistic
learning environment.
Where does the money come from? How is the money spent?
Commonwealth Government Salaries
State Government Teaching resources
Parent Fees Administration
Donations, Fundraising Premises and utilities
SCHEDULE OF FEES 2021
One-off Fees
Application Fee
This is a non-refundable fee per child for initial enrolment, to be paid upon $100
lodgement of application for enrolment.
Endowment
Payable once per family with return of acceptance letter. The non- refundable $400
endowment is used for school development projects. It is also linked to our
strategic plan and yearly priorities as the school continues to grow.
Annual Tuition Fees & Levies
A 5% discount off the annual tuition fee will apply if the account is paid in full 28 days after the invoice is issued.LTSS Annual School fees include (as much as possible), all fees & levies associated with your child’s
learning journey. This includes;
• Annual tuition fee,
• Whole School levy; Building, Insurance, Cleaning, Excursion (inc Swimming lessons), Student
resources and Booklists.
• Individual year levy; Yr. 1 Recorder, Yr. 6 Graduation activities, Yrs. 5-9 IT & Technology (includes
Mathletics), Yrs. 5-9 Annual Camp, Yrs. 5-9 Music and Yrs. 6-9 Young Writers.
Please note: An additional booklist item for Year 5/6 is the purchase of a violin - $175.
FAMILY COMMITMENT SCHEME
The Family Commitment Scheme saves the School on alternative service provision which allows us to
keep our fees low. It also provides an opportunity for parents to develop a connection to the school, the
staff and other parents. Family Commitment Hours are a positive way for our children to enjoy their
parents’ association with their school.
Importantly, the Family Commitment Scheme forms part of the enrolment agreement each family signs
when entering the school. There are numerous choices for contributions of time during school hours,
after school hours, on weekends, in-term time and out-of-term time. Ways in which your family may
contribute Family Commitment hours include, but are not limited to;
• School maintenance-busy bees, gardening,
• School events- Open Day, Spring Fair, Book Fair,
• Action teams such as P&F or Landscaping Action Team,
• Craft and sewing-classroom resources,• Catering- events,
• Professional and trade skills- plumbing, electrical, building, finance, human resources and
• Parent help in the classroom.
In January each year, or upon enrolment, families are invited to identify their skills, knowledge and
preferred area of commitment. Hours completed are recorded in an eForm (located on the SMS portal)
or recorded in hard copy in the Family Commitment file (located at the Administration). Any hours not
acquitted by October 31st will be invoiced out to families at a rate of $20 per hour. Alternatively, if your
family cannot commit to volunteer hours, a payment of $400 is required.
CLASSROOM HELP
Share the joy of school with your child by spending time in your child’s classroom. Teachers are always
grateful for assistance in the classroom and children love the extra attention of caring adults in their
room.
Classroom helpers can be hands on with an activity or in the background if you are more comfortable.
Things classroom helpers might do include; cutting up fruit, tidying an area of the classroom, baking
bread, cutting paper, preparing resources, reading a book to the class, listening to reading, maths,
helping with craft, helping at exercise time, playing a musical instrument, gardening at play time,
internet research or word processing with the older children. As you can see, there are many ways your
family can be involved in the school day.
Younger siblings are welcome to come in. The older children love to help out with small children and
include them in their activities. However, do remember that the teacher is not responsible for your
younger aged children. If the younger child is proving too distracting, you may need to leave the
classroom. It is worth noting that it is worthwhile for an older sibling to have their family member at the
school just for them, getting their parent’s full attention.
Teachers, students and parents all benefit from this family contact and the relationships built provide a
richer and more fulfilling school experience for the whole school community.
You can discuss what your family might like to do in the classroom with the classroom teacher and see if
your time schedules match up. There may be times in the week where extra hands would be beneficial.
Please be mindful that classroom help must be communicated to the classroom teacher prior to
arriving. If providing classroom help, it is paramount to keep privacy and the need for confidentiality in
mind. Please refer to the Parent Code of Conduct document for clarity – available on the School website.
Working with Children Check
Parents do not require a WWCC when they volunteer for parent help in their child’s classrooms. Family
members over the age of 18, other than parents, who are not eligible for an exemption, require a
WWCC to be involved in child related work, including volunteering in the classroom.
DAILY PROVISIONS
Please Provide For All Students:
• Clearly labelled school bag, lunch box and water bottle,
• Comfortable shoes, sandals, sandshoes or boots only, suitable for walking in,
• Comfortable, neat school uniform (PP-6),• A School hat,
• Middle School students appropriate free-dress (sun-smart & logo free) and
• A spare set of clothes for each student, even older children, including underwear which will
remain in child’s bag; there is sometimes water play, accidents with paint as well as toileting
with younger children.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Lunch and recess are important times of the day and the food provided needs to fuel the children’s play
and learning until home time. Please pack:
• A clearly named water bottle. Children are encouraged to drink only water at school,
• Kindergarten/Pre-Primary require a piece of uncut fruit or vegetable for fruit share plate at
morning tea,
• Year 1-9 children have a 5 minute ‘snack attack’ at 10.00am. Please provide children with extra
prepared fruit or vegetable in addition to their recess and
• A lunch box with wholesome recess and lunch.
We encourage whole foods for their nutritional value and minimal packaging. We encourage all families
to have an eco-friendly lunch which includes Meat-free Monday, with no meat in recess or lunch and a
Waste free Wednesday with no disposable packaging in our lunch boxes.
Please avoid high sugar content food such as drink boxes, muesli bars, lollies, chocolate as these give a
short-lived increase in energy with no real benefit over the school day. It is important that ALL children
have healthy lunches and recess with no processed snack foods to ensure they are functioning at their
optimum.
UNIFORM INFORMATION
Wearing of the school uniform is compulsory for Years PP-6. It is not compulsory for Pre-Kindergarten,
Kindergarten or Middle School students, however Middle School students are required to wear an
orange LTSS shirt on excursions and a School hat.
The uniform consists of;
• Six differently coloured polo-t’s with the School logo embroidered on the left breast,• Navy shorts, skirt/skorts, trousers or tracksuit pants,
• Navy jumper with School logo embroidered on right breast and
• Navy wide-brimmed School hat.
The Rainbow colours for the polo represent a day of the week and are;
Day of the week Colour
Monday Violet
Tuesday Red
Wednesday Yellow
Thursday Orange/Light blue
Friday Green
The School is sensitive to the cost involved in purchasing uniforms and whilst the uniform is compulsory,
it is your decision which colour polo-t’s you buy and how many. The day/colour representation is just a
guide and students may wear any colour on any particular day.
We do ask that ALL students have an orange polo-t, as this is the colour chosen to be worn on school
excursions and a School hat.
Our polos and hats all come embriodered with the School logo and can only be purchased through Hip
Pocket Wear on Lester Avenue, Geraldton and whilst the navy shorts, pants, skorts, skirts and jumper
can be out-sourced, we do stress that these must be NAVY in colour. We are happy to accept your
donations to “on sell” your pre loved uniforms, once your child has grown out of them. The
“Wedgetail Wardrobe” in the office sells preloved uniforms. You are welcome to drop off uniforms in
reasonable condition to Karen or Claire. Each week, unlabelled items in the lost property basket are
washed and placed in the Wedgetail Wardrobe to be sold. If you don’t wish this to happen to your
child’s clothes, please LABEL their clothing.
Additionally, the Gum Leaf Shop sells an organic cotton version of the polo shirt with all proceeds
contributing back into the School.
PARKING AND STUDENT PICK UP/DROP OFF
Parking is available in the designated spaces, located to the right of the entrance gate. Please do not
reverse park as small children use the path. Kiss n Drop is available to the left of the entrance gate.
Also, please note that the speed limit is 10km on site.The safety of our children is paramount.
Pick up is the same, if you need to leave your vehicle, you must park in the designated car park,
located to the right of the entrance gate. Kiss n Drop students will be supervised on the grass until
3.25pm. After 3.25pm, parents will need to collect them from the Administration building. Parents will
be rung at 3.25pm if you have not collected your child, please note there is no supervision for children
after 3.30pm.
MEDIA GUIDELINES FOR FAMILIES
Introduction
A cornerstone of Steiner education is an intentional curriculum that supports its students through each
stage of their development. Leaning Tree Steiner School seeks to help its students develop the capacity
to deeply engage and actively participate in their own education, to cultivate their own unique
imaginations, and to take ownership of their thoughts and actions. This philosophy is reflected in the
School’s guidelines regarding media. As a School, we place an emphasis on direct human interaction
and authentic experience. Studies show that a direct experience, as opposed to a virtual one, has a
measurable positive impact on brain development throughout childhood and adolescence.
Parents/caregivers are asked to carefully consider these guidelines and whether they can actively align
with the school in support of their own children, as well as the other children in the LTSS community.
We understand that this is a challenging task given the time and place in which we live, but it is an
integral part of the philosophy of LTSS.
Playgroup through to Grade 2
We recommend minimal exposure at this age to electronic media in daily life. Additionally, it is
recommended that your child only be exposed to limited amounts of radio with careful parent attention
to appropriate stations, and age-appropriate recorded music. More importantly, especially minimise the
viewing of the news on television, use of the internet, computers and mobile telephones. Video and
online games are addictive and can adversely impact student work. Further, social media is not
appropriate for this age. Children of this age should have no access to this media.
Grades 3 - 4
Aim for slow, gradual media exposure consciously selected by parents/caregivers. The viewing should be
chosen with discretion for content, genre and limited to weekends. Again, it is recommended there be
no exposure to mobile telephones, video, online games and social media. Parents should be prepared to
discuss and unpack any content their child has viewed. From this age onward, it is highly recommended
that content ratings be adhered to, regardless of peer/societal pressure of what is the norm or “the new
normal”.
Rated G: General Audiences – all ages admitted.Rated PG: Parental Guidance Suggested – some material may not be suitable for children.
Rated PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned – some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Rated M: Advisory classification the content is moderate in impact. M films are not recommended for
people aged under 15 as a level of maturity is required.
Rated MA 15: Legally restricted classification. The content is strong in impact. MA 15+ films are not
suitable for people aged under 15.
Rated R: Restricted – under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Don’t be tempted or
pressured to permit viewing beyond recommended ages. There is a lot of great content for each age-
group, hold back from leaping into the next bracket of ratings. Other than the inappropriateness of
content, this teaches patience and delayed-satisfaction.
Use your own discretion. You may not approve of the behaviour being modelled in some G or PG
content – how would you feel if your child were acting out this behaviour to you or another?
Grades 5 - 6
Strive to limit children at this age from watching excessive television or movies during the week. As
children enter adolescence, LTSS will educate our students through conversation about the social
implications of computer use and will introduce students to the use of the internet through carefully
guided research projects. Aim to limit (if any) exposure at this age to mobile telephones, video and
online games. Personal social media accounts are not appropriate for this age as they can negatively
affect a student’s mental wellbeing.
Grades 7 and beyond
In grade 7 and up, the teachers and class communities will discuss, craft and update these guidelines to
shape the measured introduction of media when developmentally appropriate. We are aiming for
responsible, global digital citizenship, meaning balanced children who are able to understand the
importance of self-regulation in regard to all types of media. Again, personal social media accounts are
not appropriate for this age. Students are not permitted to use mobile telephones whilst at school.
School Community
To reflect these guidelines, it is recommended that all adults in our setting also adhere to global digital
citizenship principles:
• Parents/caregivers refrain from using mobile telephones for conversations/text messages/social
media on school grounds. Our screens create a barrier to human contact, your kids love to see
your faces eagerly waiting to meet them at the end of the day,
• Parents/caregivers respect other family’s privacy decisions and be mindful when taking
photographs,
• Do not publish images of children (other than your own, if this is your wish) on social media,• Do not name children on social media,
• Do not download school images for use on personal social media or share internal school
communications to public social media pages,
• T.H.I.N.K. - Only use school/class private social media accounts for Thoughtful, Helpful, Inspiring,
Necessary, Kind content or questions. We encourage using this as a guide for your personal
accounts, to always be setting a noble example for your children. Any matters that require a
response from a LTSS member if staff must go through the correct communication channel, as
per the Communication Floewchart. You can find this on the LTSS website. Staff will not respond
to school matters via Social Media platforms and
• In the event of major class presentations, LTSS will provide a recording to families if they wish,
for personal viewing only. This will eliminate the need of recording by families. Performers and
audience members alike can enjoy the moment and not be otherwise distracted.
From these understandings, we forge our community partnership each year to renew our commitment
to the healthiest possible childhood for the children under our care. For more information on the
Schools position on Social Media, please see the Social Media Policy, located on the LTSS website.
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM CONTACTS
The Executive Management Team is looking forward to working with families and staff. If you need to
see a manager, please make an appointment. Their roles and schedule are summarised below:
Manager & contact details Areas of responsibility Days at work
Education – Mike Friday Student learning Monday - Friday
Student behaviour
Curriculum
Teaching staff manager
Education resources
Enrolments
Business - Lisa Thackray Fees and finance Monday - Thursday
OHS
School build
Buildings and grounds
Human resources
Grants
Community – Ally Bowdler Enrolments Tuesday - Friday
Community liaison
Communications
Compliance
Marketing
EventsCONTACT US
Education Manager Mike Friday
education@leaningtree.wa.edu.au
Business Manager Lisa Thackray
business@leaningtree.wa.edu.au
Community manager Ally Bowdler
info@leaningtree.wa.edu.au
Administration Karen Patman and Claire MacLeod
admin@leaningtree.wa.edu.au
Rainbow Playgroup Lisa Scamporlino
rainbow@leaningtree.wa.edu.au
Telephone (08) 9964 6555
Postal P.O Box 7104, Geraldton, WA, 6531
Location 74 Macedonia Drive, Glenfield, WA, 6532
Website www.leaningtree.wa.edu.auCommunication Flowchart For concerns, complaints, queries or compliments regarding class specific matters, please communicate directly with your child’s teacher, otherwise please follow the LTSS Communication Flowchart for efficiency.
ETHOS
Nurturing the Whole Child
MISSION STATEMENT
We deliver a distinct and contextual Steiner education to nurture and develop the whole child.
We guide and empower our students to create happy, healthy and meaningful relationships with their
world.
We provide a rich and diverse environment to enable children to fulfil their potential in all learning
areas.
MIDDLE SCHOOL: YEARS 7 – 9
Middle school is an exciting syllabus, underpinned by Steiner curriculum, with a focus on project based
and interest-based learning. This seeks to individualise learning so that students themselves take
responsibility for the curriculum with the support and guidance of their teachers, peers, school
community (including parents) and the wider community.
The aim of Steiner education is to provide enjoyable and relevant learning through deep engagement
and creative endeavour, and to develop ethical, capable individuals who can contribute to society with
initiative and purpose. It recognises that we learn not just with our heads but with our hearts and our
hands also and in this knowledge, we seek to nurture the whole child.
At Leaning Tree Steiner School, we love learning and so we strive to foster a love of learning in all our
students that will last them a lifetime. Middle school students will spend most of their time with their
class teacher and have the benefit of specialist teachers.
Specialist subjects include:
Design/Technologies
• Digital Technologies
• Food
• Textiles
• Woodwork
• Metalwork
The Arts• Visual Art
• Music
• Drama
LOTE (language other than English) - Italian
The various subjects will be taught in an integrated fashion as often as possible with much collaboration
between the class teacher and the specialist teachers. We are aiming for a maximum of 18 students per
class for middle school years. This is the ideal for the style of curriculum we employ and has many
benefits most notably that each class develops into a small community where everyone is noticed and
where everyone can participate.
UNIFORM POLICY
LTSS Middle School students may wear free dress whilst they are on school grounds, along with the LTSS
school hat and sensible footwear. Hats and shirts can be purchased from Hip Pocket Wear on Lester Ave
or alternatively purchased second hand from LTSS. If a teacher or student considers that an outfit is
inappropriate, a discussion will be held with the student by referring to the guidelines.
• Orange school shirt on excursion days.
This is for identification, visibility and advertising. Students are representing our school when
out in the community.
• Footwear should be practical and suitable for physical activity.
Thongs/ flip-flops are not acceptable footwear for school.
Enclosed footwear will be necessary to participate safely in some lessons.
• Sun Smart, practical and safe.
• Modesty and Respectfulness are virtues which guide our clothing choices at school.
Clothing should be comfortable and suitable for physical activity.
• Avoid Logos.
You are not a billboard and we are not competing for fashion awards. Avoid logos where
possible and ask yourself, is this appropriate?
Refuse to be an advert for a big, rich company!
• Clothing and hair should be clean and tidy.
We want to see your face. Please have hair ties in your bag as it may be necessary to tie hair up
to participate in certain lessons.
• Your good hygiene habits will ensure you look, feel, and smell nice, for yourself and those
around you.The Road Less Travelled
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost (1874 -1963)
in “The Mountain Interval”Information for Parents/Carers Schools across Australia are taking part in a new national data collection on school students with disability. The data collection is being introduced in stages over three years, and started in 2013. From 2015, this information will be collected in every school across Australia, every year. All Australian governments have agreed to this. WHAT IS THE BENEFIT FOR MY CHILD? All Australian governments agree that every child in an Australian school should have a high quality education. It shouldn’t matter what the individual child’s circumstances are – every child should have the same opportunity to succeed at school. The aim of this new data collection is to have better information about school students with disability in Australia. Better information about school students with disability will help teachers, principals and education authorities to support students with disability to take part in school on the same basis as students without disability. WHY IS THIS DATA BEING COLLECTED?
There is nothing new about schools collecting information about students with disability – in fact, schools have had to do this by law for some time. But the type of information currently collected varies between each state and territory. With the new data collection, every school in Australia will use the same method to collect this information – that is, a government school in suburban Sydney will collect and report data in the same way as a Catholic school in country Victoria and an independent school in the Northern Territory. The information provided through this new national data collection will enable all Australian governments to better target support and resources to benefit students with disability. It will help to put the right supports in place for students with disability so that they have the same opportunities for a high quality education as students without a disability. WHAT ARE SCHOOLS REQUIRED TO DO? Every school in Australia is likely to have a student with disability at some point. Schools need to be able to support students with disability by removing any obstacles for them to participate in their education. By law, schools are required to make reasonable adjustments where needed to assist students with disability. These responsibilities are outlined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005. This means that schools need to talk to the student and/or their parent/carer about reasonable adjustments. These are things the schools do now and this won’t change. The new data collection will record students who have been identified by a school team as meeting the definition of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and provided with an adjustment. WHAT IS AN ADJUSTMENT? An adjustment is a measure or action taken to help a student with disability participate in education on the same basis as other students. Adjustments can be made across the whole school setting (like ramps into classrooms), in the classroom and at an individual student level (like extra tuition for a student with a learning difficulty). WHAT INFORMATION WILL BE COLLECTED? Your child’s school will collect and report information every year about: • The level of adjustment provided, • The number of students who receive each level of adjustment and • Where known, the student’s broad type of disability. Some students who are not provided with an adjustment at the time of the collection will meet the definition of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and will be eligible to be included in the data collection. WHO WILL COLLECT MY CHILD’S INFORMATION? Teachers and other school staff from your child’s school will collect the above information based on: • Consultation with parents/carers,
• The school team’s observations and professional judgements, • Any medical diagnosis and • Other relevant information. School principals are responsible for making sure that the information collected about each student is accurate. HOW WILL MY CHILD’S PRIVACY BE PROTECTED? Protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all children and their families is very important. With the new data collection, this will be done in the following ways: • Personal or confidential information will not be given to anyone not authorised to see it, • When the information is sent by your child’s school to the local or federal education authority for combination with information from other schools, it will be by school only – student names will not be recorded as part of the data collection and • When the information is reported from 2016 onwards, it will be by school only – student names will not be recorded as part of the data collection. WHEN AND WHERE WILL THE DATA BE AVAILABLE? When all Australian schools are taking part in the new data collection, the information will be reported on the My School website from 2016 onwards. It will be by school only – no student names are recorded as part of the data collection. CAN I DECIDE WHETHER MY CHILD’S INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL DATA COLLECTION? It’s your decision about whether you want your child’s information to be included in the national reporting or not. Including every school child who is being provided with an adjustment because of disability in this new national data collection each year will help schools, education authorities and governments to better meet students’ needs. Your school will tell you what you need to do if you don’t want to have your child’s information included in the national data collection. Even if your child’s information is not included in the national data collection, your school is still required to provide support to your child with disability and any adjustments that may be needed to help him/her participate at school. FURTHER INFORMATION Contact your child’s school if you have further questions about the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability and how it may affect your child. You can also visit www.education.gov.au/nationally-consistent-collection-data-school-students-disability
Collection of school information by the Australian Government under the
Australian Education Act 2013
Dear Parent/Guardian
Collection of information about schools
The Australian Government provides funding to Australian schools under the Australian Education Act
2013. That Act and the associated Australian Education Regulation 2013 require that your child’s school
provide the Australian Government with certain information about the school, its financial
arrangements, and its student body, in order that the funding is properly calculated and accounted for.
What information is collected by the Australian Government?
The authority that operates your child’s school such as, a state or territory education department, a
Catholic Education Office, or an independent school authority, will provide basic information about the
school to the Australian Government, such as its name, address, contact details, years of schooling, and
number and makeup of its staff.
The authority must provide the Australian Government with information about the school’s finances,
including annual audited financial statements and certification that Government funding has been used
for proper purposes relating to education.
In addition, the authority will provide certain performance information at an aggregate level, including
student attendance rates, student results in the National Assessment Program, and the secondary
schools, post-school student destinations; such as going into the workforce, vocational education and
training, or higher education.
The authority is required to publish much of this information, and it is also published by the Australian
Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) on the myschool web site at
www.myschool.edu.au.
The school authority must also provide information to the Australian Government about the makeup of
the school’s student body during an annual school census. This is because Australian Government
funding varies according to whether students are primary, secondary, receiving distance education, or
are overseas students; and is calculated to provide additional funding, called ‘loadings’, for students at
education disadvantage.
The authority must provide information about the number of students attending the school, including
the number of:
• Primary and secondary students,
• Full-time and part-time students,
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students,• Students with disability,
• Students with low English proficiency,
• Students receiving distance education,
• Boarding students and
• Overseas students.
Who receives this information?
Most of the information is provided by school authorities to the Australian Government Department of
Education. Some of it is provided directly to ACARA.
The Department of Education may in turn pass the information on to ACARA, state and territory
education departments and authorities, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and the Productivity
Commission. The department will also provide the information to other organisations if required or
authorised by law to do so.
Why is the information collected?
The department of Education collects information about schools under the Australian Education Act
2013. For the purposes of the Act, which include:
• Calculation of Australian Government funding,
• Oversight of funding conditions requirements,
• Monitoring of financial performance and educational outcomes of schools and
• Publishing and providing information about schools to the public.
The department also uses the information for research, statistical analysis, and policy development on
school education for the Australian Government.
Information passed to ACARA, state and territory education authorities, the ABS and the Productivity
Commission is used by those organisations for their public purposes. For example, the information
collected from school authorities under the Australian Education Act 2013 forms part of the national
statistical collection maintained by the ABS.
Is my child identified in the information collected by the Australian Government?
Where school authorities are required to provide the Australian Government with information about
students, that information is aggregated statistical data that does not identify individual students. The
information is not matched with any other information held by the Australian Government that can be
used to identify individual students.
However, from time to time the Department of Education engages contractors to audit or verify school
records, to ensure that the information that a school provides to the department is accurate. Theinformation previously collected by the department may also be passed onto these contractors for this
purpose.
When carrying out an audit, the contractors may need to access information about individual students
from the school’s records. This information may be ‘personal information’ within the meaning given in
the Privacy Act 1988. The contractors may pass this information onto officers within the department if
there is a discrepancy in the data provided by the school and the school’s records and further
investigation is required.
There may be other circumstances in which a school authority will voluntarily provide information about
individual students to the department, when seeking additional funding for those students. Most
commonly, these are where a student has not been in attendance at a school during the annual school
census but the authority wishes to receive funding for him or her, and where the authority believes that
the demographics of the students at the school are no representative of the households in the ABS
statistical areas serviced by the school.
Other than in exceptional circumstances (for example, investigation of fraud relating to overseas
students), the department does not disclose personal information to any overseas recipients.
Contacts for further information
If you have any questions about the collection of information about schools by the Australian
Government under the Australian Education Act 2013, please contact:
The Recurrent Assistance for Schools team at: Grants and Data.help@education.gov.au.
The Department of Education’s privacy policy is available on the department’s website at
www.education.gov.au. The privacy policy contains information about:
• how individuals can access and seek correction of the personal information held by the
department
• how complaints about breaches of the Privacy Act 1988 can be made
• how the department will deal with these complaints.
If you wish to contact the department about privacy related matters, please e-mail the department at
privacy@deewr.cov.au or write to:
Privacy Contact Officer
Legal and compliance Group
Location C12MT1
Department of Education
GPO Box 9980
Canberra ACT 2601You can also read
