These guidelines have been devised to assist parents and community members seeking school related information and /or to communicate concerns.
Download "Supporting Students through effective communication with the school" [5/2020, PDF]
From time to time parents or other members of the school community may need to approach the school in order to:
- Discuss the progress or welfare of their own child
- Express concern about actions of other students
- Enquire about school policy or practice
- Express concern about actions of staff
It is therefore necessary to have procedures that will clarify matters as soon as possible to ensure a safe and harmonious school environment is maintained. The best results usually flow from all facets of the school community working together.
These guidelines aim to:
- support class programs and student learning
- provide a guide that supports community and staff and ensures that concerns are dealt with in an open and fair manner
- ensure that the rights of students, teachers and parents are respected and upheld support matters sensitively and confidentially
- help reach an agreed solution or resolution if appropriate.
It is important that if a parent/carer has a concern or issue that is causing them anxiety or worry that they feel they are able to approach the school and have the issued appropriately addressed. It is important that the school is given the opportunity to hear and respond to issues in an appropriate manner. We would ask parents/ caregivers to make an appointment.
CONCERN
The academic progress of own child
APPROPRIATE ACTION
Directly contact the child's teacher either by note, by phone message or in person to arrange a suitable time to discuss any queries.
CONCERN
The welfare of own child
APPROPRIATE ACTION
* For minor issues directly contact your child's teacher to clarify information
* For more serious concerns, contact the school office. State the nature of your concern and arrange a suitable time to talk with class teacher or appropriate staff member.
* To convey information about change of address, telephone number, !emergency contact , custody details, health issues etc. please contact lthe school office.
CONCERN
Actions of other students
APPROPRIATE ACTION
* Contact the class teacher by note. The class teacher will check and clarify details of the matter and share this information with you as soon as possible.
* The class teacher will liaise with the stage supervisor or principal for playground problems requiring clarification from students or additional support.
CONCERN
School policy or practice
APPROPRIATE ACTION
* Contact the school office. State the nature of your query. This information will be passed on to the appropriate staff member. The staff member will contact you to explain the relevant details or to make an appointment to discuss the matter further.
CONCERN
Actions of a staff member
APPROPRIATE ACTION
* Contact the school office and state your concern. This information will be passed on to the principal.
* The principal will contact you as soon as possible and explain upcoming strategies/ arrangements in response to the concern. This may include meeting directly with the principal and staff member concerned.
Please note the following:
Students are to walk independently to their place of learning. No access to classrooms without a prior appointment.
All enquiries are to be directed to the school office. Parent access to students will be from the school office.
All parents and visitors must sign in at the school office. This excludes attendance at organised school events. No parent should directly approach another person's child.
Use of the Inclosed Land Act
In very rare cases, where people wishing to express their concerns do so in an aggressive, threatening or violent manner, the principal or nominee has the legal authority under the "lnclosed Lands Act" to
- direct the person to immediately leave the grounds
- call the police to remove the person should he/she refuse
- withdraw future permission (by letter) for the person to enter the grounds without permission of the principal
- Seek further legal avenues.
This includes phone calls, emails made to or about staff or directed towards staff or the school (Legal Issues Bulletin No 31, NSW Government, Education & Communities).
Department of Education & Communities Complaint Procedures is available on the departmental website and outlines procedures that the school will follow to handle more complex complaints.
The school looks forward to working with the wider school community and building strong respectful, positive relationships through communication and collaboration