PURPOSE STATEMENT
Arise Christian College is a Christian educational community, growing faith, character and abilities through teaching and learning excellence, in partnership with families and the Church.
RATIONALE
This grievance Policy and Procedure document is intended to provide to students, parents or caregivers a mechanism for resolving disputes and/or grievances in a simple, well defined manner in a supportive and co-operative environment, with confidentiality and sensitivity. It is also intended to provide clear guidelines and expectations for stakeholders (in particular parents and caregivers) regarding complaints or allegations of staff misconduct or reportable conduct.
The document specifies a process to be applied to such grievances when raised with the School and also makes clear that the School will decide the most appropriate method of dealing with the matter on a case by case basis.
The policy is intended to reflect the desire of the School to function as a Christian community.
BIBLICAL BASIS
As Christians, we are exhorted in Ephesians Chapter 4 to ‘be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace’.
Jesus taught: “If a brother or sister sins, go and point out the fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector”. (Matthew 18:15-17)
Christians are called upon to resolve disagreements amongst themselves and to ‘live in harmony with one another’ (Romans 12:14)
If we have a concern about, or complaint against another member of the school community, the first step is to take it to the person directly and deal with it in a Christ-like manner.
POLICY FOR GENERAL GRIEVANCES
The School is open to receiving grievances, recognising that it is good and fitting that members of communities have opportunity to express disappointment or disapproval, and seeks to engage with such situations with the intent of clearly reaching mutual understanding and cooperation amongst the parties involved
A grievance is any concern or complaint about any act, behaviour, omission, situation or decision that someone thinks is unfair, unreasonable or unjustified. The grievance must be one that lies in the power of the management to resolve, not about matters determined by legislation.
Resolution of the issues and preservation of relationships should be the intent of all communication regarding a grievance. Wherever possible, grievances should be resolved by a process of discussion, co-operation and conciliation. The aim is to reach an acceptable outcome which restores and maintains good relationships.
All grievances should be resolved at the lowest level of hierarchical responsibility as is possible to the mutual satisfaction of the School and the parents.
The School has a commitment to the fair resolution and procedural fairness in addressing of grievances at all levels. All parties are expected to participate in the grievance process in good faith.
Who does this grievance policy apply to?
This policy extends to general grievances brought about by students, parents or caregivers.
Some grievances are better handled under other policies of the School and the School will at its discretion decide which policy is best suited to the grievance (e.g. child protection, bullying, …). Our policy for complaints or allegations of staff misconduct or reportable conduct are detailed below.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is important in the grievance process.
The School is committed to confidentiality of grievances at all steps of the process and will only involve persons in the matter necessary to understand and resolve the grievance. It is expected that all parties will only discuss the matter with their support person and other parties directly involved.
All parties are reminded that they must not use social media or other public methods to denigrate the School, staff, students or other members of the School community.
Although the School is committed to the confidentiality of all grievances, there may be a situation where it is not possible to uphold a person’s right to confidentiality e.g. a health and safety risk or criminal activity. The School’s obligation to provide a safe environment for students, staff and parents is always considered a high priority.
Complainants
Parents and caregivers have the right to seek access to information about and clarification of circumstances relating to the education and welfare of their children.
Complainants have the right to be heard and listened to, and to have their concern addressed in a procedurally fair manner. They are entitled to seek appropriate advice and to have a support person present at all meetings.
Complainants must approach the process in good faith and be courteous in their dealings with the respondent.
Respondents
Respondents have a right to be informed of a grievance against them within a reasonable timeframe. They are entitled to present their version of the event and reasoning. As well as seeking appropriate advice, they are entitled to have a support person present during all meetings.
Respondents must approach the process in good faith, uphold strict confidentiality, and be courteous in dealing with all persons during the grievance process.
Support person
The role of the support person is to accompany a complainant or respondents to any meeting that takes place during the grievance process. They must not have an active role in the resolution process. Their role is not to be a spokesperson for the complainant.
Time Limit
Staff members contacted in regards to a concern should initially respond by the end of the next working day by either email or phone conversation.
The School will try to resolve all formal grievances as quickly as possible. The formal grievance process will commence within 10 days of the lodgement of a written grievance.
The School will undertake to finalise all grievance procedures within 20 working days. Should this not be possible due to the complexity, nature or scope of the grievance, the School will advise the complainant in writing of the need for more time, and where possible, a likely timeframe for a resolution to occur.
POLICY FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT STAFF MISCONDUCT OR REPORTABLE CONDUCT
Complaints about alleged staff misconduct or reportable conduct are to be made in writing directly to the Principal of the School. Complaints against the Principal are to be sent to the School Office marked CONFIDENTIAL for the attention of the Board Chair. The Business Manager will forward any such correspondence to the Board Chair.
Reportable Conduct is defined in the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW).
Except where specifically indicated, the policy and procedures for complaints about Staff Misconduct or Reportable Conduct are the same as for general grievances.
PROCEDURE FOR GENERAL GRIEVANCES
The School will decide the most appropriate method of dealing with grievances on a case by case basis. Often a grievance is a simple misunderstanding that is easily resolved via effective communication.
In the first instance, attempts should be made to informally resolve the issue as outlined below:
Students should:
-
- Tell their teacher and / or parents or caregivers about the problem
Parents or caregivers should:
-
- Raise the matter with the teacher in the first instance
- If the matter is not resolved, discuss with the School Coordinator
- If the matter remains unresolved, discuss with the Deputy Principal
- If the matter remains unresolved, put the grievance in writing to the Principal
- If the grievance is regarding the Principal, direct the grievance to the Board Chair
Written Grievances
Written grievances to the Principal should only be made if the previously outlined procedures have not been able to bring about resolution. Written grievances should include the following information:
- Dates, times and places of the grievance
- Perceived problem from the perspective of the complainant
- A written account of the progress of the informal discussions that were held between the parties
- Suggestions of possible solutions / outcomes
- Any other important information
The Principal (or the Board Chair in the case of grievances against the Principal) may choose to appoint a School Contact Person to action a response to the grievance. Written acknowledgement of the grievance will be provided to the complainant at this point in time.
Procedural fairness
The Principal, or the appointed School Contact Person, will ensure procedural fairness by attention to:
- Letting parties communicate their concerns openly
- Maintaining impartiality throughout the process
- Encouraging solutions
- Keeping notes of any solutions that were suggested by either party
- Keeping accurate records of the final solution that is determined
- Maintaining confidentiality at all times
- Conducting interviews with both parties
- Speaking to witnesses
- Reviewing any further information provided by the complainant and respondent, including written materials, witness accounts or any other evidence directly relevant to the issues that the party wish to be considered
- Seeking further information as required to clarify, give context or understand the nature or background of the grievance
Frivolous, malicious or vexatious grievances will not be further investigated and the School reserves the right to terminate an investigation should a grievance prove to be of this nature.
Determinations
Once the Principal or the appointed School Contact Person has come to a decision, they may:
- Uphold the grievance
- Dismiss the grievance if it is without merit or is frivolous
- Uphold some elements of the grievance and dismiss other elements
The complainant will be advised of the outcome in writing.
Appeals
At the conclusion of the grievance process the aggrieved party/s may request that the matter be considered by an external third party. When so requested, the School will advise the aggrieved parties to direct their appeal in writing to the External Appeals Mediator whom Arise Christian College refers appeals to.
Such external appeals should be lodged within 7 working days of the final determination of the internal grievance being issued to the concerned parties in writing. The body whom Arise Christian College refers request for external appeals mediation is normally Christian Schools Australia. However, the School may also utilise the services of the Association of Independent Schools NSW.
PROCEDURE FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT STAFF MISCONDUCT OR REPORTABLE CONDUCT
How to Make a Complaint
All complaints about Staff Misconduct or Reportable Conduct should be made in writing to the following address:
Email: principal@maitlandcs.nsw.edu.au or
Post: Private & Confidential
The Principal
Maitland Christian School
PO Box 618
EAST MAITLAND NSW 2323
If the complaint is about the Principal use the following address:
Post: Private & Confidential
The Board Chair
Maitland Christian School
PO Box 618
EAST MAITLAND NSW 2323
The complaint should include as much detail as possible. This would include:
- Your name and contact details
- Name of staff member complaint is against
- Nature of alleged misconduct or reportable conduct
- An outline of why the general grievance policy would not be appropriate for the resolution of the complaint.
- Names of person/(s) allegedly treated inappropriately
- Names of person/(s) who witnessed alleged misconduct
- If possible, dates and times of alleged misconduct
- Any other important information
Acknowledgement of Complaint
The School will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 7 days of the complaint being lodged. This acknowledgement will include details of the School Contact Person for the complaint, and will acknowledge that the School will consider the complaint to determine how the complaint will be responded to.
Reportable Conduct
If the School determines that the complaint relates to Reportable Conduct as defined in the Children’s Guardian Act the School will follow its Child Protection – Reportable Conduct of Staff, Volunteers and Others Policy. Further information on Reportable Conduct can be found at https://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-organisations/reportable-conduct-scheme.
The time taken to handle complaints relating to reportable conduct will by substantially longer than for general grievances due to the investigations that are required to take place, as well as necessary dialogue with the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian.
There may also be limitations under the Children’s Guardian Act and privacy regulations regarding disclosure of information about an investigation and the outcome of that investigation.
General Misconduct/Grievance
The School has the discretion to determine if a complaint about staff misconduct is actually a general grievance. If the complaint is found not to be staff misconduct or reportable conduct the policy and procedures for General Grievances (above) will be followed.
Determinations
Once the Principal or the appointed School Contact Person has come to a decision the complainant will be notified in writing that the complaint has been finalised. The amount of information given about the outcome will vary depending on the circumstances.
RATIONALE AND BIBLICAL BASIS
We believe parents should seek to lead their children to become the best they can be. Teachers, acting in the place of the parents (who derive their own authority from God), will also seek to lead students to become like Jesus Christ in their behaviour, both in their personal development and in their relationship with others. Hence, students are taught, guided, advised and instructed according to scriptural principles. Both teachers and students are encouraged to consider the following words of Paul In Philippians 1:27
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ”
As the staff attempt to imitate God in their dealing with others, so students are also encouraged to be Christ-like and to become His disciples.
Part of such discipline/discipleship involves, among other things, a genuine respect and care for those in authority. The qualities of commitment, reliability, trustworthiness and concern for each other are emphasised. Each student, from Prep to Year 12, is encouraged to see his/her talents as a gift from God, to be employed in serving Him in trust and obedience.
Discipline is something that is done for the student not to them. It means guiding the student toward maturity and the development of character. Discipline is to instruct, educate, guide and train with faithful consistency. It is more than giving orders and rules or punishing misbehaviour. It is the making of a disciple, the development of Christ-like behaviour. There are two elements to discipline: constructive and corrective. Constructive measures (the encouragement of Christ-like behaviour) seek to build self-discipline in students. Corrective measures (or rather the discouragement of un-Christ-like behaviour) are also necessary at times. The goal of discipline is for students to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Students are encouraged to live in community, be sensitive to the needs of others and be willing to serve others. Students are encouraged to develop their own internal restraints on behaviour, i.e., self-discipline. Being well behaved is not merely a matter of obeying a set of rules but derives from a personal discernment of what is appropriate and Christ- like behaviour.
Discipline is one of the means by which the student becomes like Jesus. It is a means of discipleship where in the school setting, students are discipled to use the skills and knowledge they are acquiring to be God’s person, in God’s place under God’s rule. Discipline redirects a student and addresses the future and not just the past. As we discipline students it must be a demonstration of God’s grace.
INTENDED USE
The Student Discipline Policy is intended to be provided to the staff of the school in order to provide a mechanism for ensuring fairness in addressing and correcting poor student behaviour. The Student Discipline Procedure document specifies the current processes to be applied when interacting with different stakeholders whilst dealing with discplinary matters.
STUDENT DISCIPLINE POLICY
Every student has the right to a learning environment free from bullying and intimidation and to feel safe and happy at school. They also have the right to be treated fairly and with dignity.
Discipline is necessary to ensure the safety and welfare of all our students, teachers and staff and to provide a conducive learning environment.
This Student Discipline Policy sets the framework through which Arise Christian College manages student discipline.
1. Code of Conduct
Rights and responsibilities for students and teachers include:
a. expected standards of behaviour in the classroom, playground and while travelling to and from school
b. safety in and around the school and at all school activities
c. acceptable standards of behaviour while on excursions and participating in or attending sporting or other activities
d. obedience to requests from staff and others in positions of authority
e. adherence to the school’s homework policy
f. adherence to the standards of dress determined by the school community
g. prohibition of illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco and weapons
h. positive and respectful relationships between all members of the school community.
2. Rights for students and teachers
a. Every student has the right to a learning environment free from bullying and intimidation and to feel safe and happy at school. They have a right to be treated fairly and with dignity. The same rights apply to teachers as the school is their workplace.
3. Corporal Punishment
a. It is our policy that:
i. We prohibit corporal punishment
ii. We do not explicitly or implicitly sanction the administering of corporal punishment by non-school persons, including parents, to enforce discipline at the school
b. The use of any corporal punishment by a staff member is strictly prohibited. Any staff member who breaches this rule will be subject to disciplinary proceedings which may include dismissal.
4. Discipline Summary
a. A disciplined and orderly school environment is absolutely necessary if we expect students to be safe at school. High expectations of good behaviour should coincide with high expectations for class work, bookwork and homework.
b. Most discipline issues will be dealt with by the playground teacher or class teacher. Teachers should wherever possible deal with their own class management. It is important that we seek to understand what is ‘driving’ behaviour and tailor our responses appropriately.
c. Poor behavior should be addressed, with misbehaving students explicitly told of the inappropriateness of their action(s). A consequence should follow if misbehaviour is repeated.
d. When working with, and disciplining students, a staff member should consider the student’s:
i. Background
ii. Personality
iii. Maturity level
iv. Intent of the action
v. Possible cries for help
vi. Previous problems in the same or similar areas
vii. Child’s inability to understand normal social or behavioural conventions, especially where disability provisions are in place.
5. Serious Offences
a. If a student continues to misbehave, or if the offence is of a serious nature, immediately contact the School Coordinator. If the Coordinator is unavailable, the student should be sent to the Deputy Principal. The Coordinator should be informed as soon as possible.
b. The matter is now the responsibility of the Coordinator, who will work in consultation with the teacher.
c. Examples of Incidences requiring a higher level discipline include:
i. Continued defiance and disruptive behaviour in class (calling out, out of seat, talking after warning)
ii. Violence, physical or verbal
iii. Bullying
iv. Insolence – challenging or undermining teacher authority, refusal to obey direct instructions
v. Stealing
vi. Truancy
vii. Challenging school expectations – continuous out of uniform, lateness, lack of preparedness for class
viii. Vexating complaints
ix. Deception
d. Actions prohibited at school:
i. Violence or threats of violence
ii. Possession of illegal drugs
iii. Possession of offensive weapons
iv. Persistent disobedience
v. Criminal behavior
The School will suspend, consistent with procedures, any student engaging in these offences
6. Communication with parents
a. Parents may be contacted regarding poor behavior and the application of corrective measures.
b. Interviews with parents (in consultation with the School Coordinator) ought to occur early rather than later if misbehaviour is of a serious nature. A behaviour management contract may be negotiated at this point. A record of the interview and subsequent action should be kept.
c. Where the offending behaviour may result in suspension or termination of enrolment, the student and/or parent(s) will be informed of at least the following information:
i. the alleged infringement;
ii. the person who has / will make the decision on the penalty;
iii. the procedures that were / are to be followed
iv. the appeal process.
d. Confidentiality is expected – communication must be restricted to discussing only the actions of, and consequences for the child of that parent.
e. In matters where a long suspension, expulsion or exclusion is contemplated, the gravity of the circumstances requires particular emphasis to be given to procedural fairness. This includes the offer of having a support person/observer attend formal interviews. The key points of the interview/discussion should be recorded in writing.
7. Corrective Measures
a. Teachers will exercise professional judgement to apply several corrective measures.
b. The School Coordinator will have additional corrective measures available for serious offences.
c. The Deputy Principal, who will support in the unavailability of the School Cooridnator, will have additional corrective measures available for serious offences.
d. The Principal will have additional corrective measures available for serious offences.
e. Corrective measures may include (and are not limited to) a brief reminder of expectations, longer interview, removal from peers, completion of missed work, completion of reflective tasks, repair and restitution of damage, detention, suspension, and/or termination of enrolment.
f. The process of applying corrective measures is listed in the Student Discipline Procedures document.
8. Supensions
a. Suspension allows time for school personnel to plan appropriate support for the student to assist with successful re-entry. In some cases suspension from school allows the school time to put measures in place to ensure the safety of students and staff. For the majority of students, suspension allows time for the student to reflect on their behaviour, to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the behaviours which led to the suspension, and to accept responsibility for changing their behaviour to meet the school’s expectations in the future
b. In determining whether a student’s misbehaviour is serious enough to warrant suspension, the Principal or their delegate will consider the safety, care and welfare of the student, staff and other students.
c. Before a suspension is imposed, the Principal or their delegate will ensure that discussion has occurred with the student and parents regarding specific misbehaviour which the school considers unacceptable and which may lead to suspension. Parents will be warned in writing (email or letter) that suspension is an outcome for repeated unacceptable behavior. The exceptions to this are listed in 5d above.
d. In some circumstances the Principal may determine that a student should be suspended immediately. This will usually be due, but not limited, to reasons such as the safety of students or staff.
e. Short suspensions of up to and including 4 school days may be imposed for the following reasons :
i. continued disobedience: This includes, but is not limited to, breaches of the school discipline code such as: refusal to obey staff instructions; defiance; disrupting other students; use of alcohol or repeated use of tobacco
ii. aggressive behaviour: This includes, but is not limited to, hostile behaviour directed towards students, members of staff or other persons, including damaging the property of the school or students; bullying (including cyberbullying); verbal abuse and abuse transmitted electronically such as by email, Facebook, Twitter, SMS text messages or by other electronic means.
f. If learning and support strategies and short suspensions have failed to resolve the issue of inappropriate behaviour, strategies such as further short suspensions, a longer suspension or alternative educational programs must be considered.
g. If short suspensions have not resolved the issue of inappropriate behaviour, or the misbehaviour is so serious as to warrant a long suspension, the Principal may impose a long suspension of up to and including 20 school days.
h. If, after two long suspensions, the matter has not been resolved, expulsion from the School will be considered.
9. Expulsion
a. In serious circumstances of misbehaviour the Principal may expel a student of any age from the school. The Principal may also expel a student who is over 17 years of age for unsatisfactory participation in learning.
10. Welfare Support
a. The School Chaplain may be utilized to provide insight and support in the disciplinary process.
b. Where a support worker becomes aware of a disciplinary matter in the course of their duties they are to inform the coordinator as soon as possible.
11. Disability Support
a. Reasonable adjustments are to be applied when a student is diagnosed with a disability that affects their understanding of the Disclipinary Procedures and where the behavior is a manifestation of the disability. Reasonable adjustments would be those that teach the student strategies for regulating their behavior and explicitly teaching the lnks between the behavior and the consequence.
b. Corrective measures will be applied to students with diagnosed disabilities where the safety and security of members of the school community are at risk
12. Review Process
a. Students and/or their parent(s) may ask for an appeal on a teacher’s corrective measure by contacting the school coordinator.
b. Students and/or their parent(s) may ask for an appeal on the coordinator’s corrective measure or appeal ruling by contacting the Principal.
c. Students and/or their parent(s) may ask for an appeal on the Deputy Principal’s corrective measure or appeal ruling by contacting the supervisor (Principal).
d. In the event of an appeal, the supervisor will reach a preliminary decision in relation to the allegation and any proposed penalty and advise the student and/or parent(s) of the view. The student and/or parent(s) would be advised that if they wish this preliminary decision to be reviewed they may make application for a further review by submitting any information they want to be considered during the review process. The supervisor will then either confirm the preliminary decision, as the final decion.
Introduction
This Privacy Policy sets out how the School manages personal information provided to or collected by it.
The School is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988. In relation to health records, the School is also bound by the Health Privacy Principles which are contained in the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) (Health Records Act).
The School may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to the School’s operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing school environment.
What kinds of personal information the School collects and how it collects it
The type of information the School collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including health and other sensitive information, about:
- pupils and parents and/or guardians (‘Parents’) before, during and after the course of a pupil’s enrolment at the School, including:
- name, contact details (including next of kin), date of birth, gender, language background, previous school and religion;
- parents’ education, occupation and language background;
- medical information (e.g. details of disability and/or allergies, absence notes, medical reports and names of doctors);
- conduct and complaint records, or other behaviour notes, and school reports;
- information about referrals to government welfare agencies;
- counselling reports;
- health fund details and Medicare number;
- any court orders;
- volunteering information;
- school surveillance images; and
- photos and videos at School events;
- job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors, including:
- name, contact details (including next of kin), date of birth, and religion;
- information on job application;
- professional development history;
- salary and payment information, including superannuation details;
- medical information (e.g. details of disability and/or allergies, and medical certificates);
- complaint records and investigation reports;
- leave details;
- photos and videos at School events and from sign-in system;
- workplace surveillance information; and
- work emails and private emails (when using work email address) and Internet browsing history;
- other people who come into contact with the School, including name and contact details and any other information necessary for the particular contact with the School, including photos taken by sign-in system.
Personal Information you provide:
The School will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of forms filled out by parents or students (including electronic forms), face-to-face meetings and interviews, emails and telephone calls. On occasions people other than parents and students provide personal information.
Personal Information provided by other people:
In some circumstances the School may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example a report provided by a medical professional or a reference from another school.
Exception in relation to employee records:
Under the Privacy Act and the Health Records Act, the Australian Privacy Principles and Health Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the School’s treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the School and employee.
How the School uses personal information provided
The School will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented.
Students and Parents:
In relation to personal information of students and parents, the School’s primary purpose of collection is to enable the School to provide schooling to students enrolled at the school, exercise its duty of care, and perform necessary associated administrative activities, which will enable students to take part in all the activities of the School. This includes satisfying the needs of parents, the needs of the student and the needs of the Principal and School throughout the whole period the student is enrolled at the School.
The purposes for which the Principal and School uses personal information of students and parents include:
- to keep Parents informed about matters related to their child’s schooling, through correspondence, newsletters and magazines;
- day-to-day administration;
- looking after students educational, social, spiritual and medical wellbeing;
- seeking donations and marketing for the School; and
- to satisfy the Principal’s and School’s legal obligations and allow the School to discharge its duty of care.
In some cases where the School requests personal information about a student or parent, if the information requested is not obtained, the School, at its’s ultimate discretion, may not be able to enrol or continue the enrolment of the student or permit the student to take part in a particular activity.
Job applicants and contractors:
In relation to personal information of job applicants and contractors, the School’s primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant or contractor, as the case may be.
The purposes for which the School uses personal information of job applicants and contractors include:
- administering the individual’s employment or contract, as the case may be;
- for insurance purposes;
- seeking donations and marketing for the School; and
- satisfying the Principal and School’s legal obligations, for example, in relation to child protection legislation.
Volunteers:
The School also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist the School in its functions or conduct associated activities, to enable the School and the volunteers to work together.
Marketing and fundraising:
The School treats marketing and seeking donations for the future growth and development of the School as an important part of ensuring that the School continues to provide a quality learning environment in which both students and staff thrive. Personal information held by the School may be disclosed to organisations that assist in the School’s fundraising, for example, the School’s alumni organisation or, on occasions, external fundraising organisations.
Parents, staff, contractors and other members of the wider School community may from time to time receive fundraising information. School publications, like newsletters and magazines, which include personal information, may be used for marketing purposes.
Exception in relation to related Schools:
The Privacy Act allows each school, being legally related to each of the other schools conducted by Maitland Christian School Ltd to share personal (but not sensitive) information with other schools conducted by Maitland Christian School Ltd. Other Maitland Christian School Ltd schools may then only use this personal information for the purpose for which it was originally collected by Maitland Christian School Ltd. This allows schools to transfer information between them, for example, when a pupil transfers from Maitland Christian School to Arise Christian College.
Who the School might disclose personal information to and store it with
The School may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual for educational, administrative and support purposes. This may include to:
- other schools and teachers at those schools;
- government departments (including for policy and funding purposes);
- medical practitioners;
- people providing educational, support and health services to the School, including specialist visiting teachers, music coaches, volunteers, and counsellors;
- providers of learning and assessment tools;
- assessment and educational authorities, including the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and NAPLAN Test Administration Authorities (who will disclose it to the entity that manages the online platform for NAPLAN);
- people providing administrative and financial services to the School;
- recipients of School publications, such as newsletters and magazines;
- pupils’ parents or guardians;
- anyone you authorise the School to disclose information to; and
- anyone to whom we are required or authorised to disclose the information to by law, including child protection laws.
Sending and storing information overseas:
The School may disclose personal information about an individual to overseas recipients, for instance, to facilitate a school exchange. However, the School will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:
- obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); or
- otherwise complying with the Australian Privacy Principles or other applicable privacy legislation.
The School may use online or ‘cloud’ service providers to store personal information and to provide services to the School that involve the use of personal information, such as services relating to email, instant messaging and education and assessment applications. Some limited personal information may also be provided to these service providers to enable them to authenticate users that access their services. This personal information may be stored in the ‘cloud’ which means that it may reside on a cloud service provider’s servers which may be situated outside Australia.
An example of such a cloud service provider is Microsoft Office 365. Microsoft provides ‘Office 365 for Education’ including Email, and stores and processes limited personal information for this purpose. School personnel and its service providers may have the ability to access, monitor, use or disclose emails, communications (e.g. instant messaging), documents and associated administrative data for the purposes of administering the Office 365 suite and ensuring its proper use.
How the School treats sensitive information
In referring to ‘sensitive information’, the School means information relating to a person’s:
- racial or ethnic origin
- political opinions
- religion
- trade union or other professional or trade association membership
- philosophical beliefs
- sexual orientation or practices
- criminal record, that is also personal information
- health information and biometric information
Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law.
Management and security of personal information
The School’s staff are required to respect the confidentiality of students and parents’ personal information, and the privacy of individuals.
The School has in place steps to protect the personal information the School holds from misuse, interference and loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and password access rights to computerised records.
Access and correction of personal information
Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act and the Health Records Act, an individual has the right to seek and obtain access to any personal information which the School holds about them and to advise the School of any perceived inaccuracy. Students will generally be able to access and update their personal information through their Parents, but older students may seek access and correction themselves.
There are some exceptions to these rights set out in the applicable legislation.
To make a request to access or to update any personal information the School holds about you or your child, please contact the School Principal or School Business Manager by telephone or in writing.
The School may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. The School may charge a fee to cover the cost of verifying your application and locating, retrieving, reviewing and copying any material requested. If the information sought is extensive, the School will advise the likely cost in advance. If we cannot provide you with access to that information, we will provide you with written notice explaining the reasons for refusal.
Consent and rights of access to the personal information of students
The School respects every Parent’s right to make decisions concerning their child’s education.
Generally, the School will refer any requests for consent and notices in relation to the personal information of a student to the student’s Parents. The School will treat consent given by Parents as consent given on behalf of the student, and notice to Parents will act as notice given to the student.
Parents may seek access to personal information held by the School about them or their child by contacting the School Principal or School Business Manager by telephone or in writing. However, there may be occasions when access is denied. Such occasions would include where release of the information would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, or where the release may result in a breach of the School’s duty of care to the student.
The School may, at its discretion, on the request of a student grant that student access to information held by the School about them, or allow a student to give or withhold consent to the use of their personal information, independently of their Parents. This would normally be done only when the maturity of the student and/or the student’s personal circumstances warrant it.
Enquiries and complaints
If you would like further information about the way the School manages the personal information it holds, or wish to complain that you believe that the School has breached the Australian Privacy Principles please contact the School Principal by writing or telephone at principal@maitlandcs.nsw.edu.au or (02) 4933 7633. The School will investigate any complaint and will notify you of the making of a decision in relation to your complaint as soon as practicable after it has been made.
ENROLMENT POLICY – Arise Christian College
PURPOSE STATEMENT
Arise Christian College (Arise) is a Christian educational community, growing faith, character and abilities through teaching and learning excellence, partnering with families and the Church.
RATIONALE
This policy provides guidelines for enrolment at Arise Christian College. It seeks to acknowledge and continue the vision of those who founded the Maitland Christian School Ltd as a Christian educational community and in line with the Company’s Purpose Statement and Strategic Intentions.
While the Policy is as comprehensive as possible, there will inevitably be some situations which are not explicitly covered. In such instances, it is the Principal’s responsibility to decide the appropriate course to take.
BIBLICAL BASIS
The Old Testament teaches that parents are responsible for their children’s education.
Hear O Israel, The Lord our God the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
Listen my son to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning so do not forsake my teaching (Proverbs 4:1-2).
The New Testament puts a similar responsibility on parents. Paul says:
Do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
The Greek word translated ‘training’ is paidia, which means training of the whole person.
Education today is very complex, and most parents are no longer able to train their children completely themselves. It is for this reason that they send their children to a school to assist them with this process. Christian parents should be encouraged to send their children to a Christian school, which supports Biblical values, teaches Biblical principles and models Christian community and relationships.
The Bible teaches that the church has an important role in teaching.
And in the church, God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles … (1 Corinthians 12: 28).
If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach (Romans 12:7).
For this reason, I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church (1 Corinthians 4:17).
Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:11-13)
Maitland Christian School Ltd was founded on the foundations of the home, church and school working together in providing a Christ-centred education. Arise Christian College continues this vision within a Special School framework, allowing extra support to students who meet the selection criteria
POLICY
Selection Criteria and ethos
Our selection criteria are established to reflect the ethos of Arise Christian College. Consequently, we seek to enrol those children whose families understand and are supportive of the Christian aims and objectives of the College, who we judge to be best able to benefit from the academic program we offer and who demonstrate a willingness to participate in the full range of activities provided by the College.
As a School for a Specific Purpose, enrolment in Arise Christian College is dependent on the student satisfying, and continuing to satisfy, the criteria for enrolment in special education services or programs provided by the NSW Department of Education (DoE). To be eligible for these services, the DoE criteria are that the student must display a high-threshold diagnosis and a significant barrier to learning. A high-threshold diagnosis can come from multiple categories of disability and, if uncertain, should be discussed with our school.
Arise Christian College focuses on supporting students with an appropriate diagnosis in a calm, safe and caring environment. When selecting students, the suitability of placement at Arise Christian College will be considered. To be eligible to enrol, students must be entering Years K-12 and have an appropriate diagnosis that causes a significant barrier to learning in the academic domain.
Appropriate diagnoses which could be considered are Autism, Intellectual Disability, Global Developmental Delay and some genetic conditions. Arise is a multi-category school and does not limit its enrolment to only those students with those diagnoses and recognises students with disabilities can have their capacity to learn impacted by a variety of conditions. If you are uncertain regarding your child’s diagnosis, please contact the school.
Arise Christian College reserves the right to limit the number of students within the program and to ensure that the mix of students is suitable to achieve the goals and purposes of the College.
Students seeking enrolment at Arise Christian College must provide the necessary supporting documentation as required by the College for their application to be considered. It is a condition of initial and ongoing enrolment at the College that the students be receiving regular professional external support.
We will assess all applications to enrol against these criteria. The College has absolute discretion in determining the weight of each of the factors it considers in deciding whether to offer a place for the student.
OUR ENROLMENT PROCESS
Points at which we take in new students
The normal entry points for Arise Christian College are Year 3 and Years 7. We will consider applications for entry to other years, but only if places are available. Due to the demand for places, we advise parents to apply for admission for their child well before the desired year of entry.
We have limited places to offer. After we offer places, we will draw up a waiting list. We will use this list to make later offers of enrolment if students to whom initial offers were made decide not to accept their offers, or if students already enrolled withdraw from the College.
You cannot defer an offer
If we offer a student a place for a particular entry point, that offer only applies to that point of entry: it does not apply for a later entry point. For example, if we offer a child a place at the College starting in Year 3, but the parents then decide that they wish to defer the child’s entry until Year 5 they cannot defer the original offer to take it up at the later entry point. In these circumstances, we will put the child on the normal application list and will reconsider their application at the next entry point.
Our enrolment timetable
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Our action |
Parents’ action |
Comments |
| 1. We develop a list of prospective students from completed Application to Register forms |
Parents may have their child placed on the list of prospective students by completing an Application to Register form. |
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| 2. We evaluate Application to Enrol forms and send enrolment forms to suitable applicants. |
If parents wish to proceed with their application, they will complete the Application to Enrol form. An enrolment application fee of $40 is payable. |
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| 3. We receive and process completed Applications to Enrol. |
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| 4. We will assess applications against our selection criteria.
We will notify parents if their child has met our selection criteria and is required to sit a test. Or we may notify them that we have decided not to consider their child for a place at the College. |
Bring children for testing at the time notified. |
We will undertake academic testing of prospective students as part of the enrolment process.
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| 5. We will select families to interview and notify parents. |
Attend an interview with their child at the time arranged. |
The interview process will involve a meeting with the College Principal, Business Manager and other staff as required. |
| 6. Offer of a place which includes mailing an enrolment pack. |
Accept the offer of a place by signing the Enrolment Confirmation and paying the Enrolment Fee, or reject the offer. The Enrolment Fee will be credited to the family’s fee account after successful participation in the New Parents’ Information Evenings. |
We will send offers of places:
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| 7. Hosting New Parents’ Information evenings for families new to the College. |
At least one parent must attend the New Parents’ Information Evening. Parents may attend the course before their child commences at the College. |
Attendance at these evenings is an important part of the enrolment process:
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Fees during the enrolment process
We will charge:
- An Application Fee of $40 to be paid by the parents and forwarded with the Application to Enrol form. This amount is non-refundable and does not guarantee a place at the College.
- An Enrolment Fee of $500 to be paid by the parents when they accept an offer of a place. This amount is credited to the family’s College fees upon successful completion of the Maitland Christian School & Arise Christian College New Parent’s Information Evening. This fee is non-refundable even if the parents should subsequently decide not to proceed with the enrolment offer.
Privacy of information supplied
All enrolment information parents supply during the enrolment process will be kept confidential and accessed only by those staff involved in the enrolment process. If an application to enrol is not successful, we will retain the information, with the permission of the parents, in case a place should become available later. Further information on our handling of information is available in the College’s Privacy Policy.
Enrolment Contract
Parents may accept a place for their child by signing the Enrolment Confirmation and paying the Enrolment Fee. This will establish the parents’ agreement to support the College rules and policies, to pay the College Fees, to accept the Enrolment Terms and the consequences of suspension or termination.
Parents’ declaration
In completing the Application to Enrol form, we will ask parents to declare that to the best of their knowledge they have:
- disclosed any special needs of their child
- provided a copy of any Parenting or Restraint Order that applies to the prospective student and parent(s) and
- fully completed the Application to Enrol form.
If a parent withholds information relevant to the registration and enrolment process, then we will reserve the right to refuse or terminate the enrolment process on these grounds. All supporting documentation as required by the College must be provided for the enrolment to be considered.
Ongoing enrolment
When a place at the College is accepted, the student will be expected to attend all the activities of the College, including classes, excursions, camps, mission programs, extra-curricular activities and special College functions (such as Chapel services, concerts and inter-school sporting events.)
Continued enrolment at the College is dependent upon the student making satisfactory academic progress, attending consistently, and the student and the parent/carer(s) observing all behavioural codes of conduct and other requirements of the College which are applicable from time to time.
When guardians or carers are enrolling children
In this Policy, we have referred to ‘parents’ to indicate those people responsible for enrolling students. Most of our enrolments involve the natural parents of children, so we have chosen to use this terminology to simplify our documents. However, we readily accommodate applications to enrol in which guardians or carers have responsibility for a child’s application.
Our Enrolment Policy may change
The College reserves the right to alter its Enrolment Policy.
The College may alter the terms and conditions of enrolment at any time by giving not less than two (2) term’s notice to the Parent/guardian(s) in writing which shall apply to both current and future students and parent/guardian(s) from the date specified in the notice.
The most up to date version of the enrolment policy is available from the College’s website.
ARISE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE – ENROLMENT CONDITIONS
1) Acceptance of an Offer of Enrolment
1.1. An offer of enrolment must be accepted by both Parent/carer(s) where appropriate unless the College agrees to waive this requirement. Upon acceptance, all signatories to the terms and conditions will be jointly and severally liable in respect of the obligations contained in these terms and conditions.
1.2. An Enrolment fee must accompany the acceptance of the offer. This fee is credited to the family’s fee account after attendance at the New Parents’ Information Evenings. This fee is non-refundable if the parents should subsequently decide not to proceed with the enrolment offer.
2) Conditional Enrolment
2.1. All enrolments are conditional upon the College being satisfied in its discretion that the College can meet the student’s needs. The College may cancel the enrolment if it determines before the start of the enrolment that the student’s needs cannot be met.
2.2. The College may require Parent/carer(s) to provide reports and assessments necessary to determine the particular needs of the student.
2.3. Competence in English is a pre-requisite for enrolment. If the College considers that the English language capabilities of the student are not sufficient, it may require the student to undergo an intensive English language course. If the required language level is not reached, the College may decide that the enrolment should be cancelled.
3) Progress of Student
3.1. If the College considers that the progress of a student is unsatisfactory and that it can no longer meet the student’s needs it may cancel the enrolment of the student by giving not less than one term’s notice.
4) Fees and Charges
4.1. The College Board determines the fees and charges that will be payable from time to time which are set out in a Fees Schedule. The fees are revised regularly and may be amended each year.
4.2. The College’s Fee Policy is set out in the College Fees Booklet and is available on the College web site or on request.
4.3. The College requires payment of all fees agreed upon with families by the due date, with consequences for non–payment of fees.
4.4. Fees will not be remitted in whole or part if the student is absent due to illness, leave or suspension.
5) Withdrawal of Students
5.1. Where students leave to enrol at another school, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requires that parent/carer(s) advise the College in writing of the name of the school the student will be attending and the grade the student will be entering at the new school.
5.2. If parent/carer(s) wish to withdraw a student from the College, notice given must be not less than one full term’s notice to expire at the end of a term.
5.3. If the required notice of withdrawal of a student is not given the parent/carer(s) must pay the balance of the College term’s fees.
6) Obligations of Students
Students are required to:
6.1. have high standards of behaviour
6.2. abide by the College Rules and Codes of Conduct as they apply from time-to-time
6.3. behave courteously and considerately to each other and to staff at all times
6.4. not do anything which may bring the College into disrepute, including in print and electronic media
6.5. support the purpose and values of the College
6.6. attend and, if required, participate in assemblies, the College sports program, camps, mission activities and excursions that are an integral part of the College curriculum, and important College events such as Celebration Services or other events determined by the Principal
6.7. wear the College uniform as prescribed, including when travelling to and from College in accordance with the College’s policies, and guidelines.
6.8. attend the College during College hours, except in the case of sickness or where leave has been given or an exemption from attendance has been granted
7) Obligations of Parent/Carer(s)
The parent/carer(s)
7.1. must accept and abide by the requirements and directions of the College Board and the Principal relating to the student or students generally and not interfere in any way with conduct, management and administration of the College,
7.2. are required to support the purpose, values and activities of the College, and
7.3. Should read the College Newsletter and are actively encouraged to follow the College on social media
The parent/carer(s) must promptly advise the College:
7.4. in writing of any change of home, mailing, email address or contact details or other information on the Enrolment Application Form. Offers of enrolment may be cancelled if the College loses contact with the parent or mail is returned
7.5. if the student is absent from the College due to ill health or other reason
7.6. in writing of any orders or arrangements that affect the student concerning custody or access, any change to them or any other orders or arrangements which were relevant to the student’s education and welfare and provide copies of any orders to the College.
The parent/carer(s) also:
7.7. must ensure the student has each item of officially required uniform, clean and in good repair, and all other requirements such as textbooks and stationery,
7.8. should communicate with students, parent/carer(s), visitors and staff members in a courteous manner, and follow the communication guidelines laid down by the College from time-to-time and observe the Parent Code of Conduct,
7.9. should use their reasonable endeavours to attend parent-teacher interviews and parent forums and participate in courses offered by the College which are relevant to the student’s education,
7.10. must not use social media or any other public methods to denigrate the College, staff, students or other members of the College community
8) Health and Safety
8.1. Parent/carer(s) must advise the College immediately if they become aware of any further special needs that the student may have including, but not limited to, any medical, physical, psychological needs, or any changes to these needs
8.2. Parent/carer(s) must complete and return to the College the required health form(s) for the student prior to the student commencing at the College and provide updates if circumstances change or as required by the College from time to time.
8.3. If the student is ill or injured, requiring urgent hospital and/or medical treatment (for example injections, blood transfusions, surgery) and parent/carer(s) are not readily available to authorise such treatment, the Principal or, in the Principal’s absence, a senior staff member of the College, may give the necessary authority for such treatment. The parent/carer(s) indemnify the College, its employees and agents in respect of all costs and expenses arising directly or indirectly out of such treatment.
8.4. Parent/carer(s) must observe College security procedures for the protection of students
8.5. Students are responsible for their personal property, and the College does not accept any responsibility for the loss of their belongings
8.6. The Principal or the Principal’s nominee may search the student’s bag, locker or other possessions where there are reasonable grounds to do so, in order to maintain a safe environment for all students.
9) Programs and Activities
9.1. The College determines the educational and other programs and activities conducted at the College from time to time in its absolute discretion.
9.2. The College may change its programs and activities and the content of these programs and activities without notice.
9.3 The student will be required to participate in all compulsory activities, including excursions, camps and mission activities unless the Principal agrees otherwise. Charges that are levied for these activities are not refundable due to student absence.
10) Reports
10.1. The College will send academic reports to the address or addresses notified by the Parent/carer(s). Where Parent/carer(s) do not live together, reports will be sent to both Parent/carer(s) unless there is an Order of the Court or an agreement that the reports will only be sent to one Parent.
11) Leave
11.1. If the Parent/carer(s) wish to seek leave for the student not to attend any College academic or co-curricular program or activity during a term, they must apply to the Principal. Leave will usually only be granted in most extreme circumstances.
12) Suspension & Termination of Enrolment
12.1. The College may suspend or terminate the enrolment of a student, either temporarily or permanently at any time for reasons which may include, but are not limited to:
a) a serious breach of the College’s rules or Code of Conduct;
b) conduct prejudicial to the reputation of the College or the well-being of its students or staff; and
c) where the Principal or College Board believes that a mutually beneficial relationship of co-operation and trust between the College and the Parent/carer(s) has broken down to the extent that it adversely impacts on that relationship.
12.2. The College will only exercise its powers under this clause to expel a student if it has provided the student and their parent/guardian(s) with details of the conduct which may result in a decision to expel the student and provided them with a reasonable opportunity to respond and where there has been procedural fairness.
12.3. The College may terminate the enrolment of the student without notice if, either before or after the commencement of enrolment, the College finds the relevant particulars of the special needs of the student have not been provided to the College, or the particulars provided are materially incorrect or misleading.
13) Privacy
13.1. The Parent/guardian(s) acknowledge that they have read the College’s Privacy Policy.
14) Amendments of Terms and Condition
14.1. The College may alter the terms and conditions of enrolment at any time by giving not less than two (2) term’s notice to the Parent/guardian(s) in writing which shall apply to both current and future students and parent/guardian(s) from the date specified in the notice.
15) Definitions
In the terms and conditions:
Parent means the parent/guardian(s) who entered into the contract of enrolment with the College
College means Arise Christian College
Student means the student who is named in the contract of enrolment
PURPOSE STATEMENT
Arise Christian College is a Christian educational community, growing faith, character and abilities through teaching and learning excellence, in partnership with families and the Church.
BIBLICAL BASIS
We believe:
- The one sovereign triune God, who has revealed himself through Christ and in his word the Bible, is the Creator, and Redeemer of the ordered world that he sustains moment by moment through his word of power (Hebrew 1:3).
- Human beings are called to act in a stewardly manner towards each other and towards God’s creation, according to God’s created norms. Due to the fallen nature of humanity, we exercise this stewardship imperfectly.
- Maitland Christian School devises (and revises) its policies and procedures to guide the life of our community under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and in the light of the laws and regulations of New South Wales and the Commonwealth.
- Due to the fallen nature of man we can expect the need for the school to intervene in bullying and harassment concerns (1 Corinthians).
- We can take comfort when the need for school intervention occurs in acknowledging that God is sovereign over all things and that Jesus experienced suffering on our behalf.
- God uses all situations for His purposes even when we cannot see or feel that this is so (Romans 8).
- We will aim to offer care, compassion, sensitivity and support to all members of the school community using as Jesus our role model for us to follow (2 Corinthians).
- Christ’s sacrifice is the highest price for every pleasure and the deepest comfort for every pain.
And we recognise:
- We are committed to providing a safe environment for the school community.
- A safe environment should promote learning, personal growth, respect and positive self-esteem.
- Our aim is to encourage and develop healthy and positive relationships where individual differences are respected by all.
- We will not tolerate harassment of any kind, whether it is verbal, written, electronic or physical behaviour.
WHAT BULLYING IS
Bullying is the repeated and intentional behaviour of causing fear, distress or harm towards another person that involves an imbalance of power. It can involve humiliation, domination, intimidation, victimisation and harassment. In any bullying incident there are likely to be three parties involved: the bully, the person being bullied, and bystanders.
Bullying can take many forms including:
- Physical bullying which involves physical actions such as hitting, pushing, obstructing or being used to hurt or intimidate someone. Damaging, stealing or hiding personal belongings is also a form of physical bullying.
- Psychological bullying is when words or actions are used to cause psychological harm. Examples of psychological bullying include name calling, teasing or making fun of someone because of their actions, appearance, physical characteristics or cultural background.
- Indirect bullying is when deliberate acts of exclusion or spreading of untrue stories are used to hurt or intimidate someone.
- Cyber bullying is the ongoing abuse of power to threaten or harm another person using technology. Cyber bullying can occur in chat rooms, on social networking sites, through emails or on mobile phones.
WHAT BULLYING IS NOT
There are many negative situations which, whilst being potentially distressing for students, are not bullying. These include:
- Mutual Conflict Situations which arise where there is disagreement between students but not an imbalance of power. Mutual conflict situations need to be closely monitored as they may evolve into a bullying situation; or
- One Off Acts (of aggression or meanness) including single incidents of loss of temper, shouting or swearing do not normally constitute bullying.
SIGNS OF BULLYING
Major behaviour changes in a student may be indicative of bullying. Such behavioural changes may include:
- Crying at night and having nightmares;
- Refusing to talk when asked “What’s wrong?”;
- Having unexplained bruises, cuts or scratches;
- An unwillingness or refusal to go to school;
- Feeling ill in the mornings;
- A decline in quality of school work;
- Becoming withdrawn and lacking confidence;
- Beginning to bully siblings; and
- Acting unreasonably.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to recognise signs of bullying and notify the school through a trusted staff member immediately (such as a class teacher, co-ordinator, school pastoral staff etc), if they suspect their child is a victim of bullying.
POLICY
Arise Christian College recognises its duty to students to provide a safe and positive learning environment where individual differences within the school are respected and accepted.
Bullying is not tolerated at Arise Christian College.
It is our policy that:
- Bullying be managed through a ‘whole of school community’ approach involving students, staff, and parents/guardians;
- Bullying prevention strategies are implemented within the School on a continuous basis with a focus on teaching age appropriate skills and strategies to empower staff, students and parents/guardians to recognise bullying and respond appropriately;
- Bullying response strategies are tailored to the circumstances of each incident;
- Staff establish positive role models emphasising our no-bullying culture; and
- Bullying prevention and intervention strategies are reviewed on an annual basis.
BULLYING PREVENTION STRATEGIES
Arise Christian College recognises that the implementation of whole school prevention strategies is the most effective way of eliminating, or at least minimising incidents of bullying within our community.
The following initiatives form part of our overall bullying prevention strategy and our strategy to create a ‘no bullying’ culture within the school:
- A structured curriculum and peer group support system, that provides age appropriate information and skills relating to identifying bullying (including cyber bullying) and bullying prevention, to students over the course of the academic year;
- Education, training and professional development of staff in bullying prevention and response strategies;
- Regular provision of information to parents/guardians, to raise awareness of bullying as a school community issue to equip them to recognise signs of bullying, as well as to provide them with clear paths for raising any concerns they may have relating to bullying directly with the School;
- Promotion of a supportive environment that encourages the development of positive relationships and communication between staff, students and parents/guardians;
- Education and training to develop coping strategies and to build resilience.
- Promotion of responsible bystander behaviour amongst students, staff and parents/guardians;
- Reporting of incidents of alleged bullying by students, bystanders, parents/guardians and staff is encouraged, and made easy through the establishment of multiple reporting channels (as specified below);
- Regular risk assessments of bullying within the school are undertaken by surveying students to identify bullying issues that may ordinarily go unnoticed by staff; and
- Records of reported bullying incidents are maintained and analysed, in order to identify persistent bullies and/or victims and to implement targeted prevention strategies where appropriate.
REPORTING BULLYING
Students and their parents/guardians are sometimes reluctant to pursue bullying incidents, for fear that it will only make matters worse.
A key part of the School’s bullying prevention and intervention strategy is to encourage reporting of bullying incidents as well as providing assurance to students who experience bullying (and parents/guardians) that:
- Bullying is not tolerated within the school;
- Their concerns will be taken seriously; and
- The School has a clear strategy for dealing with bullying issues.
Bullying incidents can be advised to the School verbally (or in writing) through any of the following avenues:
- Informing a trusted teacher;
- Informing the School pastoral staff;
- Informing the School coordinator;
- Informing the Deputy Principal or the Principal; or
- Via the Maitland Christian School online Safety reporting tool.
RESPONDING TO BULLYING
Bullying behaviours vary enormously in their extent and intent and, as a consequence, each incident needs to be dealt with on its facts.
In all circumstances the school:
- Takes bullying incidents seriously;
- Provides assurance to the victim that their confidentiality will be respected;
- Takes time to properly investigate the facts including discussing the incident with the victim, the alleged bully and any bystanders;
- Takes time to understand any concerns of individuals involved;
- Maintains records of reported bullying incidents; and
- Will escalate its response when dealing with persistent bullies and/or severe incidents.
Actions that may be taken when responding to bullying include:
- Notification of/Consultation with parents/guardians;
- Offering counselling to persistent bullies/victims;
- Implementing effective follow up strategies; and
- Disciplinary action at the Principal’s discretion including suspension and expulsion of persistent bullies, or in cases of severe incidents.
School Liaison Police
School Liaison Police are NSW Police officers who work with schools to reduce crime, violence and anti-social behaviour. School Liaison Police are a point of contact for the school community and the NSW Police Force. Our students are encouraged to contact the School Liaison police if they have any concerns.
Our School Liaison Police Officer is Senior Constable John Collins. The School Liaison Police Officer can be contacted on 0437 771 757.
Other Support Services
Arise Christian College also provides access to Pastoral care staff.
When are uniforms worn?
Summer uniform is worn in Terms 1 and 4 and winter uniform is worn in Terms 2 and 3
To accommodate weather changes, primary girls may wear their summer or winter uniform in the calendar months of April and September
Sport uniform is worn on the departmental sport days each week for sport and Physical Education classes
Commemorative jerseys are not to be worn for official occasions
Where are uniforms purchased?
School uniform items are to be purchased at the Lowes Greenhills store. Lowes makes an annual donation to the school, based on a sales percentage. For this reason it is in the best interest of the students at the school if parents have the school’s name recorded when buying Maitland Christian School items at Lowes
You can also order uniforms online or find the latest price list on the Lowes website
There are only two uniform items that are not sold at Lowes; school shoes and sport shoes
Metford Community Baptist Church also run a second-hand uniform shop, which is open every Tuesday, 8:30am – 9:00am and Thursday, 2:30pm – 3:00pm
Primary Uniforms
• Prep Uniform
• Red polo shirt
• Red pullover or jacket for extra warmth on cold days
• Navy school sport shorts (navy track pants for warmth on colder days)
• Choice of either broad brimmed or bucket hat, navy and red, with school logo
• White socks and joggers
Primary Boys’ Uniform
• Sky blue short or long sleeve shirt with school logo
• Navy shorts or trousers
• School tracksuit jacket for warmth on cold days
• Choice of either broad brimmed or bucket hat, navy and red, with school logo
• Traditional style black school shoes* and navy crew socks
Primary Girls’ Uniform
• Light blue dress in summer
• Tartan tunic with white short or long sleeve blouse in winter
• School tracksuit jacket for warmth on cold days
• Choice of either broad brimmed or bucket hat, navy and red, with school logo
• Traditional style black school shoes* and white crew socks (Navy stockings are acceptable with the winter uniform)
Jerseys
• Year 6 students can wear commemorative jerseys on sport uniform days during Term 4
*Please see school shoes below for more details
Secondary Uniforms
• Secondary Boys’ Uniform
• White short or long sleeve shirt with school logo
• Navy shorts or trousers
• Red jumper with school logo for warmth
• Choice of either broad brimmed or bucket hat, navy and red, with school logo
• Traditional style black school shoes* and navy crew socks
• Red ties (Years 7-10) and navy ties (Years 11 and 12) are optional but must be worn for certain occasions
Secondary Girls’ Uniform
• White blouse with school logo
• Tartan skirt
• Red jumper with school logo for warmth
• Choice of either broad brimmed or bucket hat, navy and red, with school logo
• Traditional style black school shoes* and white crew socks (or navy stockings in winter)
Uniform Options
• Year 12 can wear commemorative jerseys
• Year 11 and 12 students have the option of wearing navy school blazers with the school logo on pocket
*Please see school shoes below for more details
Kindergarten to Year 12 Sport Uniform
• School sport shirt
• Navy school sport shorts
• Navy school track suit for warmth
• Choice of either broad brimmed or bucket hat, navy and red, with school logo
• Supportive joggers and white crew or ankle socks. Joggers must not be fluorescent in colour
Sport Carnivals and Special Events
From time to time, the school has events, where students are allowed to wear non-uniform clothing. These include out of uniform days and sport carnivals, where they are allowed to wear house colours. On these days, it is expected that students will wear clothing which is safe and modest. Therefore:
• Students must have fully covered shoulders
• No midriff tops
• At sport carnivals, when students can wear t-shirts in their house colours, there shouldn’t be large images or writing covering the front or back of the shirt
• Swimming costumes must be suitably modest
Accessories and Grooming
• No jewellery except for a watch and a maximum of one pair of silver or gold sleepers or studs (that may have a clear stone in them) no larger than 0.5cm are to be worn in the lowest part of the earlobe.
• No facial, tongue or other visible piercings
• No nail polish, acrylic nails or such nail accessories
• No make-up apart from a light foundation
• No facial hair (including sideburns)
• No unnaturally coloured hair, dreadlocks, mohawks or extreme hairstyles including radical shaves, lines or patterns
• Hair should not cover the face
• Skirt lengths are to be within one hand width from the top of the knee
• Clothing worn under uniform should not be visible
• Sleeves are not to be rolled up
• Navy or red hair accessories are acceptable
• Plain navy or red scarves and gloves are acceptable on cold days
• Plain navy or red beanies may be worn for warmth, when students are wearing all other applicable warm uniform options
School Shoes
• Traditional style school shoes – plain black, polishable leather, lace-up shoes with black laces (or Velcro for infants students)
• Shoes must cover full instep and be below the ankle, they must not be a boot
• No soft uppers or holes punched completely through the shoe
• Heels not to be more than 35mm high
To meet work health and safety requirements, school shoes must provide physical protection to the foot in case of liquid spills or falling objects. The bridge of the foot must be covered.
Sport Shoes
• Supportive joggers are to be worn with the sport uniform. These should be lace up or can be Velcro for infants students.
• Full leather upper is recommended
As enclosed footwear with full leather upper is required in high school specialist rooms, students with non-leather sports shoes will be required to bring their leather school shoes on sports days. Students are therefore encouraged to consider leather upper sports shoes in high school.
