Parent prospectus

As a school staff, we take our duty of care to your children very seriously. We continually review our whole-school structures, including staff allocations and yard rosters, to ensure students are appropriately supervised whilst learning and playing. Before school, staff requires the support of parents and caregivers to ensure students arrive safely and enter class ready to learn by 9am. Students who enter school grounds before 8:30am should be enrolled in OSHC, unless under the direct supervision of a parent or caregiver. The JP Playground (adjacent Rooms 20/21) and Soccer Oval are supervised by staff from 8:30am for those students who wish to engage in free play, otherwise, students are expected to make their way directly to their classrooms. Students arriving any time after 9am or departing before 3:20am (2:30 on Wednesdays) must sign in/out through the front office to ensure they can be accounted for in the case of an emergency.

For safety reasons, bikes and scooters are not permitted to be ridden on school grounds. With such a large number of young children and families moving around at the beginning and end of the school day, parents/guardians will be contacted if their child does not display respect, responsibility and care in this regard. In terms of road traffic and parking in and around the school, we continue to work closely with our community police officers and council to ensure that local road rules and parking restrictions are adhered to by all. Our number one priority is to keep everyone in our school community safe and we thank the majority of our students and families for assisting us in this area.

At Woodcroft Primary School we inspire engaged, resilient and creative learners.  We are driven by students and community for lifelong learning and wellbeing.

Ngadlu Kaurna miyurna tampinthi.

Parna yarta mathaya puki-unangku.

Ngadlu tampinthi Kaurna purka pulthupuru yama-yama.

We acknowledge Kaurna people.

They are the original custodians of this region.

We acknowledge Kaurna Elders as our first educators

Woodcroft Primary School was officially opened in 1993 by the Hon Susan Lenehan, Minister of Education, Employment and Training. Our first principal was Pat Dorian.

The suburb of Woodcroft was named on 21st November, 1985. The name was derived from Woodcroft Farm, an important heritage feature of our area. The original logo of Woodcroft Primary School was the Woodcroft stables building which has since burnt down. In 1999 it was decided to seek a new logo for the next millennium that expresses our values and uniqueness.

Teaching at Woodcroft Primary School commenced in 1992, based in 3 houses, on Traegar Court, with an enrolment of 78 children in 4 classes. During 1992 and 1993 the administration building, resource centre, a shelter and the quadrangle classroom units were built. In 1994, the first transportable buildings arrived on site. Since then, thirty five classrooms have appeared allowing our maximum capacity to be approximately 980 students.

Our first logo from 1992 – 2000

In 2000 a new vision and logo were launched to celebrate and embrace the new millennium. Geoff Rogers and Michelle Spencer were principal and deputy principal. Our second logo was designed by a graphic artist with instructions to incorporate as many of our values as possible into the design. Uniforms were updated to reflect the new logo at this time and the sublimation top was introduced in 2013. With money from the federal government, granted in 2009, we were able to invest in a new gymnasium and upgrade the old gym to a performing arts centre.

Values from 2000 were caring, cooperation, respect, responsibility and excellence. The meaning of the logo is the right arm of the child in the design is reaching for the sky signifying excellence and achievement. The left arm is a part of a sweeping curve that represents caring and respect for others and the earth.  The leaves are for our responsibility for the environment and that one day Woodcroft will actually be a beautiful wooded environment again.  The journey to get this new logo was long and involved a large number of points of view.  It was officially launched in December 2000.

Logo from 2000

During 2018, after 18 years, our promotions and events ambassadors and core strategic staff under the leadership of Kristian Mundy and Josh Vick undertook a whole school branding review. Our first task was to work on updating our vision statement to reflect where we are heading now.

The core message is everyone is a learner and that a focus on engagement, resilience and creativity will best prepare community members to be lifelong learners and have improved wellbeing.

The ability, maturity and background of experiences vary greatly between children when they commence school and therefore this naturally affects their readiness to begin formal activities. In this sense they are allowed to progress at their own rate of learning. The children are given the opportunity to learn the order and routine of the day while being considerate towards others and being aware of the class and school organisation. For this to occur social relationships are to be developed. This involves sharing, respect for self and others, group awareness and self-discipline. We aim to create a positive caring and enjoyable classroom environment for your child.

For the past five years you as parents/caregivers have facilitated the learning of skills, knowledge and attitudes and in partnership together we will continue and expand these important foundations of learning. This includes the social, emotional, physical and academic development of the children.

Foundation is an important year as it provides the grounding for later learning in primary school.

Your child should bring the following to school:
school bag
fruit/healthy eating snack
litter free lunch
school hat – named
spare underwear and clothes

Preparing your child for school

There are many things that you as a parent can do to prepare your child for school. Assist them to know

their name

their address and telephone number

how to put away play things and materials after using them

how to dress themselves including trying to tie shoe laces

the appropriate use of toilet and related hygiene

who will be taking them home after school under different circumstances

Above all encourage your child to be independent and responsible by giving them opportunities to develop these skills, eg allowing them to make choices, take risks and be responsible for little tasks around the home.

Be patient, proud and encourage your child’s achievements. Allow quiet time together for sharing and talk to your child about starting school, their understanding of it and what they can expect, making new friends, learning new skills and experiencing new challenges.

Information for starting school can be found at www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au

Transition

At Woodcroft Primary we have two major programmes in preparing children for the next level of schooling. These are: kindergarten (pre-school) to foundation and year 7 to year 8 (high school). 

In both situations, a number of formal preparatory visits are arranged by staff with the institutions involved, to ensure that the transition from one level to the next is made smoothly. Parents are kept informed about these transition programmes.

Zoning

Woodcroft Primary School is a zoned school, taking students whose residential address is within the catchment area bordered by Pine, Kellys, Panalatinga and Reynell roads. Students outside these boarders have opportunities to attend other schools or be placed on a waiting list for WPS.

Term dates and School times can be found here

Hours of supervision
Hours of supervision are provided by teaching staff from: 8.30am – 3.35pm except on Wednesdays when it is 8.30am to 2.50 pm.  After 3.40pm there are no teachers on duty. All children not collected by 3.40pm will be directed to the office to await collection. Students may be sent to out of school care where a fee will be charged if there is prolong or repeated occasions of students not being collected.  If you are running late for the start of the day or pick up please inform the school. 

Exceptions from school
Exemption forms are available from the front office and Skoolbag and are required for any travel or family holiday during school time or a medical condition that prevents students from attending school. If there are plans for your student/s to be absent for more than 1 month their exception form will need to be approved by the Executive Director as well as the Principal.

End of term
The Woodcroft Primary School Governing Council has endorsed the policy of our school closing an hour earlier at the end of each school term.

Student free days

The Woodcroft Primary School Governing Council approves 4 pupil free days and 1 school closure day, each year. On these days, the children are not required to attend school. On each pupil free day, the staff are involved in training and development activities. The school closure day is a non-attendance day for both children and staff and is usually held at a time of school, state or national significance. The school community is informed of these dates well in advance.

Communication

Communication with Woodcroft Primary School can be done by visiting your teacher or the front office, Seesaw, Skoolbag, emailing dl.1776_admin@schools.sa.edu.au or ringing the school 8322 2784. The text only number, 0476857229, is available for late arrival or non-attendance notification. Please list student’s name, room number and reason for absence.

Woodcroft Primary School communicates with parents and caregivers via email, our Skoolbag app and our Facebook site.

Change of details
If there is any change to your personal details, your student’s medical conditions or custody details please advise the front office and student’s teacher/s.

Finance
Eftpos payments can only be made between 8.30am – 9.30am Monday to Friday. Credit card, cheque and cash transactions can be made at any time during the day in person or over the phone. We have Qkr (pronounced quicker) by MasterCard. This is an app that you can download and register your child/ren and make payments for material and service charges, camp, excursion or canteen lunches.  We also have direct debit facilities for fees or large payments. If payments are made after 9.30am the transaction will be processed the next working day.

Medication
All mediation (prescribed, over the counter and alternative therapies, vitamins, minerals and supplements) must be sent in the original container clearly labelled with the child’s name. The measured dosage, dates and times the medication is required to be taken is to be clearly indicated. All this must be in writing and signed by the student’s doctor and parent. All medication given will be recorded on a medication plan. The first dose of any new medication should not be taken at school.

With the administering of antibiotics, our advice is that before school, after school and night time are suitable times to administer. Please discuss this with the doctor when they prescribe the antibiotics.

Mediation plans and asthma care plans are available from the front office for this procedure. Medication will be stored according its requirements.

Materials and services charges

Materials and services charges are set by the Governing Council. Parents are requested to pay this account promptly. Payments can be made using cash, cheque, eftpos, credit card, OKR, instalment plans and direct debit. The materials and services charges provides for all the stationery items the children will require for the year. However, if additional items are needed, because of loss or destruction, then parents will be asked to pay for these above the school fee payment.

Materials and Services Charges are $340.00 for 2020.

A percentage of the materials and services charges will be charged for children enrolling in terms 2, 3 or 4 if transferring from a non-Department for Education site.

Throughout the year additional fees are charged for camps, excursions or special events at the school. Teachers endeavour to give parents as much notice as possible for these fees

School card scheme

The school card assistance scheme helps parents with the payment of fees through an allocation of money to the school by the government.

The government assistance scheme is available to parents who meet the criteria. School card approval is based upon either the parent being a holder of a Healthcare/Pension card from Centrelink or can prove low income. Parents who have such social security benefit approvals are asked to show the appropriate card to the front office staff, when lodging their school card form.  Application for this scheme may also be done on a “means” test basis. Parents should see the front office staff for more information about this. School card application forms are available from the front office or you can apply online.

https://www.education.sa.gov.au/search/school%20card%20applications

Assemblies

Children are involved in regular assemblies at WPS. Both whole school and smaller year level assemblies are held throughout the year.

Our assemblies
-encourage child participation
-provide an opportunity for children to share with others
-provide an opportunity for children to talk about recent events of particular significance
-are hosted by different classes on a roster system
-are open to parents to attend

Library

The library is open from 8.30am each day and closes at 3:35pm (except on Wednesdays closing at 2.30pm). The library is closed at first break but open during second break for students to visit. Each week classes have allocated borrowing time and the first 30 minutes of each day is set aside for individual borrowing and returning.  Parents are most welcome to accompany children and help in the selection of books.  Pre-school siblings may also borrow from the library and Woodcroft Heights Kindy visit us every week for a story and their borrowing session. Our main aim is to connect students with great resources and to get them reading and loving it! We also aim to equip them with all of the tools they need to safely and efficiently access information from a range of sources.

Foundation children may borrow one book at a time, years 1 and 2, two books and years 3 to 7 three books, dictionary and an atlas.  Books may be borrowed for up to two weeks, but loan extensions are available if needed.  It is not necessary for children to have their card if borrowing before and after school and at break times.

The library stocks books and materials for children from foundation to year 7.   If parents have any concerns about the suitability of the books their children have borrowed or would like to request items please come and see the library staff.

Our school makes use of the Scholastic Book Club.  This provides families with the opportunity to purchase suitable, reasonably priced books for children approximately six times per year.  Brochures with order forms are distributed from the Library via parent volunteers.

The school provides a full canteen service operating each school day from 8.30am to 2.30pm. The children, staff and parents working at the school on a particular day are able to make use of this service by placing a lunch order with the canteen. All orders need to be placed in the morning for delivery at our first break.

A menu and price list is available on our skoolbag app, the canteen or front office. Parents are asked to note any updates of items and prices. While the canteen is set up to provide a service, it primarily provides a healthy range of food and snack items in line with Government regulations Rite Bite.

Canteen

The school provides a full canteen service operating each school day from 8.30am to 2.30pm.  The children, staff and parents working at the school on a particular day are able to make use of this service by placing a lunch order with the canteen. You can order online via our QKR App. The cutoff time is strictly 9.15am.   All orders need to be placed in the morning for delivery at our first break.

A menu and price list is available on our Skoolbag app, the canteen or front office. Parents are asked to note any updates of items and prices. While the canteen is set up to provide a service, it primarily provides a healthy range of food and snack items in line with Government regulations Rite Bite.

Traffic and parking
We urge all parents and caregivers to take extra care when driving and parking around the school. The kiss and drop is a no parking zone. You may immediately pick up or let down a passenger but you may not leave your vehicle parked or unattended. You may not wait in this zone for longer than 2 mins. It is illegal to exit the kiss and drop turning right or to conduct a u turn in Mawson Circuit. Onkaparinga parking inspectors and police regularly monitor Woodcroft Primary School and surrounding roads and fines will be issued.

Family involvement

Your family can be involved in many ways with the school and there is an expectation that you will offer assistance in one of the following ways.

Governing Council is a decision making body of the school community which works to provide direction, policy and support to assist the Principal to make the school a better place for learning. Meetings are held on the Monday of weeks 3 and 8 of each term commencing at 7.00pm.

Sub committees support the Governing Council and provide a broader decision-making base by involving more parents in the process.

Classroom support, canteen and library assistance are valuable ways for you to contribute to our community.  If you are able to assist in anyway please talk to a representative in the area you wish to volunteer or front office staff. If your child attends Woodcroft Primary School you will not need a DCSI clearance check unless you are required for a sleepover or camp. Non parental volunteers will need to make an appointment with Ali Rogers to discuss their clearance requirements.

customer service 1300105343 M:0413925337

Excursions, sleep-ins and camps
Students are given the opportunity to participate in educational excursions. Details and consent forms are sent home for each occasion.  The decisions to have sleepovers, excursions or camps are made by the class teachers. Activities such as camps and excursions are regarded as learning opportunities and an extension of the curriculum. Not all students will engage in extension activities every year.

Consent forms
Parents are requested to complete and return the general consent form attached to the enrolment form. This gives the staff permission to take the children on (local) walking type excursions. This general consent form also informs the school about children who have permission to be photographed for school record and archive purposes. The department now have an online Image and media consent submission.

Please visit http://decd.cmail19.com/t/i-l-ohlurlt-mdhukjijj-m and complete your preferences.

When it is planned that the children will be involved in an excursion where private vehicles are to be used, parents will be informed before the excursion and consent will be sought. A separate consent is forwarded home for all other activities where hired or volunteer transport is required.   When the school has a need to forward information about a child to a support type agency, e.g. referral for speech pathology assessment, behaviour support, hearing, learning disabilities etc the parent will be informed about this and be requested to give their approval for information about their child being passed on, as required. This practice of seeking consent will also take place for occasions when personal information and/or records are to be shared with other key personnel or school support agencies.

Specialist lessons
Out of class programs for 2020 included Physical Education, Performing Arts and Japanese.

Swimming / aquatic safety instruction
All children in the school will be given the opportunity to be involved in water safety or aquatics (year 6/7) sessions throughout the year. We use the SA Aquatic Centre at Marion and Port Noarlunga Aquatic School. These water safety and confidence lessons are led by the Department for Education trained instructors and are considered to be an essential part of our physical education programme.  Participation is expected. 

Assessment, recording and reporting
WPS uses a continuous basis for assessment, recording and reporting processes. These may be both formal and informal. As a school, we assess, record and report the quality, quantity and standards of work being done and aspects that directly relate to the overall development of the student.  Written reports are provided mid-year and at the end of the year.  Parent/teacher/student interviews are held throughout the year.  The informal processes used for reporting to parents about the progress of their children, is determined by each individual class teacher.

There are three essential and common features in reporting to parents.

• that the content of work covered is reported to parents and that this represents a balance of curriculum areas
• that the reporting includes reference to the child’s behaviour, social living/learning and work habit skills, and
• that the students are given the opportunity to be involved in the reporting system, possibly through self-evaluation.

Special needs
It is our belief that all children be treated as individuals and that attention be given to the needs of the individual child. This means that programmes are in place to ensure that all special needs, particularly related to academic, social and physical development of the child, are addressed by the class teacher/s with support personnel as the need arises.  

Any additional support required for a child’s development, is best delivered at the classroom level. In this sense, any allocation of additional special needs staffing, will in the first instance be used to support the classroom teacher/s in the modification, preparation or delivery of a learning programme suited to the needs of the child.

Play is the Way
All teachers at Woodcroft Primary School engage in Play is the Way.  There are resources available for parents via teachers, in the library and on Skoolbag. There is lots of language used within the Play is the Way model and the consistency between school and home could benefit your students.

Self-mastery checklist
The “Self-mastery checklist” is comprised of 6 questions that we can ask children and more importantly, children can ask of themselves.

When asked by teachers or parents they are as follows:
1. Is that the right thing ore wrong thing to do?
2. Are you making a strong decision or a weak decision?
3. Are your feelings in charge of your actions or are you dealing with it?
4. Are you running away from the problem or are you dealing with it?
5. Are you being your own boss or are you inviting me to be your boss?
6. Am I trying to hurt or help you?

The questions are designed to make children reflect and self-evaluate their behaviour. Asked calmly by a teacher or parent, with the intent to help, they are a logical and powerful way to guide children back to reasoned and responsible behaviour.

Encouraging and training children to see their behaviour in the context of the 6 questions, accelerates the development of positive social behaviour. Try to seek a positive bias when using the 6 questions. If the greater use of the questions is to detail, describe and reinforce positive behaviour, children will feel more optimistic about achieving a safe classroom and be more
motivated to do so

Don’t feel compelled to be constantly using the 6 questions. In fact, selective use makes them feel more penetrating and effective. It is not necessary to use all 6 questions at once. Nor do they need to be asked in any particular order. Whichever question/s is used will depend on the teachable moment that has occurred.

It is possible to turn the questions into statements with the intent of coercing a child into compliance. Doing so would be a damaging misuse of the process.

Questions prompt self-reaction and evaluation and fuel healthy dialogue. Statements are often judgements that terminate dialogue and act like a big stick.
Statement/Judgement example: a teacher or parent who is the victim of his/her feelings might say, “John, that was a weak decision”, or “John, your being weak.”
Question/Dialogue example: a teacher or parent who is the master of his/her feelings might say, “John, are you doing the right thing or the wrong thing?” or “John, are you making strong decision or a weak decision?”

10 tips for parents
– Accept your importance as a role model and make every effort to be the best role model you can be. Recognize that this may call for personal change and improvement.
– Trusting that your children love you, allows you to do the “parent things” that may sometimes make them dislike you for a while.
– Try to always be the adult you claim to be and have the emotional self-control to offer firm guidance, support and moral leadership. Sympathize with them but try not to solve their problems for them.
– Separate your needs from those of your children. They can’t live your dreams.
– Try to always use reason not rage. Avoid fighting fire with fire. Be in control of your feelings and your actions so that your children can learn to be in control of theirs.
– Show faith in your school. Prepare your children to work hard so that teachers can help them to learn well. Establish rights, rules, responsibilities and routines in your household and let every child do their bit. Give them chores, square meals, the time to talk and the sleep they need.
– Turn the TV off when you can and turn the conversation on where possible. And remember; loving then is easy, its rearing then that’s hard but it does get easier with practice.
– Role model good manners at all times and ask for them in return. Good manners often diffuse conflict situations.
– By acknowledging small improvements in behaviour you make it easier for big improvements to follow.
– Try to avoid thinking that you can save your children from getting hurt (emotionally or physically). Instead, prepare them to cope.

Community circles

In line with our school’s commitment to the development of pro-social student behaviour, many of our classes use community circles as part of their daily routine. Sometimes referred to as ‘group problem solving’ sessions (GPS), community circles provide students with an opportunity to raise, discuss and address issues important to them. With strategic support and guidance from the classroom teacher, students are not only empowered to consider the impact that their choices have on other members of their learning community, but are challenged to take greater responsibility for the social and emotional wellbeing of themselves and their peers.

Community circles are not about “attacking” or “alienating” individuals within a class. While there will be occasions where individuals feel confronted or even overwhelmed by frank and open discussion of the choices they have made, this in itself represents a valuable learning opportunity for students. Dealing with emotional discomfort is something that we all require support and practice to get better at, and staff are committed to working with parents and the school community to assist students develop these life-skills.

Adults should not expect students to be perfect, nor should they strive to provide a learning environment void of challenge and discomfort. Mistakes and conflict represent valuable opportunities for deep and meaningful social and emotional learning, and by creating supportive environments in which students are up-skilled to negotiate such situations, we are actually helping them to develop the resilience, self-control and empathy they require to
be happy, healthy and productive citizens. It is an unrealistic and unattainable goal for students to be happy all of the time, but by supporting them to take responsibility for the choices they make and consider how their actions may affect others, they will have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and contribute to the ongoing improvement of our school culture.

Big creative play
Each Friday morning our school runs a very unique program for the Junior Primary children, which encourages creative play and learning. For those families who are new to Woodcroft, it is called Big Creative Play. It has been a valuable part of the Woodcroft school program since the first years of the school. If you ask the children, they will tell you it is one of their favourite lessons of the school week.

Why is this so?

The activities are chosen using the guidelines of fun, learning and creativity in mind. Each classroom teacher
chooses three different tasks for the children. They cover all of the curriculum areas, including Art, Mathematics, Science, Technology, Japanese, Drama, Writing, Craft and Physical Education. The children then choose from the combined list of available activities throughout the junior primary school and wear a tag displaying that choice. On Friday mornings the children gather in the courtyard and move to the teacher and room where their chosen activity is set up.

Changing classrooms and working with new teachers and a mix of different children from other classes is a
wonderful learning experience for the children. They make new friends, develop relationships with teachers
other than their class teacher and become more independent and confident within the school setting.

One class of middle school (year 6/7) students is allocated to assist teachers in their classrooms. These students work alongside the junior primary children, and help teachers to set up and pack up as well. This promotes responsibility, friendship and co-operation within cross-age groups. Most of the older students have been a part of the Big Creative Play since they were little, so they understand how much the junior primary children look forward to this time of the week.

The popularity and success of our Big Creative Play program is widely known

At Woodcroft Primary School, we believe that effective behaviour development occurs when strong relationships are developed between teachers, parents/caregivers and students. Informal conversations, phone calls, communication book/diary notes and step records all help to ensure an appropriate and collaborative approach. Positive reinforcement of pro-social behaviours and the use of Play is the Way language supports students to take charge of their own actions. Leadership staff support students, teachers and parents in the development of a school culture of responsibility, cooperation, care, respect and excellence.

School staff have a mandated duty of care to ensure that students are safe and supervised at all times. Individual staff are assigned designated yard areas to supervise at all recess and lunch breaks, as well as before and after school. When children start school for the first time, and at the commencement of each school year, staff invest time into ensuring that children are familiar with the designated play areas, as well as the school boundaries and”out-of-bounds” locations

Yard expectations
In the yard, it is expected that all students will: Follow teacher instructions without arguing, speak to others in a respectful way, solve problems calmly and without violence or unwanted physical contact, stay within the boundaries during school hours and move quickly and sensibly to class when the bell goes.

Before and after school
Students who arrive on school grounds prior to 8:30am, and who are not under the direct supervision of a parent/guardian and/or enrolled in Out of School Hours Care (OSHC), must remain on the front lawn, adjacent to Investigator Drive side of Administration building, until the first bell sounds at 8.30am. After 8:30am, school staff provide yard supervision on the soccer oval and at the school crossing. The football oval and playgrounds are out of bounds until the commencement of the school day at 9am, with the soccer oval open to those students who
wish to play ball games or engage in other outdoor play between 8:30 and 9am. At the end of the school day, staff supervision is provided at the school crossing on Investigator Drive, the “Kiss n Drop” zones on Investigator Drive and Traeger Court, and the South Car Park adjacent Woodcroft Heights Children’s Centre.

Classroom behaviour management
Each class teacher will establish a set of agreed and understood classroom expectations, in collaboration with their students, at the beginning of the school year. While specific expectations may vary from class to class, the aim is always to create a safe learning environment for all students. It is an expectation that all classes commit to  regular game play as per our whole-school approach to Play is the Way, promoting pro-social behaviour and resilience.

Class teachers may use any of the following to support the development of pro-social student behaviour:
Reminder and/or warning (Class teacher to contact parents if issues are ongoing)
Structured apology or restitution/Community Circle or Group Problem Solving (GPS)
Classroom time out (eg. a short period of time away from other class members) class teacher to notify parents/caregiver via a note in the diary, phone call or email
Admin Time Out – Class teacher contacts front office administrators to request leadership support, providing brief details of issue and desired leadership response

Refelection and repair process
Where a student’s actions are deemed to threaten the safety or wellbeing of others and/or demonstrate persistent and wilful inattention or defiance, leadership staff may instigate a restorative conversation with the student about the nature and impact of their actions and help them consider how they may do things better in the future.

Reflection and repair process outline:

Supervising/responding teacher (class or yard) contacts leadership via the front office administrators to notify of issue and request leadership support

Students report to the office at the time negotiated between the class teacher and office staff.

Parent/guardian contacted by class teacher or leadership

The student is then escorted back to class by leadership staff

All Information is entered into EDSAS and recorded in the weekly behaviour summary

Note: Any yard issues referred directly to the office will be communicated with the appropriate class teachers at the earliest possible opportunity.

Where issues are of a serious and or ongoing nature, leadership may broker a meeting with parent/caregiver and class teacher to formulate a Student Development Plan.

Where a student does not meet the terms of an SDP, Take Home/Suspension/Exclusion may be issued

Multiple Take Homes/Suspensions will result in referral to Integrated Support Services.

Take home

Where a student is unable or unwilling to comply with reasonable directions from school staff, or is endangering himself/herself or other members of the school community, a take-home may be applied. Students with disabilities and/or those affected by trauma may be issued a take-home if they are overwhelmed by anxiety and/or need to practice calming strategies with support from a parent/caregiver.

A take-home is not a suspension, but is used in a behavioural emergency and is the practical application of the partnership between schools and families. It involves a student being handed over to the care of his/her family for the remainder of the day, to enable him/her to regain control over their behaviour.

School leadership staff will contact the family to notify of any incident necessitating a take-home and to make arrangements for an adult to collect the student from school at the earliest possible opportunity. The student will then return to school the following day and be re-entered into their class with the support of leadership staff and their class teacher.

Suspension and exclusion

The purpose of suspension/exclusion is to provide support for the student and the school through a restorative, problem solving process, while protecting the learning and safety rights of other members of the school community and signalling that the student’s behaviour is not acceptable. Suspension at Woodcroft Primary School has a positive focus, identifies and builds on student strengths, and aims to improve interpersonal relationships and promote pro-social student behaviours. 

A student may be suspended or excluded from attending class and/or school where there are reasonable grounds to believe they have:

Threatened or perpetrated violence

Acted in a manner that threatens the safety or wellbeing of a student, staff member or other person associated with the school (including by sexually harassing, racially vilifying, verbally abusing or bullying that person)

Acted illegally

Threatened the good order of the school by persistently contravening or failing to comply with the School’s

Behaviour support

Prior to making a decision to suspend or exclude, school leadership staff will interview the student and allow them to present his/her perspective on the incident, as well as speak with other students and/or staff directly involved. If the decision is made to proceed to suspension, leadership staff will inform the student, explaining the conditions of the suspension and why it is warranted. A parent/caregiver will be contacted to make arrangements for the student to be collected from school and to negotiate an agreeable time for a suspension meeting to take place.

The duration of a suspension depends on the severity and frequency of the student’s anti-social behaviour. During the period of suspension, a conference will be held involving the student, parent/caregiver and school staff, at which a Student Development Plan will be negotiated/reviewed. Where appropriate, the suspension meeting may involve regional support services personnel.

After a period of suspension, a student will complete a re-entry process prior to returning to class.

Full details of policies, procedures and guidelines can be requested at the front office, from our website or skoolbag

Sun smart
Rationale
The Australian population has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world. Skin damage, including skin cancer, is the result of cumulative exposure to the sun and much of the damage occurs during childhood and adolescence. Skin cancer can be life threatening but is preventable. Schools have an obligation both to inform students of the dangers of exposure to the sun and to have preventive measures as part of their programs.

Implementation
This policy is implemented throughout the school year. It is an expectation that staff, children and parents, meet their responsibilities in this.

It is acknowledged that this policy will be implemented in a firm but fair manner, by reinforcing the responsibilities of each group and through encouragement and education of the school community.

This policy is consistent with the Department of Education and Children’s Services directive: “Sun Protection – Amendments to the Administrative Instruction and Guide-lines for Schools”. (October 1993).

Full document on our website http://www.woodcrofps.sa.edu.au

Site leader

Providing new enrolments with a copy of this policy.

Reminding parents about this policy through school newsletters.

Practicing skin protection behaviours themselves as positive role models for their children

Wearing appropriate clothing for adequate skin protection when out of doors.

Parent

Providing a suitable broad rimmed or legionnaire type hat (available from our Uniform Shop), for their child’s use in all school related outdoor activities.

Providing SPF 30+ sunscreen for their child’s use at school.

Student

Wearing a suitable broad brimmed or legionnaire type hats whenever they are involved in outside activities other the winter months (1 June to 31 August). Those without a hat will be expected to play in shaded areas. Normal student behaviour yard play consequences will be enforced when children willfully and/or consistently ignore this expectation.

Providing and applying their own SPF 30+ sunscreen. A sunscreen stick form is suggested as being most convenient to use. Sunscreens should not be shared with other students.

Sports coaches

Being positive role models with regard to sun and heat protective behaviours.

Wearing hats and appropriate clothing for all outdoor activities and use sunscreen protection.

Using and directing children to shaded areas in all possible instances.

Informing children under their care of the need for fluid intake and sources of cool water.

Staff

Scheduling outdoor activities before 10.00 a.m. and after 2.00 p.m. (11.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. daylight saving time), whenever possible.

Staff responsible for physical education programs should take special action to ensure students wear a hat and are protected from excessive sun exposure.

Students who do not have adequate protection will be required to take their physical education activities in a shaded area.

Acting as role models by practicing Sun Smart behaviour:

wearing broad brimmed or legionnaire type hats for all outdoor activities other than the winter months

using SPF 30+ sunscreen

seeking shade whenever possible.

Incorporating sun protection awareness information into school programs and possibly as part of the Health curriculum.

Reminding students to reapply sunscreen throughout the day and enforce the wearing of hats other than the winter months

Purpose

To give families, students and staff a clear understanding of what is expected when attending our school. 

Woodcroft Primary School is proud of its school uniform and it serves several important purposes:

• It helps establish the school’s identity and allows students to gain a sense of being part of the school community
• It helps identify students when they are out of school on excursion
• Ensures the health and safety of students

Policy details

Foundation to year 7 students are expected to wear the school uniform for all school-related activities, unless otherwise specified by staff.

Woodcroft Primary School’s uniform colours are plain navy and light blue (I.e., no stripes, spots, patterns, etc).

School shirts and jumpers with the Woodcroft Primary School logo and the official sublimated t-shirt, summer dress and winter pinafore are all acceptable to be worn.  

The following sets out the list of acceptable clothing, headwear and footwear:

Hats – navy only

Broad brimmed, legionnaire and bucket styles. 

For safety reasons, hats purchased with cords will need the cords removed before wearing

Tops – navy or light blue

Polo shirt, sublimation top, skivvies, zip-up-jumpers, hoodies, overcoats/rain protection, year 7 jumpers and windcheaters (not including SAPSAPSA or school sports team jumpers).

Seniors windcheaters have been designed to distinguish our year 7 students within the school and provide them with a commemorative top.

 Any commercial logos to be no bigger than the size of a matchbox

Pants – navy only

Cargo pants, track suit pants, shorts, stockings, skorts and leggings under skirts and dresses.

Dresses/ skirts etc

 School summer dress and winter pinafore and skirt – navy only

Shoes

Students are strongly advised to wear appropriate shoes for daily physical activity. For safety reasons, no thongs, heels, slip-on canvas shoes, or wheelie/roller shoes should be worn.

Casual days

The school encourages sun smart practices be observed, eg. no singlet tops or dresses with thin straps.

Other

Hijabs are to be navy blue and must be plain without logos or decorations.

Jewellery should be minimal and inconspicuous. Earrings are restricted to sleepers and studs only. Teachers may ask a child to remove any item of jewellery if they deem it a safety risk.

Make-up should not be worn.

Students not wearing the correct uniform can expect to be spoken to by their teacher. Parents of students consistently not wearing the school uniform will be contacted by the leadership team.

Woodcroft Primary School uniforms and items can be ordered online at: https://spartanss.com.au/collections/woodcroft-primary-school

– delivery to school (weekly) is free of charge.

– home or private address delivery is a flat rate of $7.95 per order

Woodcroft Primary School and DECD endorses a Three Level Model of Complaint Handling recognised as best practice in the Australian / New Zealand Standard (Guidelines for complaint management in organisations) AS/NSZ 10002:2014.

Level 1 – Frontline complaint resolution
Approach, phone or write to the appropriate staff member and arrange for
a mutually convenient time to discuss your concern. 

Level 2 – Centralised complaint resolution
Complaints that have not been resolved with a frontline complaint may be
raised with the principal or senior staff.

Level 3 – External complaint resolution
Complaints that have not been resolved at a centralised level may be raised
with the DECD Complaint Unit.