A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Safety - Student
Developing school and class rules is a collaborative effort and they are designed for safety and security of the whole community. These are regularly discussed during class meetings, SRC meetings and assemblies and should be clear to all students. They are:
- bullying and harassment, physical violence or verbal abuse are unacceptable
- building passes are required to enter school buildings during recess and lunch
- appropriate hats must be worn on the playground
- bicycle racks, canteen and front of the main school building are "no play areas"
Sausage Sizzles
The P&C holds at least one sausage sizzle per term as a fundraiser. The P&C may also run a sausage sizzle at other times of the year as appropriate – at swimming and athletic carnivals etc.
School Hours
Session 1 9.00am -11.00am
Lunch 11.00-11.50am (eating until 11.10am)-
Library open
Session 2 11.50 - 1.30pm
Recess 1.30 – 2.00pm
Session 3 1.50 pm - 3.00pm
Classes commence at 9.00am and conclude at 3.00pm. There is a school wide Fruit Break at 10am each day. Should a child require assistance immediately after school, she/he should report to the School Office.
Special Days
Special days include charity and school fundraising days or are linked to significant community events such as Clean up Canberra Day, World Environment Day, Italian Republic Day, as well as Learning Journeys and Literacy and Numeracy Week where students and parents share learning experiences.
Student Management
Procedures for dealing with inappropriate and/or disruptive student behaviour in the classroom.
Each class teacher negotiates "Class Rules" with their students at the beginning of the year based on our Student Code of Conduct. These are displayed in the classroom and are reviewed regularly. Important amongst these is the right of all students to learn without the disruption of their classroom. When disruptive behaviour occurs, teacher intervention is required. With all incidents, the least intervention necessary is used to manage inappropriate behaviour. A quick glance, nonverbal gesture, a word or a distraction may be sufficient to improve behaviour. If inappropriate behaviour continues then the following steps apply. Each step is carefully explained to students before the need for their use arises, emphasising their non-punitive nature:
Classroom Action Plan
Three rule reminders are given, if needed, as verbal warnings by the classroom teacher, about breaking class rules. On the third reminder, the student is asked to go to the Timeout Desk. This is a desk in the classroom which students have been previously told about. Students quietly continue their work at the Timeout Desk. Should the rule breaking continue at the Timeout Desk, the students are asked to go to another classroom. Class teachers will make this arrangement in advance with a colleague nearby. A Time Out Slip will be completed by the student's classroom teacher to send with the student. After an appropriate cool down time, the teacher invites the student to return to class on the understanding that the rule breaking will not continue. The teacher records the incident in a Class Behaviour Book.
Procedures for dealing with inappropriate and/or disruptive student behaviour on the playground.
At Yarralumla we promote high quality play on the playground. We achieve this by:
- Providing sports equipment for the children to use through a borrowing system run by the year 6 students
- Providing access to the library at the second half of lunch
- Encouraging creative play, such as using the playground equipment, sand pit, hand ball courts, basketball courts or cricket nets.
Duty teachers and support staff are encouraged to adopt a proactive role on the playground by:
- Covering all areas of the playground during their duty to monitor student play
- Helping children manage issues and conflict, and
- Dealing with inappropriate behaviour effectively.
It is important that the consequence approach for disruptive behaviour on the playground closely matches that used in the classroom.
- Three rule reminders are given if need be. These are verbal warnings by the playground duty teacher.
- On the third reminder the student is asked to go to the Timeout Space on the playground or walk with the teacher. This is a low brick wall that the student sits on. This procedure is carefully explained to all students before the need arises.
- Students quietly wait at the Timeout Space.
- Should the rule breaking continue at the Timeout Space, the student will be asked to go to the Front Office where they will sit in Timeout on a chair.
Student Representative Council Meetings (SRC)
Each fortnight a group of student representatives from each Year 1 to Year 6 class meets with a member of staff to discuss school matters and in particular to state the student view-point. The meetings are very helpful in suggesting improvements enabling the school to run more smoothly and to enable students to be proactive in fundraising for worthwhile community causes. Students who have any school matters they wish to discuss at these meetings should see their class SRC representative.
SunSmart Policy
Yarralumla Primary School follows the Sun Protection Policy Guidelines for ACT Schools, and enforces a "No Hat - Play in the Shade" policy. A key requirement of the Sun Protection Policy is for students to wear hats which protect the face, neck and ears whenever students are outside. The policy aims to ensure that all children attending the school are protected from skin damage caused by the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun and to make children aware of the importance of protecting themselves from the sun at school and as they get older. In the winter months of June and July, students are not required to wear hats to ensure they absorb sufficient Vitamin D. Appropriate SunSmart hats can be purchased from the Uniform Shop.