Notes:

• Adults should read picture books or novels to children every day (where possible) all through primary school even if the child is an independent reader. You can also read a bit to them and have them read some to you.

• Independent readers should still read aloud to parent (once or twice a week).

• It is recommended that Home Reading should be at least 15 mins per day X 4 times per week

• Hopefully children will read much longer than 15mins if they are reading for leisure

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Holidays During Term

(Teachers are not required to set additional work for children who holiday) - It is
recommended that children:

• Keep a detailed diary

• Read every day

• Are encouraged to use ‘hands on’ maths situations, eg money exchange, rates, change from shopping, distance to next destination etc.

• Gain an appreciation of new cultural aspects

• Create a PowerPoint, project or diary that they could share with the class on their return

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Role of Parents/Guardians

• Parents can help your child with their homework by providing them with a suitable place and time to do their homework, away from distractions and interruptions

• Your child should be encouraged to do written homework themselves and parents should only help if the child is having difficulty. This may involve further explanation and examples. It is important to let the teacher know of any difficulties

• Informal reading is encouraged, reading for leisure from K-7 is highly recommended and essential to support the learning at school. It should be an enjoyable exercise

• Parents need to sign Reading Logs that are sent home to keep a record of Home Reading

• Reading to your child daily is an important way to increase your child’s vocabulary and understanding of the world. If your child is older, you can alternate reading aloud with them

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Some Other Ideas

• Educational apps, for example: Study Ladder, Mathletics or Reading Eggs

• Reading for funzies

• Board games

• Cooking

• Use pamphlets/brochures, create shopping lists, work out a budget

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Split Classes Policy

Updated December 2021

Sometimes parents express concerns when their child has been allocated to a split grade class and believe that it may be a disadvantage to their child. It is important that you, as parents, are aware that contrary to these beliefs there is no disadvantage to a student being in a split grade class.

In years gone by composite classes were formed by placing talented students in the lower grade level with lower achievers in the higher grade.  This concept has long been abandoned.  All classes are formed by teachers and school leaders sitting and placing students with a range of information available to make classes as balanced as possible (see our Class Placement Policy).

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Why do you create split classes?

There will almost always be a need to have split classes at Yangebup Primary School. This is because of the way we are funded and the fact that we are a relatively small school. Funding is allocated to public schools on a per student basis and this is calculated by the number of students we have enrolled on the census date in March.

The size of each year’s cohort can vary considerably depending on enrolments but we still only receive a total amount of funding for the overall number of students. This means that in order to ensure that all classes are an appropriate size, split grade classes may need to be formed.

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How does the school decide the classes each year?

The principal and the staff take into consideration the student numbers and individual needs in each year group, the recommended class sizes for each year group and the total number of staff the budget can afford. Various scenarios are examined by staff and evaluated based on the needs throughout the whole school. The final decision is made by the principal.

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How do teachers cater academically for more than one grade in a class?

Teachers are skilled at delivering the required curriculum. In addition, teachers must adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of individual learners within the classroom. A split grade class generally has very little extra variation in the needs of learners than a straight grade. Each year the curriculum builds on the curriculum from the year before so, in order to cater for the different needs of students, teachers are consistently teaching above and below that year’s curriculum requirements. The difference in academic ability and maturity can vary by about 5 years across a straight grade class and 5 or 6 in a split grade class. Research by Professor John Hattie into the effect sizes of factors that influence achievement show that split grade classes make no difference to the academic outcomes of students. In fact, the factor that has the largest influence by a very large margin is
teacher quality.

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What about socially?

Children benefit enormously from having friends outside of their year group. It allows them to develop a wider group of friends which gives them more options in the playground, greater connections across the school and can benefit them within the wider community. It helps them build social skills which has long term effects for building resiliency. Children in composite classes have nothing to fear but plenty to enjoy.

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Excursions and Programs

Excursions are generally organised by individual classes not by year groups. This is because excursions are related to class programs. Sometimes two classes will choose to coordinate aspects of their program and will plan excursions together. This does not mean that every child in that year level should be included in the excursion.

Some programs may be offered to year groups rather than classes when this is appropriate These may include swimming lessons, carnivals etc. Assemblies are also organised by classes not year groups. Again, some classes choose to combine, but it is still a class assembly not a year level one.

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Still have concerns?

If you still have concerns, talk to your child’s teacher about the program they are offering and how your child will be catered for.

Thank you for your understanding and ongoing partnership in your child’s learning development.

Check out an article from the Sydney Herald addressing this issue for parents.

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Attendance Policy

Updated April 2024

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Rationale

All schools in Western Australia are committed to providing safe and supportive learning environments for all students which address their educational needs. Regular attendance at school is fundamental to all students’ learning. Consistent attendance and participation are essential for all students’ social and academic learning. We follow the DOE’s 4 R approach to attendance, by Recognising, Recording, Resolving, and Restoring Attendance across the school:

• Recognise - identify every absence 

• Resolve – seek a reason for every absence 

• Restore – identify when attendance is a concern (to an individual, target group and whole-school levels) and implement improvement strategies 

• Records – maintain accurate records that would withstand external scrutiny

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Beliefs

It is important that students, staff and parents/carers have a shared understanding of the importance of attending school regularly at our school. We:

• Believe all children should be enrolled at school and attend all day, every school day where possible. 

• Monitor, communicate and implement strategies to improve regular school attendance.

• Believe vacations taken within the school term will be impact on student learning and are discouraged.

• Believe truanting can place a student in unsafe situations and impact on their future employability and life choices.

• Believe attendance at school is the responsibility of everyone in the community.

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Missing School Adds Up

You might think that missing the odd day of school won’t really matter but there is a cumulative effect…

• If a child misses an average of five days a term (years 1 to 10), they miss out on approximately one year of school

•  If a child misses one day a week of school (from years 1 to 10), they will miss almost two years of school 

• If a child misses two days a week of school (from years 1 to 10), they will miss almost four years of school 

 

Developing a Culture of Attendance

The school will promote attendance by:

• Building positive relationships with students, parents and communities

• Communicating the importance of school attendance to students, parents and the wider community through twice termly messaging

• Encourage attendance by providing school environments that engage and support students to thrive

• Developing reward systems to acknowledge regular attendance through Positive Behaviour Systems

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Monitoring

Teachers record attendance by 9.15am and 1.30pm. Reasons for absence from parents are recorded.

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Late Arrivals and Leaving Early

Students who are more than 5 minutes late must come to the front office. Office staff will log the student as late and give them a red slip to take to class. Students leaving before the end of the school day must be signed out by parents at the front office.

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Vacation Leave

Families taking Vacation Leave during school terms is discouraged. Parents/Caregivers must send notification of vacation leave to the Principal. This is leave of more than 3 school days. All vacations must be approved by the Principal. If approved this will be entered as an approved vacation. If not approved, it will be entered as an unauthorised vacation. One criteria for approval will be that the child has an attendance percentage of above 90%

Teachers are not obliged to provide work to students on vacation. 

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Medical Leave

Students who have ongoing illness where they are absent for long periods of time will be provided with modified work from the teacher. Students must have evidence from a medical professional. 

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Parents Responsibility

Parents must 

• Ensure their child attends school every day unless they are ill

• Contact the school as soon as is practical to give an explanation for any absences

• Apply to the principal if they want to go on vacation during term time

• Work with the school to develop an attendance plan if there are difficulties getting a child to school

• Implement the attendance plan

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Students Transferring to Another School Including Home Schooling

Student who leave the school to attend another school must enrol as soon as practical. Parents who decide to Home School must apply within 2 weeks of the student leaving.

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Unexplained Absences

Unexplained absences will be followed up by a phone call or email from the school officer.

If absences continue with no explanation, the class teacher will contact parents for an explanation. If students are experiencing difficulty coming to school, a meeting will be arranged to make a school attendance plan to assist the child.

If parents do not give an explanation or reply to the teacher, the Principal or delegate will contact parents for an explanation and to assist in making a school attendance plan. The Principal may contact Department of Communities if no contact from parents or attendance plan is not followed.

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Positive School Culture Policy

Updated May 2024

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Vision

Yangebup Primary School is committed to promoting a respectful environment that gives students a sense of belonging, the safety to take risks, use restorative approaches to solve problems and achieve their academic goals.

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Our Aim

To see restorative approaches as a way of thinking and interacting with relationships at the centre of all actions and decisions. Restorative approaches encourage empathy, respond to needs, viewing conflict as an opportunity to learn, grow and become accountable for actions and processes to repair harm.

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Outcomes

Students

• Ensure students consistently model the PBS expectations of Kindness, Respect, Responsibility and Achievement around our school.

• Improved learning environment for all students.

• Introduce multi-tiered systems of support.

• A safe and positive environment for all members of the Yangebup Primary School community.

 

Staff

• Ensure staff have the capacity to be responsive to the need of the student rather than reacting to the situation.

• Build the capacity of students, using restorative approaches, to establish and maintain positive peer relationships.

• Develop a consistent whole school common language and approach to maintaining a Positive Behaviour in School’s approach.

 

Community

• Ensure there are positive, prompt, channels of communication with families/carers.

• Inform and encourage family participation in positive school experiences.

Information about this policy and procedures to be transparent and accessible to all.
 

School Culture

Vision

Yangebup Primary School is committed to promoting a respectful environment that gives students a sense of belonging, the safety to take risks, use restorative approaches to solve problems and achieve their academic goals.

Our aim is to create a culture which evolves around:

• Kindness

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Achievement

 

A positive school culture can be achieved through a staff commitment to and delivery of Yangebup Primary Schools Positive Behaviours School Expectations:

• Positive Behaviour School Initiative (PBS)

• Restorative Processes

• Curriculum and Pedagogy

•  Targeted student Well Being programs

 

Characteristics of our Positive School Culture

• PBS

• Effective conflict resolution

• Feeling safe

• Restorative processes

• Empathy

• Forgiveness

• Responsive to others needs

• Appropriate risk taking

• Being Inclusive

• Acknowledgement of achievement

• Pride in Achievement

• Improved student results

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Preventative Strategies

Everything we do is about changing our behaviour in a way that produces the highest probability of student success.

 

Tier 1

​1. Leadership Team

Lead the school through a process of developing and gaining consensus on beliefs, expectations, and procedures. With a plan.

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2. Define Expected Behaviours

Explicitly teach School Expectations and procedures.

Agreed upon expectations are promoted through a common language and pro-active recognition of responsible behaviours.

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3. Teach Expected Behaviours

Use staff mini skits/Check Out Circles and explicit teaching power points to teach expected behaviours.

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4. Encourage Expected Behaviours

Provide regular feedback to students about their behavioural progress. Act on incidents of appropriate behaviour.

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5. Raise Engagement

Use evidence-based practices to maximise learning for all students.

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6. Respond to unproductive behaviours

Maintain consequences that are consistent with a process fair to all.

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7. Monitor/plan/address

Collate and analyse data on identified behaviours. Use data findings to refine/add/remove school procedures.

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Tier 2

​1. Check in/out Circles

Check In: Conduct class circles to discuss issues/concerns when required.
Check Out: Reflect on School expectations, when students have demonstrated them or times when they should have been utilised.

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​2. Targeted social skills instruction

School Chaplain to work with identified Tier 2 year 3/4 students who require assistance with social & emotional regulation. This instruction may be expanded to other learning phases in the future.

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3. Clubs

Establish Extra Curricular Clubs for students to meet and enjoy leisure activities with a focus on strengthening social skills.

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Tier 3

​1. Function based support

Conduct a Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA) to inform student support strategies.

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2. Wraparound

Provide Case Management, Counselling, Crisis Care at point of need.

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3. Student centred planning

Plan a process that aims to meet the needs of students while also accommodating the needs of the school.

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Good Standing

Years 3 to 6

‘Good Standing’ is not a tool to enforce compliance. Instead, the purpose is to assist students to understand that they need to demonstrate a level of responsibility to participate in extra-curricular activities. 

​

All students are automatically granted ‘Good Standing’ status at the start of the school year. Good Standing status is automatically reinstated at the start of each term.
 

The Yangebup Way

Students:

• Work to the best of their ability during lesson periods

• Communicate politely with all school community members

• Ask for assistance from staff when conflict becomes in issue

• Follow the school expectations (Kindness, Achievement, Respect, Responsibility)
   

To assist students, verbal reminders about the need to maintain our Good Standing will be conducted on a regular basis. School expectation tokens/Admin vouchers/Class rewards will be used to acknowledge students demonstrating the Yangebup Way.
 

Yangebup Good Standing may be lost when:

• Students are seriously or consistently disrespectful to staff.

• Students intentionally threaten or physically hurt any member of the school community.

• Students are suspended or withdrawn for a breach of the school code of conduct.
   

Final decision on Student Good Standing will be made by Administration.

 

Communication with Parents and Guardians:

• If a student is in danger of losing their Good Standing, admin need to be notified and what the goals/plan is moving forward. Parents/Guardians will then be notified by the teacher outlining a plan with goals for improvement.

• Parents/Guardians will be notified by Administration if their student loses Good Standing. The teacher will contact or meet with the student and parent to discuss how Good Standing can be reinstated.
   

Regaining of Good Standing:
 

• Students need to have the opportunity to demonstrate responsibility for actions by working towards regaining their Good Standing for a minimum of one to two weeks depending on their individual plan/age. 

• Strategies for regaining ‘Good Standing’ will be described in the Individual Student Plan and should be aimed at ensuring the student can achieve them, as well the class teacher being able to manage them.

• At the end of the behaviour agreement period a review will determine whether the student can be considered for the next Good Standing event.

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At Yangebup Primary School, we have identified the following Good Standing events:

• Year 6 camp

• Lunchtime Clubs

• Student leadership roles:

  • Parliament Positions

  • Faction Captains

  • School Service Roles

• Before/after School programs

• Choir

• Interschool Sports

• Incursions/excursions.

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Please note excursions and incursions are usually part of the curriculum and generally will NOT be good standing events unless otherwise identified and communicated with staff, parents, and students prior to the event.

 

Principal's Discretion

The Principal may choose to maintain or remove a student’s Good Standing status on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration mitigating factors such as:

• Extenuating circumstances that may have produced out of character behaviours

• Special Needs 

• Personal circumstances

• Significant improvement in behaviour after the event

• Other related circumstances deemed appropriate by administration

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Anti-Bullying

What is Bullying?

Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm.  It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening.  

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Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert).  Bullying behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (for example, through sharing of digital records).

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Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.

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Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.

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Whether or not the incidents are defined as bullying, negative behaviour needs to be addressed.

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What can students do?

These strategies DO NOT work:

• fighting back 

• bullying the bully

• ignoring it and walking away

• just playing with a different group of students

• remaining silent about the problem.

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Students are encouraged to:

• Understand they have the right to feel safe

• Tell a trusted adult

• React calmly and confidently to the bully, act unimpressed and say something dismissive such as “okay, whatever”

• Develop a trusted group of friends

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What can parents do?

• Talk to your child about bullying before it happens.

• Be aware of changes and signs of distress.

• Take an active interest in your child’s social life and acquaintances

• Talk to your child calmly about the incident or incidences. Find out the details to determine whether it is bullying or other negative behaviour. Help your child develop strategies

• Inform the school. Do not deal directly with other children or their parents on the school site.

• Reassure your child that bullying is not their fault and that you and the school will work together to resolve it.

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What if my child is bullying others?

• All children are capable of bullying others. It is understandable for parents to be shocked or be doubtful of it at first. However, most students, with a little guidance, will learn more appropriate ways to interact with others.

• Talk to your child to try to understand why they might be bullying another child.

• Help your child to understand the impact of their actions on others.

• Talk about and practise more positive ways to interact with others.

• Encourage your child to talk to you about their concerns.

 

What will the school do?

Prevention at a Whole School Community Level

• Develop a culture of respect and kindness through teaching of our School values and PBS program.

• Promote a school culture that seeks to be proactive and restore relationships affected by persistent or unresolved conflict

• Promote collaborative relationships between the school, parents and the wider community 

 

Prevention at a Classroom Level

• Implement teaching and learning programs to develop positive communication, empathy, tolerance, assertiveness, social and coping skills.

• Teach students social and emotional skills through SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) programs

• Maintain supportive and inclusive classroom environments

• Continue developing a shared understanding of bullying and strategies to prevent and respond to it

 

Prevention at a Playground Level

• Coordinate a highly visible and active approach to playground supervision

• Implement identification of and supervision adjustments to high-risk situations and settings

• Offer a range of organised activities during break times that encourage positive peer relations and networks

• Provide developmentally appropriate unstructured playground activities and equipment

• Recognise and reinforce positive playground and pro-social behaviour; and

• Develop and communicate whole-school processes for responding to playground issues.

 

Response 

Yangebup Primary School believes that all members of our school community should be committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment where all members have the right to be respected and have a responsibility to respect each other.

• We will listen to all parties and respond with respect and empathy.

• We will work with all parties to stop bullying behaviour. This begins with an investigation into the behaviour through interviews and observations. A plan is then drawn up which may involve a variety of strategies including restorative justice processes, counselling, disciplinary action, intervention by the school Psychologist and/or Chaplain and bystander and bullying education.

• We will work with parents of both parties and review plans to ensure progress is being made.

 

 

Playground Procedures

Playground Guidelines

Students will be reminded to display their PBS KARR behaviours by:

• Walking on paved areas

• Playing in shaded areas if they do not have a hat e.g. veranda or sensory garden

• Play ball games in designated areas approved by Admin

• Look after school play equipment

• Keep their hands, feet, mouth and objects to yourself

• Seek staff permission to enter buildings

 

Administration Referral for Playground Behaviour Incidents (Red)

• Red slips      Major incidents

• Green slips  Medical incidents

• White card  Ice Pack only
   

Ice pack cards

Students are given a white card when they require an ice pack for a minor injury. Students take their card to the front office and exchange it for an icepack.

 

Whistle

• Signals via a whistle will only occur from an Administrator for the recall of students.

  • 3 Single blasts for wet weather call

  • Long continuous blast for lock down e.g., evacuation

• Area 3 duty teachers may use a single blast to send students back off the oval.

 

 

Recommended Peer Dispute Resolution Strategy

Check In Circles – Cheat Sheet

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Principles for successful restorative circles

• Circles must have a purpose in your learning program.

• Keep your circle discussions short and point of need.

• Consider how to keep all members involved.

• Become a member of the circle, lose the power.

• Schedule a Check in Circle, make them a part of your classroom timetable.

 

Items 

Classes are considering for passing in Circle Discussions:

• A Ball

• Rain stick

• Communication Object mad by the class

• Wishing Wand

• Class Mascot

Classes are considering signing names on their objects to promote value.

 

Structure

Circles can be formed either:

• On the floor

• On chairs

• Standing – In a strong stance position to limit fidgeting/moving.

 

Conditions of the circle

• Only the person holding the class item may speak

• Be short and clear with your responses

• Once finished, the last speaker moves the class item to the next speaker

• Be safe in the circle, what is said stays in the circle

• Be ready to be chosen – in some contexts

• Return to work once the issue/concern has been discussed

 

Procedure

• Individual with the concern alerts Classroom Teacher. Teacher judgement to progress to group discussion.

• Person with concern/issue is invited to address to start the discussion.

• Leading Questions (If wanted):

  • Q. 1 – Why do we think this has happened? (4 min - flexible)

  • Q. 2 – How do we feel about this? (3 min - flexible)

  • Q. 3 – What do we think we should do about it? (4 min - flexible)

• Record actions taken or solution.

• Person with the concern to thank the circle for attending today.

• Whole process to take no more than 15 minutes.