Page 6379 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND THE ARTS
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION
QUESTION TAKEN ON NOTICE 17 OCTOBER 1991
Before School Care
MR MOORE - asked the Minister for Education and the Arts:
What are the responsibilities of schools in looking after children prior to starting times?
MR WOOD - the answer to Mr Moores question is:
The main features of the current ACT Government School guidelines on supervision of students before school are:
(1) Principals should make necessary arrangements for the adequate oversight of playgrounds and buildings during the period of half an hour before school begins;
(2) for the half hour period prior to commencement of lessons efficient supervision is to be provided;
(3) efficient supervision does not necessarily entail direct observation;
(4) students activities should be confined to those which are safe;
(5) parents/guardians should be advised in writing of supervision arrangements for each school.
Recent court cases have established a number of important considerations in relation to the provision of direct supervision by teachers. It has been determined, in some cases, that a school authority owes its students a duty to ensure that reasonable care is taken of them when they are on the premises during hours when the school is open.
In general a higher standard of care is expected by the Courts of teachers in respect of children under 15 years of age to that ordinarily owed to children over that age. It is difficult to indicate with any degree of precision what the courts would consider adequate supervision in a particular situation.
The Department is currently developing a revised playground supervision policy. Following consultation with schools and unions it is expected that the new policy will be implemented in 1992. In developing the new policy, the question of before school care programs and the involvement of school support staff in the supervision of students will be addressed.
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