Supervision of Students While Engaged in Activities Conducted Under the Auspices of the School

Contents

Supervision & Welfare of Students Engaged in Sport & Physical Activity
Responsibilities of Principals
Supervision of Students Engaged in Specific Sports, Physical Activities and Outdoor Recreation Activities
Supervision of Students While Engaged in Activities Conducted Under the Auspices of the School
Guidelines for Billeting Students
Supervision at Major Events
Supervision Out of School Hours
Activities at Camps Organised and Conducted by the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation and Other Agencies
Small Group Activities
Unscheduled Activities
Liability
Physical Contact With Students

When activities are conducted in collaboration with community members or organisations and under the auspices of the school, principals should clarify the conditions under which the activity will take place, the bona fides and qualifications of community members and the roles and responsibilities of Department of Education and Training staff by referring to the memorandum Welfare of Students While Engaged in Activities Conducted Under the Auspices of the School (97/138).

In addition to this policy for school-endorsed activities conducted away from the school, the policy on Excursions and Other Visits (97/137) and Guidelines for Schools and TAFE Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents also apply.

In many school communities, a range of partnerships has been established to enhance the educational
opportunities available to students. Examples include:

• external commercial organisations providing elements of a physical education or sport program
• personnel from beyond the school staff involved in activities as coaches, performers, demonstrators or supervisors, either in a paid or voluntary capacity.

When the school joins with members, employees or volunteers from the community, a community organisation or business in a school-organised or school-endorsed activity, then certain conditions apply. These conditions are based on the premise that the school retains responsibility for supervision and a duty of care of students. It is not necessary for the activity to be conducted on school premises for these conditions to apply.

Staff should be aware that departmental requirements in relation to child protection, including mandatory reporting, apply while they are supervising a school and community activity. Members of the external organisation involved in the activity should also be made aware of these requirements.

The bona fides and qualifications of community members who offer educational services as part of an activity conducted under the auspices of the school should be carefully assessed by principals prior to it becoming a school-endorsed activity. Principals should sight the originals of qualifications and, depending on the circumstances, employ one or more of the following probity checks:

• consult references
• require the person to sign a declaration that they have no convictions that would preclude their working with children
• check the Department's not-to-be-employed list
• sight evidence of a satisfactory criminal record check by police.