Darlington Primary School

Darlington Primary School

General Information

Parent Information Booklet

This booklet is designed to provide you with as much information as possible regarding the organisation, programs, policies and practices at the school.

Kindergarten Information Booklet

Kindergarten programs at Darlington Primary School are based on the Early Learning Framework developed by the Council of Australian Governments.


Daily Timetable

Session 1:
8:50 – 9:45
Session 2:
9:45 – 10:40
Recess
10:40 – 11:00
Session 3:
11:00 – 11:55
Session 4:
11:55 – 12:50
Lunch
12:50 – 1:30 (first 10 minutes is eating time)
Session 5:
1:30 – 2:05
Session 6:
2:05 – 3:00


Pupil Requirements

While the Western Australian Department of Education supply text materials, work books and some art resources, parents are required to provide items such as pencils, pens, some text books, rulers and so forth. It may be necessary to replace some consumable items throughout the year as the need arises.

Separate lists of the requirements for each class will be issued at the end of the year for the following year, or on arrival at school in the new year, for newly enrolled students. It is important that all items are labelled clearly.

To develop habits of neatness and pride of work, it would be appreciated if parents would cover all books in which written work will be done by the child throughout the year.


Change of Contact Details

Please let the school know if you change your home, work or emergency address or phone number. In case of accident or illness, it is vitally important that we can contact a child’s family.

When students transfer to another school, we would appreciate a few days’ notice so that their belongings can be collected and library books returned. On admission to the new school, a transfer note will be sent to us advising of the student’s enrolment and their date of commencement. The student’s records will then be forwarded to the new school.


Communicable Disease Guidelines

Your local public health can assist you with information on a range of communicable diseases and provide advice about the management of specific infections and how to prevent transmission of these infections to others in the community.
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Bushfire Emergency Procedures

In the event that a day of Catastrophic Fire Danger is forecast, the school will be CLOSED.

Prior to the day of closure, SMS Messages will be sent to all parents’ mobile phone numbers registered with the school and formal, written notification will be sent home to each family. Announcements will also be made in the media. School Closure signs and banners will be posted at all entrances to the school and on fences in Glen Road and Amherst Avenue.

Children must not attend school.

View our full Bushfire Emergency procedures.


To and From School

ROAD SAFETY AND SCHOOL ZONE

The roads in the area of the school are sign-posted to show ‘40 km/hr SCHOOL ZONE’, which must be observed between 7.30 – 9.00 am and 2.30 - 4.00pm.

All children must use the recognised crosswalk in Glen Road when passing to and from the school in that direction.

PARKING - PICKING UP - SETTING DOWN

The “top” car park (Glen Road entrance), is reserved for staff and service personnel only. Vehicles approaching the school from this direction should be parked at the car park in Railway Reserve near the Post Office and from there the children walk to school, entering by the Emma Hogan Memorial Gate.

People driving cars which arrive at the Amherst Avenue entrance are requested to exercise care and courtesy and follow the traffic signs.

BUS TRANSPORT TO SCHOOL

Parents are advised to contact Transperth for up-to-date timetables for buses.

USE OF SCHOOL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AFTER SCHOOL

Parents are requested to advise children not to play on adventure playground equipment or climb trees while waiting to be collected after school. Children should wait quietly in the appointed pick-up area near the car-park. Students who have not been picked up as expected after school and are concerned, should report to the office immediately so that parents can be contacted.

No playground equipment is to be used after school, unless it is organised by a Club and coaches are present. All use of school premises and equipment after hours must be by prior arrangement with the Principal or Registrar.


Supervision

BEFORE SCHOOL:

Parents are advised that there is no formal supervision of children before 8.35am, so children should not be dropped at school before 8.35am. We also request that children do not use sporting equipment or participate in other activities where injury may be sustained.

On exceptional occasions when children arrive at school before official supervision time (8.35am), they should sit quietly outside their classroom until their teacher arrives.

Children should arrive at classrooms between 8.35am and 8.50am and report to classrooms and make preparations for the day’s work. Class teachers will normally be in these areas at this time, engaged in lesson preparation and general supervision.

DURING THE SCHOOL DAY:

At recess and lunchtime, teachers are rostered to provide playground supervision. Two teachers are on duty, one on the top senior area and one on the bottom area for juniors. Children are encouraged to seek help if needed.

LUNCH PERIOD:

In the initial ten minutes of lunchtime, all children must sit quietly to eat their lunch (in the Undercover Assembly Area, or where designated by staff). Those children who have not eaten their lunches during this period do not go to play until they have finished.

AFTER SCHOOL:

The school provides no official supervision after 3.05pm. Children who are waiting at the drive through pick up area on Amherst Avenue will be supervised. Parents who have not picked up their children by 3.25pm will need to collect their children from the Office. It is expected children will leave the school grounds immediately and proceed home by appointed means. Children playing with sporting teams, most of which start at 4.00pm or later, should return only when an adult supervisor is present.

HOT WEATHER PROCEDURE

The school is air conditioned. When the air conditioning is operating efficiently hot weather procedures do not apply.

The school will not be closed in periods of prolonged high temperature. Rather, classroom activities will be modified to suit the weather conditions. Students are required to have a small re-sealable, non-breakable drink container full of cold water (not cordial) every day so that they can drink without leaving their seats.

WET WEATHER POLICY

On wet days, during recess and lunch time, children are to remain on the verandah, the Undercover Assembly Area, the Library or in classrooms, under supervision, as designated by staff.

LEAVING THE SCHOOL GROUNDS

Parents should advise the school in writing if their child is required to leave the school grounds on a regular basis. In one-off cases where children will be collected by a parent during school hours, the parent must come to the office to complete a “Collection of Child” form to release the child from class.

Children are not to leave the school grounds at any time without the permission of the Principal.

During excursions and incursions children are expected to remain with the class groups.

USE OF SCHOOL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AFTER SCHOOL

Parents are requested to advise children not to play on adventure playground equipment or climb trees while waiting to be collected after school. Children should wait quietly in the appointed pick-up area near the car-park. Students who have not been picked up as expected after school and are concerned, should report to the office immediately so that parents can be contacted. No playground equipment is to be used after school, unless it is organised by a Club and coaches are present. All use of school premises and equipment after hours must be by prior arrangement with the Principal or Registrar.

TRESPASSING ON SCHOOL GROUNDS

Like all Government establishments (or private property), the school is not open to the public unless special arrangements have been made. It is Department of Education policy to co-operate in organised community involvement and use of school facilities under controlled authority and recognized permit.

INSURANCE COVER AND SCHOOL CHILDREN

So as to avoid any misunderstanding with regard to school children and insurance cover, your attention is drawn to the following:
We, the Department of Education, do not insure children against injury at school. This is considered to be the responsibility of parents. School children’s accident insurance cover is available. This insurance, which provides 24 hours per day cover, can be arranged privately.

The Department of Education of WA does have a public liability insurance policy that covers their liability in case of accidents caused through defects in school buildings, equipment or playgrounds, or through negligence on the part of an employee of the Department.

On school excursions, camps, swimming etc., where children travel by bus or private car, they are covered by the normal Third Party Insurance, the premium for which is part of both car and bus licence fees.

Some bus companies do carry an additional public liability policy, but again it would only cover negligence on the part of the company.

Our School

The school is located on a beautiful three-hectare site in the heart of the Darlington village, in the hills east of Perth. In 2012, the school celebrated its Centenary and maintains a long and strong tradition of providing quality education for children from the local area. It is not uncommon for current students to have followed their parents and grandparents in attending the school.

Learn more about our school...