The Department of Education recognises and supports the diverse needs of all students. This policy is to establish school processes to identify, provide for, monitor and report on students who may be at educational risk.

Animals can enrich students’ learning experiences, however schools must adhere to consistent and high quality practices for the care and use of animals. Staff are to adhere to the processes of the Schools Animal Ethics Committee for the use of animals for any scientific teaching activity and/or adhere to the processes of Agricultural Education for the use of animals on school farms.

This policy explains what ‘duty of care’ means, how teaching staff may discharge their duty of care to students, and circumstances in which non-teaching staff, external providers and volunteers may owe students a duty of care.

The policy provides an operational framework to raise employees’ and line managers’ knowledge and understanding of entitlements and responsibilities related to leave eligibility, application and approval processes. It ensures that employees and line managers are informed about, leave procedures and leave management strategies under relevant Awards and Agreements.

These procedures apply to all principals and college managers. They support the Visitors and Dignitaries at Public Schools and Residential Facilities policy.

The Employee Performance and Development policy and procedures are directed at building a high performance, high care culture across the Department through a focus on improvement. The procedures specify, for all groups of employees, a procedurally fair approach that balances development requirements with accountability, in accordance with the role being performed.

Teachers and school psychologists have requirements and responsibilities in relation to maintaining professional registration with the respective regulatory bodies (Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia, Psychology Board of Australia) as a condition of their contract of employment.

Some secondary students in agricultural education programs drive vehicles and machinery on school property. These procedures are used for the management and supervision of student drivers.

These procedures aim to maximise the flexibility available to school communities in the configuration of the school day within the constraints of legislation and industrial agreements. The Director General determines the days in each year on which government schools are to be open for educational instruction of students.

The Department registers home educators and evaluates their educational programs and children’s progress.