Community Use of Public School Facilities policy

1. Policy statement

School facilities can be made available for use by third parties. Arrangements for use of school facilities by third parties must not adversely affect the safety or welfare of students and staff, and must not interfere with the normal operations of the school.  

2. Policy rules

Principals and college managers must:

• determine if the use is appropriate and existing facilities are available and suitable for use before granting permission and entering into an agreement
• determine that the use of the facility does not adversely affect the safety or welfare of students and staff and does not interfere with the normal operations of the school
• contact Commercial and Contracting Services if a third party requests the use of school facilities ‘during school or college hours’
• undertake a risk management assessment of the third-party user by completing the Risk Assessment document
• only use the Department’s approved licence agreements and templates, and forward copies to Commercial and Contracting Services for review before signing
• decide if third-party users using school facilities during school or college hours require a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check that is processed through the Department’s Screening Unit, and have a valid Screening Clearance Number before using school facilities. (refer to section B16 "Use of school facilities by the community" within the Criminal History Screening for Department of Education Sites policy and procedures 
• comply with the Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites policy and procedures
• establish appropriate fees and charges for use of school facilities and at a minimum recover the costs associated with use by the third party
• ensure both parties sign 2 original hard copies of the licence agreement, keep one signed original licence agreement, provide a second signed original licence agreement to the licensee, and submit an electronic copy of the signed licence to Commercial and Contracting Services
• confirm that all fees received from the use of school facilities are credited into the appropriate mandatory revenue budget accounts of the school as stipulated in the ‘School Chart of Accounts’.

3. Responsibility for implementation and compliance

Principals and college managers are responsible for implementation of this policy.

Line managers are responsible for compliance.

4. Scope

This policy applies to all principals and college managers.

5. Definitions

6. Related documents

7. Contact information

Policy manager:              

Director, Infrastructure Operations

Policy contact officer:

Principal Consultant, Property and Leasing

Email: PropertyLeasing@education.wa.edu.au

8. History of changes