These procedures must be read in conjunction with the Duty of Care for Public School Students Policy.
2. Scope
These procedures apply to all site managers and Department employees in public schools with farms where student drivers operate government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery.
3. Procedures
3.1 Management of student drivers
The site manager must verify that the authorised staff follow the Train, assess and supervise student drivers (staff only).
3.2 Student eligibility requirements
The site manager must confirm:
- Students must be at least 15 years old and in Year 10
- A completed and signed Student driver consent form is received prior to undertaking the driving program
- Students do not have any medical or physical conditions that impair their driving ability (e.g., the site manager may request medical evidence from parents/carers)).
- Students participate in a structured driver training program as per the Train, assess and supervise student drivers (staff only).
3.3 Driving permit system
Staff must ensure and implement a three-stage driving permit system. Students are required to pass written and practical assessments for each vehicle type. For further details refer to Train, assess and supervise student drivers (staff only).
- Red Permit
- For light commercial vehicles and light tractors under 4 500 kilograms Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM).
- One-on-one instruction only, no passengers, must have direct supervision.
- Yellow Permit
- For students 15+ with prior experience determined by authorised staff.
- Allows supervised driving of vehicles and machinery up to 4 500 kilograms Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM).
- Green Permit
- Allows a student to drive and operate heavier machinery (e.g., rigid trucks, large tractors, combine harvesters, loaders) determined by authorised staff and subject to other additional legislative and/or other requirements for operating particular machinery.
3.4 Training and assessment
The site manager must confirm that:
- Students undertake a written and practical assessment for each permit level.
- Training and assessment is delivered by staff who:
- Hold a valid licence relevant to the vehicle or machinery
- Are experienced drivers/operators
- Are qualified trainers and assessors, or as a minimum holds the required Trainer and Assessor Skill set and demonstrates competence in the use of the vehicle or machinery.
- Training and assessment are aligned with the national Units of Competency.
3.5 Record keeping
The site manager must confirm:
- Records of student driver permissions, attainment suspensions, and other relevant documents are maintained in accordance with the Department’s Record Management policy.
- Examples of records include but are not limited to:
- Training sessions
- Assessment results
- Permit progression
- Medical/vision checks
- Signed Student driver consent form
- Signed student responsibilities and obligations form relating to the driving program.
3.6 Emergency and safety protocols
The site manager must:
- Develop and communicate an Emergency Response Plan using the Department’s Emergency and Critical incident Management in Public Schools policy
- Ensure students wear appropriate personal protective equipment when driving
- Include risk assessments for each vehicle and machinery type in accordance with the Department’s Risk and Business Continuity Management policy
- Obtain the Student driver consent form
- Communicate to the student their responsibilities and obligations relating to the driving program
- Confirm that any passengers in a light commercial vehicle driven by a student driver are inside the cab and are wearing seat belts
- Ensure that students are not permitted to drive quad bikes under any circumstances
- Ensure that students are not permitted to drive government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery on public roads even when they hold any class of Western Australian Driver’s Licence as issued by the Department of Transport (including Learner and Probationary).
3.7 Behaviour and compliance
The site manager must:
- Establish a Student Driving Code of Conduct
- Consider suspension of driving rights for breaches of driving rules
- Include disciplinary procedures for unsafe behaviour.
3.8 Communication and consent
The site manager must:
- Provide clear information to parents/guardians about:
- Program objectives
- Risks and responsibilities
- Supervision and safety measures
- Communicate the need for written consent before allowing students to participate in driving activities as passengers or drivers
- Use standardised templates for consent forms and assessments
- Communicate to students their responsibilities and obligations regarding the driving program.
3.9 Supervision
The site manager must confirm that all staff approving students to drive government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery comply with the following levels of supervision:
- students on a Red Permit must only be permitted to drive light commercial vehicles:
- utility, with a staff member in the front seat at all times who uses their professional judgement as to whether it is appropriate to have passengers (refer to the information provided below under guidance)
- light tractors, when undertaking an approved task within a designated area and with a staff member in close proximity at all times.
- students on a Yellow or Green must only be permitted to drive:
- light commercial vehicles, with students as passengers, when engaged in supervised activities within the designated area for the approved task and in line of sight of a staff member or if line of sight is obstructed, actively supervised by a staff member at all times
- machinery, when undertaking an approved task within the designated area and in line of sight of a staff member or if line of sight is obstructed, actively supervised by a staff member at all times.
Guidance
Students on a Red Permit are permitted to have other students as passengers only when there is a staff member in the front passenger seat, who holds a valid licence applicable to the light commercial vehicle. A staff member uses their knowledge of student capabilities and environmental conditions to make a professional judgement in assessing and minimising the potential risks of having a student driver with student passengers. Factors to be considered in making a judgement include: number of students, age and abilities of students and developmental profile of each student.
Where possible the designated area for an activity should have a visible and identifiable boundary.
Variables affecting supervision levels and professional judgement decisions include:
- number of students, age, typical behaviour and abilities of students
- number and positioning of supervisor/staff
- current activity of each student
- areas in which the students are engaged in an activity
- developmental profile of each student (and/or group of students)
- experience, knowledge and skill of each supervisor/staff.
4. Definitions
Active supervision refers to constant and diligent supervision of every student (individual or group). It differs for different permit types.
Trainer in the cab with the student driver of a light passenger vehicle or in close proximity or in the cab of a machine.
Student is conducting an approved task in a defined area with the staff member maintaining line of sight (clear visibility). The staff member maintains control, awareness and communication with the student if line of sight is temporarily broken.
Staff member may move between multiple students conducting approved tasks in defined areas. Approved tasks may be in adjacent paddocks, and the staff member may leave the students for up to 30 minutes provided the staff member maintains control, awareness and communication with students at all time.
Trainer is out of the cab but close enough for the trainer and learner driver to be visible and audible to each other.
A convoy is the movement of multiple vehicles or machinery from one farm location to another.
In a convoy:
- all vehicles or machinery must have rotated orange beacons activated
- all vehicles and machinery must not travel more than 20 km per hour
- a communication strategy must be in place
- a staff member must conduct a risk assessment of the activity.
A duty imposed by the law to take care to minimise the foreseeable risk of harm to another.
Is a driver who has held a current and valid driver's licence (for the class of vehicle being used) for at least 4 years, with regular use over that time and Unit of Competency for the assessment activity.
Means the maximum loaded mass of the vehicle as specified by the manufacturer; or by the Chief Executive Officer (Department of Transport) if the manufacturer has not specified a maximum loaded mass; or the vehicle has been modified to the extent that the manufacturer’s specification is no longer appropriate.
Is a goods and/or passenger vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) not exceeding 4 500 kilograms GVM e.g. ute, light tractor and Gator Utility Task Vehicle (UTV).
A straight line along which an observer has unobstructed vision.
A powerful motor vehicle weighing in excess of 4 500 kilograms used primarily in an agricultural setting e.g. tractor or bull dozer.
In relation to a child, a person who at law has responsibility for the long term care, welfare and development of the child; or the day-to-day care, welfare and development of the child.
A public school with a farm is an educational institution that integrates a working commercial farm into its curriculum to provide students with hands on, practical and academic training in agricultural and related trades.
The chance of something happening that will have an impact on objectives. It is measured in terms of consequences and likelihood. An acceptable risk is an acceptable tolerance level of risk, based on the level of risk after evaluating existing controls.
The process used to determine management priorities by evaluating and comparing the level of risk against predetermined standards.
Officers, including principals, college managers and line managers, who have executive responsibility for overall management of any Departmental site or facility.
A staff member with the official task of supervision of student driving and learning.
Supervision is the act of providing duty of care, guidance and observation to students.
Any means in or by which someone travels or something is carried or conveyed. Generally, a machinery, usually with wheels and an engine.
5. Related documents
Occupational Safety and Health policy and procedures
Work Health and Safety policy and procedures
Risk and Business Continuity Management
Vehicle Management policy and procedures
Record Management policy and procedures
Manage driver and vehcile safety
Emergency and Critical Incident Management policy and procedures
Train, assess and supervise student drivers (staff only)
Guidelines for First Aid in Department Workplaces
- Provide first aid in the workplace (staff only)
6. Contact information
Policy manager:
Director, Agricultural Education and Residential Colleges
Policy contact officer:
Principal Consultant, Agricultural Education and Residential Colleges
7. History of changes
| Effective date | Last update date | Procedure version no. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 January 2020 | 1.0 | ||
| These new procedures support the Duty of Care for Public School Students policy and replaces the Student Drivers in Agricultural Education policy. Endorsed by the Director General on 16 January 2020. | |||
| 16 January 2020 | 6 February 2020 | 1.1 | |
| Minor corrective changes as per D20/0059938. | |||
| 16 January 2020 | 8 September 2022 | 1.2 | |
| Minor changes to contact details as per D22/0684284. | |||
| 11 February 2026 | 2.0 | ||
| Major review. Director General’s approval 19 January 2026 (Approval D25/1204973) (DG memo D26/0024897) | |||
8. More information
This procedure:
Student Drivers on Public Schools with Farms procedures v2.0
Please ensure you also download the policy supported by this procedure.
Supported policy:
Duty of Care for Public School Students Policy
Procedure review date
11 February 2029
Procedure last updated
11 February 2026