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Students at Educational Risk in Public Schools Policy

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1. Policy statement

The Department of Education identifies, responds to and supports the diverse needs of all students so that they are able to engage with the content and standards defined in the Western Australian Curriculum.

2. Policy rules

Principals and teaching staff will develop and implement processes to identify, provide for, monitor and report on students who may be at educational risk.

Principals and teaching staff will comply with the Students at Educational Risk in Public Schools Procedures.

3. Responsibility for implementation and compliance

Implementation of the policy is the responsibility of the principal and teaching staff.

Compliance monitoring is the responsibility of line managers.

4. Scope

This policy applies to principals and teaching staff in public schools.

6. Definitions

An umbrella term used to describe a range of ways of catering for the educational needs of individual or smaller groups of students with identified needs.  It is primarily a teaching and learning planning document, and it identifies short to medium term educational outcomes.  Documented plans may take a variety of forms, including:

  • Individual Education Plans (IEP);
  • Individual Behaviour Plans (IBP);
  • Individual Transition Plans (ITP); and
  • Risk Management Plans (RMP).

The way in which schools tailor education to enable every student to achieve the highest standard possible.  The rationale for personalised learning is to raise standards by focusing teaching and learning programs on the aptitudes and interests of students. 

Promote resilience and help to buffer groups and individuals against the adverse effects of stressful situations or risk factors.  They refer to anything that prevents or reduces vulnerability for the development of a disorder.

Risk factors impact on individual and groups of students at educational risk.

Irregular school attendance, apart from being an indicator of other forms of risk, is a critical factor that can impact on student engagement, educational achievement and social integration within the school community.  

Other risk factors may include, but are not limited to: socio economic status, family structures, medical/biological/genetic/cognitive factors, environmental factors (school, family and community), cultural and linguistic diversity (CaLD), and geographic location.

Students whose academic, social and/or emotional attributes are a barrier to engagement with the content and standards defined in the Western Australian Curriculum.

7. Related documents

8. Contact information

Policy manager:

Director, Student Engagement and Wellbeing

T: (08) 9402 6100  

Policy contact officer:

Principal Consultant, Student Engagement and Wellbeing

T: (08) 9402 6448  

9. History of changes

Effective date Last update date Policy version no.
1 January 2015 2.0
Major review undertaken, Student at Educational Risk Policy and Procedures endorsed by Director General on 19 September 2014.
1 January 2015 11 August 2016 2.1
Updated contact information D16/0522722
1 January 2015 3 November 2016 2.2
Updated link to Documented Plans D16/0600426
1 January 2015 3 October 2018 2.3
Minor changes to include reference to Public Schools D18/0151652 and updated legislation links D18/0207680.
1 January 2015 11 March 2020 2.4
Minor change to contact information. D20/0130883
1 January 2015 4 October 2023 2.5
Minor change to contact information D23/1582068

10. More information

Policy review date

1 January 2018

Policy last updated

4 October 2023