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Student Drivers on Western Australian College of Agriculture and Farm Based Public School Sites Procedures

procedure

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 of Western Australian College of Agriculture (WACoA) and farm based public schools with student drivers of government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery.

3. Procedures

3.1 Management of student drivers

The site manager must verify that the designated responsible staff:

  • use the Student Driver Guidelines;
  • are aware 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);
  • hold the appropriate qualifications in assessing and supervising student drivers as per procedure 3.2 Student Driving Assessment;
  • provide relevant information to parents to obtain written consent before allowing students to participate in driving activities as passengers or drivers;
  • communicate to students their responsibilities and obligations with regard to driving government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery;
  • confirm that participating students are at minimum in Year 10 and 15 years of age and their written parental permission has been received;
  • confirm that students participate in a structured driver training program as per the Student Driver Guidelines and are issued with the relevant farm student driving permit when achieved;
  • confirm that students wear appropriate clothing and footwear when driving a light commercial vehicle or machinery;
  • confirm that students are only allowed to drive government owned light commercial vehicles or machinery with the express permission of, and subject to, the instructions and supervision of a staff member, as per Procedure 3.3;
  • confirm that any passengers in a light commercial vehicle driven by a student driver are inside the cab and are wearing seat belts, unless students are directed by a staff member to engage in work that requires travelling on the back of the light commercial vehicle or machinery;
  • confirm that in circumstances where students are travelling on the back of the light commercial vehicle or machinery for a specific purpose, including loading and unloading bales of hay, the light commercial vehicle or machinery must be driven on predominantly flat terrain at a speed less than 10 km per hour;
  • suspend the driving rights of students who breach driving rules or cause careless damage to government owned light commercial vehicles or machinery for periods appropriate to the offence;
  • are aware that students can use two wheel motorbikes (limited to 250cc), subject to successfully passing the Stage I permit, in achieving and on achievement of the Unit of Competency, as specified in Appendix A;
  • are aware that students can use skid steer loaders, subject to successfully passing the Stage II permit, in achieving and on achievement of the Unit of Competency, as specified in Appendix A; and    
  • are aware that students are not permitted to drive Quad Bikes under any circumstances.

Guidance

Staff assess and minimise potential risks in accordance with the Department’s Risk and Business Continuity Management policy.

An emergency response plan is completed using the Department’s Emergency and Critical Incident Management in Public Schools policy.

Records of student driver attainment and suspensions are maintained by the school in accordance with the Department’s Records Management policy.

See Appendix A. Levels of Driving Permits for WACoA and Farm Based Public School Sites.

3.2 Student driving assessment

The site manager must confirm that:

  • staff and students comply with the driving permit requirements detailed below and in Appendix A;
  • the assessment of student driving is conducted by a staff member who:
    • is an experienced driver/operator;
    • holds a valid licence relevant to the light commercial vehicle or machinery type; and
    • is a qualified Trainer and Assessor, or as a minimum holds the TAESS00015 Trainer and Assessor Skill Set or equivalent successor; and
  • students pass a written test before undertaking a formal driving test and have any impairment related to a medical or physical condition assessed for its influence on driving capability before obtaining any permit.

Guidance

See Appendix B. Student Drivers on WACoA and Farm Based Public School Sites, Assessment Templates.

Age restrictions and Unit of Competency requirements apply when operating a skid steer loader and a motorbike, see Appendix A.

All instructions, assessment and results, including any special requirements, are appropriately documented in accordance with the Department’s Records Management policy.

3.3 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 Probationary 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); and
    • 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 Stage I or II Permit 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; and
    • 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 Probationary 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 the 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, 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.

Supervision is the act of providing duty of care, guidance and observation to students.  Active supervision refers to constant and diligent supervision of every student (individual or group).  Variables affecting supervision levels and professional judgement decisions include:

  • number, 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); and
  • experience, knowledge and skill of each supervisor/staff.

4. Definitions

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.

A powered motor vehicle with two in-line wheels, and with a hand or foot operated clutch and brake.  Not to exceed an engine size of 250 cubic centimetres (cc).

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.

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.

Any means in or by which someone travels or something is carried or conveyed. Generally, a machinery, usually with wheels and an engine.

6. Contact information

Policy manager:                        

Director, Agricultural Education

Policy contact officer:  

Principal Consultant, Agricultural Education

T: (08) 9264 4041

E: agriculturaleducation.services@education.wa.edu.au                 

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.

9. More information

Procedure review date

16 January 2023

Procedure last updated

8 September 2022