A-Z Information

A  B   C   DEFG   HIJ   KLM   NOPQR   ST  UVWXYZ

A

Absences
When a child is absent from school it is very important for you to telephone the school or send a note to your child's teacher explaining the reason for the absence.

If your child is likely to be absent from school for a lengthy period, please contact the teacher who may suggest activities for your child to complete during the absence.

Accidents and Illness
Information of child's health status (eg allergies, epilepsy, diabetes) should be provided at enrolment.

For their own comfort, as well as the comfort of other children and staff, it is important that sick children are kept at home. Should your child become ill at school or have an accident he/she will be cared for and you will be contacted to make arrangements for the child to go home.

For minor ailments requiring medication please ensure that precise written instructions are provided and that the medication is left at the font office.

If your child suffers a serious accident necessitating emergency medical care, he/she will be transported by ambulance to hospital. (Ambulance costs are free to ACT school children). You will be contacted as soon as possible. A staff member with First Aid qualifications will render initial treatment. It is very important that parents inform the school promptly of any changes in your contact numbers.

Appointments
Communication between school and home is highly valued. Parents are asked to make an appointment for any discussion with the Principal, Deputy Principal, Counsellor or teachers. An appointment will be arranged at the earliest possible time and attention will be given immediately to urgent issues.

Assessment and Reporting
A range of assessment tools is used by our teachers to determine your child's progress throughout the year. A component of our assessment procedures each year will be PIPS assessment for Kindergarten children early in Term 1. Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 children will participate in the National Assessment Program  in literacy and numeracy NAPLAN early in Term 2.

Parent teacher interviews are held mid-year, and a written report sent home at the end of the year. This year, we will be utilising the Departmental “Reporting on Student Achievement and Progress to Students and Parents” policy.  At the mid year parent teacher interview parents will receive a brief written over view of student attitude and work habits and an A-E grading. At the end of the year the report will  also include A-E grades. If you would prefer your child did not receive an A-E ranking please inform the Principal.

Anaphylaxis
The school has an Anaphylaxis prevention plan. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life threatening. The plan outlines responsibilities and school expectations for the management of this condition, to ensure safety for all our students.

Assemblies
Whole school, junior and senior assemblies are held regularly. Planned and conducted by children, assemblies feature group singing, reports from children, displays of work and general announcements. All children attend, as regular whole-school gatherings create a cohesive school community and maintain a heightened school spirit. Parents are welcome to attend. Details of upcoming assemblies are published regularly in the school newsletter and are also on the term calendar.

Attendance
It is a legal requirement that the classroom teacher maintains an accurate record of children’s attendance in the class roll.  Therefore, parents must contact the school, either by telephone or written note, if their child is to be away from school for any reason.   

B 

Before and After School Care
Belconnen Community Service run a quality before and after-school program operates from the school hall. Opening hours are -7.30 -8.45am and 3pm to 6pm each school day.

Prior to any child attending an annual enrolment form must be completed and a registration charge paid. A standard fee per session applies. Childcare Assistance may be available.

Parents wanting more information should contact the Out Of School Hours Program director (telephone 6258 5394), call into the centre during opening hours, or contact the school.

Behaviour Management
The school respects the basic values of the home and promotes socially acceptable behaviour based on the fundamental principles of:

The school has a Behaviour Management Policy which states that children are responsible for their own behaviour. With teacher assistance, children have drawn up a comprehensive list of acceptable behaviours in classrooms and the school playground. The policy outlines various steps through which a child progresses, depending on the type of misbehaviour.

Communication with parents is always made when the child's behaviour indicates that this is necessary. Parents are requested to inform the teacher or principal when a child's school work or behaviour might be affected in some way by circumstances not known to the school (serious illness in family, separation and so on).

Book Packs
The book packs contain items that are an essential part of the learning program. Our school has an arrangement with Jacaranda Educational Supplies to supply most of the stationery needs. The list has been carefully considered by class teachers and contains essential items to support your child’s educational needs.

Please label all items clearly.

Before School Arrangements
The ideal arrival time is between 8.45am and 8.55am. Students should not be at school before 8.40 am. A before school program run by the Belconnen Community Service is available.

Students should play on the hard service areas close to their classrooms or on the basketball court or semi Students must not ride bicycles, scooters and skateboards in the play ground. Students requiring assistance before school should come to the front office.

Bicycles
Children who ride bicycles to school are required to wear helmets at all times. Bicycles should be locked in the bicycle areas which are out of bounds during the day. The school cannot accept responsibility for or damage to bicycles.

For the safety of all children bicycles are not to be ridden in the school playground at any time.

C

Canteen


In Term 4 2011 Florey Primary School officially opened their canteen.  The canteen is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1:30pm. Lunch orders need to be labelled with student's name and class. Lunch orders need to be placed in the ‘lunch order tub’ which is located in the student’s unit. Orders need to be in by 9:30am and please try to use correct change or as close as possible. We are always in need of volunteers in the canteen so if you’re interested in volunteering with a lovely group of people who make it very enjoyable and rewarding, please contact our canteen manager Jackie Thornton on 6207 5768 or email her at canteenfps@gmail.com

Menu for 2012

Counsellor
A school counsellor is available on a part-time basis to work with children. The counsellor is a member of the school’s Special Needs Committee and assists staff when a child is identified as having a special need.  The school counsellor is also available to support students and families in times of need.

Curriculum
The ACT Department of Education and Training is committed to school based curriculum development.

Individual schools and colleges develop curriculum materials to support teaching and learning approaches that best meet the needs of the school and local community. School based curriculum development provides ownership of and flexibility in programs. As part of the school development process school based curriculum is regularly audited.

The policy of the ACT Department of Education and Training has been for each school to develop and implement its own curriculum within guidelines formulated by the Department. It is one of the School Board’s roles to examine and approve the curricula of the school.  Curriculum Renewal is currently a Departmental Focus. Here at Florey we deliver curriculum in and integrated way that encourages an enquiry approach to learning with the aim of developing life long learners. 

For further information go to the departmental information on ACT Curriculum

Communication with Parents
Close and effective two-way communication between the school and the home is vital to the educational process. Parents are encouraged to contact the school if they wish to talk to their child's teacher or whenever a concern arises. Parents are always welcome to visit the school.The main forms of communication from school to the home include:

Parents are assured that communication is always made when a child's progress or behaviour indicates that this is necessary. Likewise, it is very important that parents contact the school whenever anything occurs in the home environment which might affect your child's work.

Change of Contact Numbers
Contact numbers and addresses need to be kept up to date with the Office Manager. Children can be distressed unnecessarily when sickness or illness occurs and the contact number is out of date.

Court Orders/Parenting Agreements
Please discuss any special circumstances with the Principal and lodge copies of these orders/agreements with the Office Manager. They are treated confidentially in our school.

D

Dental Clinic and School Medical Service
Both these services are available by contacting the Belconnen Community Health Centre. 6205 0982. The School Medical Service provides health checks for Kindergarten students and an immunization program for Year 6 students.

Dogs on School Grounds
Under Department of Urban Services policies, dogs are not permitted on school grounds.

Section 42 of the Act defines places where dogs are prohibited. These include the grounds of a child care centre, preschool, primary school, high school or secondary college during school hours or when school sport including training is being conducted unless the keeper of the dog resides in the grounds, or a dog is taken into the grounds with the approval of the principal.

There is a global ban on dogs on playing fields anywhere where sport or training for sport is being played.

Also dogs are prohibited within 10 metres of anything designed for play by children in a public place if children are playing on it; a fireplace designed for cooking food; or a swimming area defined by a sign erected.

E

Enrolment (PEA)
Florey Primary School follows the Department of Education and Training Policies and guidelines. Our Priority Enrolment Area is Florey; east of line from Kingsford Smith Drive along Krefft St to Barnard Cr. along eastern cycleway to Southern Cross Dr., Belconnen Town Centre; north of line from Luxton St.  Lathlain St, Cameron Av. and Aikman Dr. To be eligible to commence school, your child must turn five years of age on or before 30th April.
 
If your child is enrolling at Florey Primary School you are required to complete:

You also need to bring proof of residency in the Florey area.

Additional information on school requirements will be discussed at the time of enrolment.

For further information go to the departmental policy on Enrolment in Primary School. 

Excursions
Excursions and camps are planned from time to time by individual teachers, teaching teams or as whole school activities. These excursions are carefully planned and are an important part of learning/teaching program and, therefore, all children are expected to attend. The outdoor education program is available for Years 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6.

Activities are planned and costed carefully. It is expected that all students will participate. Parents requiring support to meet these financial commitments are asked to contact the Principal or Deputy to discuss an alternative payment plan. (see Student Support Fund)

Exit Notes
No child is allowed to leave the school grounds during the day without written permission from a parent. Parents collecting students during the day are asked to sign them out at the front office.

In the interests of safety we seek the co-operation of all parents to let us know of children who are obviously out of school without permission.

It is better to be over cautious than to fail to report to us, as a child's safety may be at stake.

F

Fund Raising
Several activities will be held during the year to raise funds for the P&C Association to provide supplementary resources for the children. The Newsletter will keep you informed regarding fund-raising activities and your attendance at P&C monthly meetings will keep you up-to-date with information.

G

H

Head Lice
Head lice are extremely contagious but easily eradicated. Children with either eggs or live lice will be excluded from school until written evidence of treatment is produced. Please report any cases of head lice to the School Office. Information about treatment is also available from the front office. For further Information go to the the departmental policy on Head Lice.

Home Contacts
In case of student sickness or accident, it is essential that the school be supplied with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of family or friends who can be contacted during the school day.

It is important that any changes to these names, addresses and telephone numbers be advised as soon as possible.

The school sends home contact forms at the beginning of each school year.

Homework
Communication and shared family experiences are of primary importance to children’s learning and self-esteem. and is a partnership between school and home. Teachers, parents and students each have responsibilities.

We believe that homework is important to:

The particular form of school initiated homework for each unit will be explained at the beginning of the school year.

Individual teachers may require that some homework be completed. Requirements will be discussed at Information Evenings at the beginning of each school year. Parents are encouraged to take an active interest in homework and to assist when necessary.

Homework, provided it is approached correctly by your child, should not intrude unduly on leisure activities. Please discuss homework with your child's teacher if you believe it is excessive or too difficult.

I

Illness or Accident
The health of the students is prime importance at Florey. In the case of illness or accident it is vital that the school is able to contact the parents or guardian of every child by telephone.

Please remember to ensure the school has up-to-date phone numbers and places of employment if changes need to be made.

Immunisation
The ACT Department of Health advises that all children attending school in the ACT should be immunised against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, mumps, rubella and HIB (Haemophilus influenza type b). We would ask that you check your child's present immunisation status to see whether it is complete for his/her age. ACT Public Health regulations require schools to request proof of up-to-date immunisation when enrolling. Failure to provide this may result in your child being excluded from school should an outbreak of an infectious disease occur.

Infection Diseases and Exclusion from School
A copy of exclusion periods for students with infectious diseases is available here. Parents are asked to adhere closely to these requirements unless medical advice to the contrary is provided in writing.

For further information go to the departmental policy on Infectious Diseases and Exclusion from School.

K

Kindergarten Entry
Children are accepted into Kindergarten if they turn 5 years of age on or before 30 April.

Starting school is a big step for children and it takes time to adjust. Children do best at school when their parents and teachers support each other.

L

Learning Support and Enrichment
Students in need of extra support in literacy and numeracy have the availability of a learning assistance teacher. Small group and individual assistance is available based on teacher assessment and referral. Support for students with English as a Second Language is also available.

Liaison with Preschool & High School
It is very important to recognise that developmental learning is an on-going process and it is vital that effective liaison between the Preschool and the Primary School and the Primary School and the High School is maintained.

Regular, open communication with, and visits between the Preschool and High Schools is an integral part of Florey Primary School's efforts in this area.

Library
The Library/Resource Centre is operated by the Teacher Librarian. Children visit in class groups, small groups or individually for research and private borrowing. The Library is automated and all children are instructed in the use of the computer for locating information and borrowing books.

In addition to class visits, the Library is also open for children's use during lunch times.

Library and P & C Library Trust Fund
The P & C has gained approval to have your contributions accepted through a Library Fund, which will entitle you to claim your contributions as a tax deduction. Donations to the Library Fund are spent on the Library in the form of new books, CDs, DVDs, computer software and other equipment used to support the library.

Each year the School Board plans a budget for the ensuing year. Funds are available from three sources: School Based Management Funds allocated by the ACT Department of Education and Training, parent fund-raising ventures organised by the P & C and parent contributions.

Lost Clothing
All lost property is located in a bin in the Community Room. Children are encouraged to check this bin regularly. Unclaimed lost property is donated to charity each term.

All items of clothing should be labelled so that lost property can be returned promptly, avoiding unnecessary expense for parents.

M

Medication
An emergency management plan is required for all students who have a diagnosed condition and require medication.  These students will require specialised first aid in an emegency.

Every child requires a medical consent form that is stored securely on file.  This information is additionally utilised by teachers for local excursions.  Parents are required to update this information if the medical status of the child changes. 

Emergency Management Plan

Medical information form

Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are to be handed into the front office or classroom teacher each morning for safe keeping.  Parents needing to get a message their child can do so through the front office.

Money
It would assist us greatly if parents could send all money for excursions, book club etc. in a sealed envelope bearing:

Money should be handed in at the front office first thing in the morning.  Receipts are issued for amounts of $10 or more and it is important that you retain these.

Music Tutor Scheme
The Music Tutor Scheme offers lessons in a variety of instruments including piano, flute, violin, keyboard, guitar and recorder subject to the availability of tutors. Children learn under the guidance of music tutors employed by the Tutor Scheme. Lessons which are arranged between the tutors and the children are conducted during normal class time.

Notices are regularly published in the newsletter and interested parents should contact the office for details.

N

Newsletter
As the most frequent form of communication with parents, the newsletter is a very important publication. It is produced each Thursday and issued to the eldest child in each family. The newsletter features items of news, announcements, examples of children's work, class news and other interesting and informative articles. The newsletter is also available on the website.

Please read it thoroughly so that you will be well informed of the school's happenings. Take a look at our latest newsletters.

P

Parking at School
Parents are urged to exercise extreme caution in the car parks, especially after school when the car parks are very busy. The "Bus Only" and the taxi areas in front of the school should be left clear of vehicles at all times.

Permission Notes
All permission notes for activities outside the school must be returned to the school signed by a parent/carer. Students cannot attend an excursion without a signed permission note.

R

Reporting to Parents
Teachers assess students’ work continuously. Parents are encouraged to make appointments to discuss their children’s progress at any time throughout the year.

Reporting at Florey Primary School takes the following forms:

Interviews can be arranged throughout the year for student information and progress.  Instant interviews are not usually available. Please contact the front office to make and appointment.

S

School Governance
The School Board is the official governing body of Florey Primary School. The Board consists of six members: 3 parent representatives, 2 teacher representatives, and one community representative. Members of the Board gain their positions through election. The Board is responsible for all policy decisions for the school.

Security
Outside school hours the school buildings are under the protection of a security system. However any suspicious behaviour on school property should be reported to Police immediately.

Student Management and Pastoral Care
At Florey Primary we emphasise the need for self-discipline. We encourage a caring, supportive environment in which teachers can exercise their right to teach and students their right to learn without harassment and interruption. This enables all members of the school community to work together to solve problems in a creative and supportive manner.

Our student management program is based on the assumption that students need to be supported and taught to accept responsibility for themselves and their choice of behaviour. The “You Can Do It“ program  with the foundations Organisation, Getting Along, Persistence and Confidence is the foundation of our approach to teaching social skills.

The aim of the program is, through a consistent, school-wide approach, to encourage all children to accept responsibility. Regular class meetings, cooperative learning and self-esteem programs are encouraged to ensure that the student management program provides a safe and caring environment.

Sun Protection Policy 
The school supports the Department's Sun Protection Policy and these guidelines are considered whenever outdoor activities are planned.

All children are expected to wear a hat when outdoors during school time and during recess and lunch breaks. Hats are not worn in June, July and August.

Student Support Fund
To ensure access and equity in the provision of education, like all government schools Florey has established an Equity Fund to support the needs of students who might not otherwise be in a position to take advantage of the opportunities provided by their schools. Parents requiring more information about the Equity are requested to contact the Principal or the Deputy Principal.

T

Times
Hours are from 9.00am to 3.00pm with recess from 11.00 to 11.30 and lunch from 12.50 to 1.45pm. Children should not arrive at school before 8.45am. The morning bell sounds at 8.55am.

Children eat lunch with their teachers, whether in the room or in the courtyard or outside near their unit (depending on the weather) from 12.50pm to 1pm.

Term Dates
The school operates on a four term system with holidays set by the ACT Department of Education and Training listed on their website.

Toys
Children’s toys and other valuables, unless specifically asked for by a teacher, should be kept at home. It is difficult sometimes for children to care for these properly at school and the chance of breakage is high.

U

Uniform
Children are encouraged to wear the school colours of red, white and blue. The uniform consists of combinations of:

All children are expected to wear a hat whenever outside. T-shirts and sweat shirts with the school logo can be purchased from the P&C uniform shop. The uniform shop is open in the boardroom every Wednesday morning from 8.30 to 9.30am. Second hand uniforms will be on sale each term – dates will be advised in the school newsletter.

V

Visiting Artists
At varying times during the year the school hosts performances from visiting artists or groups. We believe that such performances are important additions to your child's educational program and encourage the participation of all children.

Voluntary Contributions
Parents are asked to support the school by paying the amounts specified by the School Board. Each year the Board operates a Voluntary Contribution Scheme, where school families may make a tax-deductible donation towards major school purchases e.g. library resources and computers. These funds are utilised to supplement government funds and enrich our various school programs, thus ensuring that the children are given the best possible education.

Voluntary Contributions Departmental Statement
“For many years, students have benefited from the additional resources provided through voluntary financial contributions from parents, carers and other citizens. These contributions have assisted the school to conduct additional programs and activities and purchase educational material.
The School Board has suggested the following contribution will directly support the educational programs by the school. This voluntary contribution may be made in full or in part or by installments. These contributions have been used to purchase materials for used across the all KLA's as well as in the Library, Information Technology, Science, Health and PE Visual and Performing Arts.

Section 27 of the Educational Act 2004 however clearly states that

  1. each contribution must be voluntary 
  2. a child is not to be refused benefits or services because the child's parents do not make a contribution
  3. a child is not harassed for contributions 
  4. any record of contribution is confidential.

Schools may offer to facilitate some specific optional items, activities and services for which parents may be required to pay if they want their child to access them. There are included in Schedule One of the Department of Education and Training’s Statement on Requesting Financial Contributions from Parents, which can be found at http://www.det.act.gov.au/policies/policies.htm.”

Volunteers
As per ACT Education Department policy, all parents/carers who volunteer in classrooms, at sporting events, on excursions or as drivers etc need to complete a Volunteers Form available from the font office. Volunteers must sign in and wear a volunteer badge each time they volunteer.

From time to time parents are asked to assist with the transportation of students to special events. Your assistance is appreciated however the owner and/or driver is responsible for ensuring they carry the required driver’s licence, that the vehicle is appropriately registered and insured, is roadworthy, and that loading does not exceed the seat belt provision of the vehicle.

Walking School Bus
Florey School has a walking school bus program to encourage students to walk to school.  If you don't live on one of our  walking school bus routes, consider driving your children to the first meeting point and dropping them there.