Our School

GRIEVANCE (Students and Parents) POLICY

PURPOSE STATEMENT

Maitland Christian School is a Christian educational community, growing faith, character and abilities through teaching and learning excellence, in partnership with families and the Church.

RATIONALE
This grievance Policy and Procedure document is intended to provide to students, parents or caregivers a mechanism for resolving disputes and/or grievances in a simple, well defined manner in a supportive and co-operative environment, with confidentiality and sensitivity. It is also intended to provide clear guidelines and expectations for stakeholders (in particular parents and caregivers) regarding complaints or allegations of staff misconduct or reportable conduct.

The document specifies a process to be applied to such grievances when raised with the School and also makes clear that the School will decide the most appropriate method of dealing with the matter on a case by case basis.

The policy is intended to reflect the desire of the School to function as a Christian community.

BIBLICAL BASIS

As Christians, we are exhorted in Ephesians Chapter 4 to ‘be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace’.

Jesus taught: “If a brother or sister sins, go and point out the fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector”. (Matthew 18:15-17)

Christians are called upon to resolve disagreements amongst themselves and to ‘live in harmony with one another’ (Romans 12:14)

If we have a concern about, or complaint against another member of the school community, the first step is to take it to the person directly and deal with it in a Christ-like manner.

POLICY FOR GENERAL GRIEVANCES

The School is open to receiving grievances, recognising that it is good and fitting that members of communities have opportunity to express disappointment or disapproval, and seeks to engage with such situations with the intent of clearly reaching mutual understanding and cooperation amongst the parties involved
A grievance is any concern or complaint about any act, behaviour, omission, situation or decision that someone thinks is unfair, unreasonable or unjustified. The grievance must be one that lies in the power of the management to resolve, not about matters determined by legislation.

Resolution of the issues and preservation of relationships should be the intent of all communication regarding a grievance. Wherever possible, grievances should be resolved by a process of discussion, co-operation and conciliation. The aim is to reach an acceptable outcome which restores and maintains good relationships.

All grievances should be resolved at the lowest level of hierarchical responsibility as is possible to the mutual satisfaction of the School and the parents.

The School has a commitment to the fair resolution and procedural fairness in addressing of grievances at all levels. All parties are expected to participate in the grievance process in good faith.

Who does this grievance policy apply to?
This policy extends to general grievances brought about by students, parents or caregivers.
Some grievances are better handled under other policies of the School and the School will at its discretion decide which policy is best suited to the grievance (e.g. child protection, bullying, …). Our policy for complaints or allegations of staff misconduct or reportable conduct are detailed below.

Confidentiality
Confidentiality is important in the grievance process.
The School is committed to confidentiality of grievances at all steps of the process and will only involve persons in the matter necessary to understand and resolve the grievance. It is expected that all parties will only discuss the matter with their support person and other parties directly involved.
All parties are reminded that they must not use social media or other public methods to denigrate the School, staff, students or other members of the School community.
Although the School is committed to the confidentiality of all grievances, there may be a situation where it is not possible to uphold a person’s right to confidentiality e.g. a health and safety risk or criminal activity. The School’s obligation to provide a safe environment for students, staff and parents is always considered a high priority.

Complainants
Parents and caregivers have the right to seek access to information about and clarification of circumstances relating to the education and welfare of their children.
Complainants have the right to be heard and listened to, and to have their concern addressed in a procedurally fair manner. They are entitled to seek appropriate advice and to have a support person present at all meetings.
Complainants must approach the process in good faith and be courteous in their dealings with the respondent.

Respondents
Respondents have a right to be informed of a complaint against them within a reasonable timeframe. They are entitled to present their version of the event and reasoning. As well as seeking appropriate advice, they are entitled to have a support person present during all meetings.
Respondents must approach the process in good faith, uphold strict confidentiality, and be courteous in dealing with all persons during the complaint process.

Support person
The role of the support person is to accompany a complainant or respondents to any meeting that takes place during the grievance process. They must not have an active role in the resolution process. Their role is not to be a spokesperson for the complainant.

Time Limit
Staff members contacted in regards to a concern should initially respond by the end of the next working day by either email or phone conversation.
The School will try to resolve all formal grievances as quickly as possible. The formal grievance process will commence within 10 days of the lodgement of a written grievance.
The School will undertake to finalise all grievance procedures within 20 working days. Should this not be possible due to the complexity, nature or scope of the grievance, the School will advise the complainant in writing of the need for more time, and where possible, a likely timeframe for a resolution to occur.

POLICY FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT STAFF MISCONDUCT OR REPORTABLE CONDUCT

Complaints about alleged staff misconduct or reportable conduct are to be made in writing directly to the Principal of the School. Complaints against the Principal are to be sent to the School Office marked CONFIDENTIAL for the attention of the Board Chair. The Business Manager will forward any such correspondence to the Board Chair.
Reportable Conduct is defined in the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW).
Except where specifically indicated, the policy and procedures for complaints about Staff Misconduct or Reportable Conduct are the same as for general grievances.

PROCEDURE FOR GENERAL GRIEVANCES

The School will decide the most appropriate method of dealing with concerns on a case by case basis. Often a grievance is a simple misunderstanding that is easily resolved via effective communication.

In the first instance, attempts should be made to informally resolve the issue as outlined below:

Primary Students
i. Students should
a. Tell their teacher and / or parents or caregivers about the problem
ii. Parents or caregivers should:
a. Raise the matter with the teacher in the first instance
b. If the matter is not resolved, discuss with the Primary Coordinator
c. If the matter remains unresolved, discuss with the Deputy Principal
d. If the matter remains unresolved, put the grievance in writing to the Principal

Secondary Students
i. Secondary students should:
a. Discuss the matter with the teacher with whom they have the concern
b. If the matter is not resolved, discuss with their homeroom teacher or the coordinator of that faculty
c. If the matter remains unresolved, ask their parent or caregiver to make contact with their homeroom teacher or the subject coordinator
ii. Parents or caregivers should:
a. In the first instance contact the staff member concerned via phone or email
b. If the matter is not resolved, raise the matter with the Coordinator of that staff member
c. If the matter remains unresolved, discuss with the Deputy Principal
d. If the matter remains unresolved, put the grievance in writing to the Principal
e. If the grievance is regarding the Principal, direct the grievance to the Board Chair

Written Grievances
Written grievances to the Principal should only be made if the previously outlined procedures have not been able to bring about resolution. Written grievances should include the following information:
• Dates, times and places of the grievance
• Perceived problem from the perspective of the complainant
• A written account of the progress of the informal discussions that were held between the parties
• Suggestions of possible solutions / outcomes
• Any other important information

The Principal (or the Board Chair in the case of grievances against the Principal) may choose to appoint a School Contact Person to action a response to the grievance. Written acknowledgement of the grievance will be provided to the complainant at this point in time.

Procedural fairness
The Principal, or the appointed School Contact Person, will ensure procedural fairness by attention to:
• Letting parties communicate their concerns openly
• Maintaining impartiality throughout the process
• Encouraging solutions
• Keeping notes of any solutions that were suggested by either party
• Keeping accurate records of the final solution that is determined
• Maintaining confidentiality at all times
• Conducting interviews with both parties
• Speaking to witnesses
• Reviewing any further information provided by the complainant and respondent, including written materials, witness accounts or any other evidence directly relevant to the issues that the party wish to be considered

Seeking further information as required to clarify, give context or understand the nature or background of the grievance

Determinations
Once the Principal or the appointed School Contact Person has come to a decision, they may:
• Uphold the grievance
• Dismiss the grievance if it is without merit or is frivolous
• Uphold some elements of the grievance and dismiss other elements
The complainant will be advised of the outcome in writing.

Appeals
At the conclusion of the grievance process the aggrieved party/s may request that the matter be considered by an external third party. When so requested, the School will advise the aggrieved parties to direct their appeal in writing to the External Appeals Mediator whom Maitland Christian School refers appeals to.

Such external appeals should be lodged within 7 working days of the final determination of the internal grievance being issued to the concerned parties in writing. The body whom Maitland Christian School refers request for external appeals mediation is normally Christian Schools Australia. However, the School may also utilise the services of the Association of Independent Schools NSW.

PROCEDURE FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT STAFF MISCONDUCT OR REPORTABLE CONDUCT

How to Make a Complaint
All complaints about Staff Misconduct or Reportable Conduct should be made in writing to the following address:
Email: principal@maitlandcs.nsw.edu.au or
Post: Private & Confidential
The Principal
Maitland Christian School
PO Box 618
EAST MAITLAND NSW 2323

If the complaint is about the Principal use the following address:
Post: Private & Confidential
The Board Chair
Maitland Christian School
PO Box 618
EAST MAITLAND NSW 2323

The complaint should include as much detail as possible. This would include:
• Your name and contact details
• Name of staff member complaint is against
• Nature of alleged misconduct or reportable conduct
• An outline of why the general grievance policy would not be appropriate for the resolution of the complaint.
• Names of person/(s) allegedly treated inappropriately
• Names of person/(s) who witnessed alleged misconduct
• If possible, dates and times of alleged misconduct
• Any other important information

Acknowledgement of Complaint
The School will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 7 days of the complaint being lodged. This acknowledgement will include details of the School Contact Person for the complaint, and will acknowledge that the School will consider the complaint to determine how the complaint will be responded to.

Reportable Conduct
If the School determines that the complaint relates to Reportable Conduct as defined in the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW). the School will follow its Child Protection – Reportable Conduct of Staff, Volunteers and Others Policy. Further information on Reportable Conduct can be found HERE.

The time taken to handle complaints relating to reportable conduct will by substantially longer than for general grievances due to the investigations that are required to take place, as well as necessary dialogue with the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian.

There may also be limitations under the Children’s Guardian Act and privacy regulations regarding disclosure of information about an investigation and the outcome of that investigation.

General Misconduct/Grievance
The School has the discretion to determine if a complaint about staff misconduct is actually a general grievance. If the complaint is found not to be staff misconduct or reportable conduct the policy and procedures for General Grievances (above) will be followed.

Determinations
Once the Principal or the appointed School Contact Person has come to a decision the complainant will be notified in writing that the complaint has been finalised. The amount of information given about the outcome will vary depending on the circumstances.

STUDENT DISCIPLINE POLICY

RATIONALE AND BIBLICAL BASIS

We believe parents should seek to lead their children to become the best they can be. Teachers, acting in the place of the parents (who derive their own authority from God), will also seek to lead students to become like Jesus Christ in their behaviour, both in their personal development and in their relationship with others. Hence, students are taught, guided, advised and instructed according to scriptural principles. Both teachers and students are encouraged to consider the following words of Paul In Philippians 1:27

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ”

As the staff attempt to imitate God in their dealing with others, so students are also encouraged to be Christ-like and to become His disciples.

Part of such discipline/discipleship involves, among other things, a genuine respect and care for those in authority. The qualities of commitment, reliability, trustworthiness and concern for each other are emphasised. Each student, from Prep to Year 12, is encouraged to see his/her talents as a gift from God, to be employed in serving Him in trust and obedience.

Discipline is something that is done for the student not to them. It means guiding the student toward maturity and the development of character. Discipline is to instruct, educate, guide and train with faithful consistency. It is more than giving orders and rules or punishing misbehaviour. It is the making of a disciple, the development of Christ-like behaviour. There are two elements to discipline: constructive and corrective. Constructive measures (the encouragement of Christ-like behaviour) seek to build self-discipline in students. Corrective measures (or rather the discouragement of un-Christ-like behaviour) are also necessary at times. The goal of discipline is for students to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Students are encouraged to live in community, be sensitive to the needs of others and be willing to serve others. Students are encouraged to develop their own internal restraints on behaviour, i.e., self-discipline. Being well behaved is not merely a matter of obeying a set of rules but derives from a personal discernment of what is appropriate and Christ- like behaviour.

Discipline is one of the means by which the student becomes like Jesus. It is a means of discipleship where in the school setting, students are discipled to use the skills and knowledge they are acquiring to be God’s person, in God’s place under God’s rule. Discipline redirects a student and addresses the future and not just the past. As we discipline students it must be a demonstration of God’s grace.

INTENDED USE

The Student Discipline Policy is intended to be provided to the staff of the school in order to provide a mechanism for ensuring fairness in addressing and correcting poor student behaviour. The Student Discipline Procedure document specifies the current processes to be applied when interacting with different stakeholders whilst dealing with disciplinary matters.

STUDENT DISCIPLINE POLICY
1. Code of Conduct
Rights and responsibilities for students and teachers include:
a. expected standards of behaviour in the classroom, playground and while travelling to and from school
b. safety in and around the school and at all school activities
c. acceptable standards of behaviour while on excursions and participating in or attending sporting or other activities
d. obedience to requests from staff and others in positions of authority
e. adherence to the school’s homework policy
f. adherence to the standards of dress determined by the school community
g. prohibition of illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco and weapons
h. positive and respectful relationships between all members of the school community.

2. Rights for students and teachers
a. Every student has the right to a learning environment free from bullying and intimidation and to feel safe and happy at school. They have a right to be treated fairly and with dignity. The same rights apply to teachers as the school is their workplace.

3. Corporal Punishment
a. The school does not administer corporal punishment nor does it explicitly or implicitly sanction the administering of corporal punishment by non-school persons, including parents, to enforce discipline.

4. Discipline Summary
a. A disciplined and orderly school environment is absolutely necessary if we expect students to be safe at school. High expectations of good behaviour should coincide with high expectations for class work, bookwork and homework.
b. Most discipline issues will be dealt with by the playground teacher or class teacher. teachers should wherever possible deal with their own class management. It is important that we seek to understand what is ‘driving’ behaviour and tailor our responses appropriately.
c. Poor behaviour should be addressed, with misbehaving students explicitly told of the inappropriateness of their action(s). A consequence should follow if misbehaviour is repeated.
d. When working with, and disciplining students, a staff member should consider the student’s:
i. Background
ii. Personality
iii. Maturity level
iv. Intent of the action
v. Possible cries for help
vi. Previous problems in the same or similar areas
vii. Child’s inability to understand normal social or behavioural conventions, especially where disability provisions are in place.

5. Serious Offences
a. If a student continues to misbehave, or if the offence is of a serious nature, immediately contact the relevant Coordinator. If the Coordinators are unavailable, the student should be sent to the Deputy Principal. The Coordinator should be informed as soon as possible.
b. The matter is now the responsibility of the Coordinator, who will work in consultation with the teacher.
c. Examples of Incidences requiring a higher level discipline include:
i. Continued defiance and disruptive behaviour in class (calling out, out of seat, talking after warning)
ii. Violence, physical or verbal
iii. Bullying
iv. Insolence – challenging or undermining teacher authority, refusal to obey direct instructions
v. Stealing
vi. Truancy
vii. Challenging school expectations – continuous out of uniform, lateness, lack of preparedness for class
viii. Vexating complaints
ix. Deception
d. Actions prohibited at school:
i. Violence or threats of violence
ii. Possession of illegal drugs
iii. Possession of offensive weapons
iv. Persistent disobedience
v. Criminal behavior
The School will suspend, consistent with procedures, any student engaging in these offences

6. Communication with parents
a. Parents may be contacted regarding poor behavior and the application of corrective measures.
b. Interviews with parents (in consultation with Coordinators) ought to occur early rather than later if misbehaviour is of a serious nature. A behaviour management contract may be negotiated at this point. A record of the interview and subsequent action should be kept.
c. Where the offending behaviour may result in suspension or termination of enrolment, the student and/or parent(s) will be informed of at least the following information:
i. the alleged infringement;
ii. the person who has / will make the decision on the penalty;
iii. the procedures that were / are to be followed
iv. the appeal process.
d. Confidentiality is expected – communication must be restricted to discussing only the actions of, and consequences for the child of that parent.
e. In matters where a long suspension, expulsion or exclusion is contemplated, the gravity of the circumstances requires particular emphasis to be given to procedural fairness. This includes the offer of having a support person/observer attend formal interviews. The key points of the interview/discussion should be recorded in writing.

7. Corrective Measures
a. Teachers will exercise professional judgement to apply several corrective measures.
b. Coordinators will have additional corrective measures available for serious offences.
c. The Deputy Principal will have additional corrective measures available for serious offences.
d. The Principal will have additional corrective measures available for serious offences.
e. Corrective measures may include (and are not limited to) a brief reminder of expectations, longer interview, removal from peers, completion of missed work, completion of reflective tasks, repair and restitution of damage, detention, suspension, and/or termination of enrolment.
f. The process of applying corrective measures is listed in the Student Discipline Procedures document.

8. Suspensions
a. Suspension allows time for school personnel to plan appropriate support for the student to assist with successful re-entry. In some cases suspension from school allows the school time to put measures in place to ensure the safety of students and staff. For the majority of students, suspension allows time for the student to reflect on their behaviour, to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the behaviours which led to the suspension, and to accept responsibility for changing their behaviour to meet the school’s expectations in the future
b. In determining whether a student’s misbehaviour is serious enough to warrant suspension, the Deputy / Principal will consider the safety, care and welfare of the student, staff and other students.
c. Before a suspension is imposed, the Deputy or Principal ensure that discussion has occurred with the student and parents regarding specific misbehaviour which the school considers unacceptable and which may lead to suspension. Parents will be warned in writing (email or letter) that suspension is an outcome for repeated unacceptable behaviour. The exceptions to this are listed in 5d above.
d. In some circumstances the principal may determine that a student should be suspended immediately. This will usually be due, but not limited, to reasons such as the safety of students or staff.
e. Short suspensions of up to and including 4 school days may be imposed for the following reasons :
i. continued disobedience: This includes, but is not limited to, breaches of the school discipline code such as: refusal to obey staff instructions; defiance; disrupting other students; use of alcohol or repeated use of tobacco
ii. aggressive behaviour: This includes, but is not limited to, hostile behaviour directed towards students, members of staff or other persons, including damaging the property of the school or students; bullying (including cyberbullying); verbal abuse and abuse transmitted electronically such as by email, Facebook, Twitter, SMS text messages or by other electronic means.
f. If learning and support strategies and short suspensions have failed to resolve the issue of inappropriate behaviour, strategies such as further short suspensions, a longer suspension or alternative educational programs must be considered.
g. If short suspensions have not resolved the issue of inappropriate behaviour, or the misbehaviour is so serious as to warrant a long suspension, the principal may impose a long suspension of up to and including 20 school days.
h. If, after two long suspensions, the matter has not been resolved, expulsion from the School will be considered.

9. Expulsion
a. In serious circumstances of misbehaviour the principal may expel a student of any age from the school. The principal may also expel a student who is over 17 years of age for unsatisfactory participation in learning.

10. Welfare Support
a. The School Chaplains and/or the Learning Support Coordinator may be utilized to provide insight and support in the disciplinary process.
b. Where a support worker becomes aware of a disciplinary matter in the course of their duties they are to inform their coordinator as soon as possible.

11. Disability Support
a. Reasonable adjustments are to be applied when a student is diagnosed with a disability that affects their understanding of the Disciplinary Procedures and where the behaviour is a manifestation of the disability. Reasonable adjustments would be those that teach the student strategies for regulating their behaviour and explicitly teaching the links between the behaviour and the consequence.
b. Corrective measures will be applied to students with diagnosed disabilities where the safety and security of members of the school community are at risk

12. Review Process
a. Students and/or their parent(s) may ask for an appeal on a teacher’s corrective measure by contacting the teacher’s supervisor (subject coordinator).
b. Students and/or their parent(s) may ask for an appeal on a coordinator’s corrective measure or appeal ruling by contacting the supervisor (Deputy Principal).
c. Students and/or their parent(s) may ask for an appeal on the Deputy Principal’s corrective measure or appeal ruling by contacting the supervisor (Principal).
d. In the event of an appeal, the supervisor will reach a preliminary decision in relation to the allegation and any proposed penalty and advise the student and/or parent(s) of the view. The student and/or parent(s) would be advised that if they wish this preliminary decision to be reviewed they may make application for a further review by submitting any information they want to be considered during the review process. The supervisor will then either confirm the preliminary decision, as the final decision or amend the preliminary decision based on the additional information provided.

ENROLMENT POLICY

PURPOSE STATEMENT
Maitland Christian School is a Christian educational community, growing faith, character and abilities through teaching and learning excellence, in partnership with families and the Church.

RATIONALE
This policy provides guidelines for enrolment into Maitland Christian School. It seeks to acknowledge and continue the original vision of those who founded the School as a Christian educational community and in line with the School’s Purpose Statement and Strategic Intentions.
Whilst the Policy is as comprehensive as possible, there will inevitably be some situations which are not specifically covered. In such instances, it is the Principal’s responsibility to decide the appropriate course to take.

BIBLICAL BASIS
The Old Testament teaches that parents are responsible for their children’s education.
Hear O Israel, The Lord our God the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
Listen my son to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning so do not forsake my teaching (Proverbs 4:1-2).

The New Testament puts a similar responsibility on parents. Paul says:
Do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

The Greek word translated ‘training’ is paidia, which means training of the whole person.

Education today is very complex and most parents are no longer able to train their children completely themselves. It is for this reason that they send their children to a school to assist them with this process. Christian parents should be encouraged to send their children to a Christian school, which supports Biblical values, teaches Biblical principles and models Christian community and relationships.

The Bible teaches that the church has an important role in teaching.

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles … (1 Corinthians 12: 28).

If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach (Romans 12:7).

For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church (1 Corinthians 4:17).

Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:11-13)

Maitland Christian School was founded on the foundations of home, church and school working together in providing a Christ-centred education.

POLICY
Selection Criteria and ethos
Our selection criteria are established to reflect the ethos of our School. Consequently, we seek to enrol those children whose families understand and are supportive of the Christian aims and objectives of the School, who we judge to be best able to benefit from the academic program we offer and who demonstrate a willingness to participate in the full range of activities provided by the School.
We will assess all applications to enrol against these criteria. The School has an absolute discretion in determining the weight of each of the factors it takes into account in determining whether to offer a place for the student.

OUR ENROLMENT PROCESS
Points at which we take in new students
Our normal entry points are Prep, Kindergarten, Years 7 and 11. We will consider applications for entry to other years, but only if places are available. Due to the demand for places, we advise parents to apply for entry for their child well before the desired year of entry.
We have limited places to offer. After we offer places we will draw up a waiting list and will use this list to make later offers of enrolment if students to whom initial offers were made decide not to accept their offers, or if students already enrolled withdraw from the School.

You cannot defer an offer
If we offer a student a place for a particular entry point, that offer only applies to that point of entry: it does not apply for a later entry point. For example, if we offer a child a place at the School starting in Year 7, but the parents then decide that they wish to defer the child’s entry until Year 10 they cannot defer the original offer to take it up at the later entry point. In these circumstances, we will put the child on the normal application list and will reconsider their application at the next entry point.

Our enrolment timetable

We will charge
• An Application Fee of $40 to be paid by the parents and forwarded with the online Application to Enrol form. This amount is non-refundable and does not guarantee a place at the school.
• An Enrolment Fee of $500 to be paid by the parents when they accept an offer of a place. This amount is credited to the family’s school fees upon successful completion of the Maitland Christian School New Parent’s Information Evening. This fee is non-refundable even if the parents should subsequently decide not to proceed with the enrolment offer.

Privacy of information supplied

All enrolment information parents supply during the enrolment process will be kept confidential and accessed only by those staff involved in the enrolment process. If an application to enrol is not successful we will retain the information, with the permission of the parents, in case a place should become available later. Further information on our handling of information is available in the School’s Privacy Policy.

Enrolment Contract

Parents may accept a place for their child by signing the Enrolment Confirmation and paying the Enrolment Fee. This will establish the parents’ agreement to support the school rules and policies, to pay the School Fees, to accept the Enrolment Terms and the consequences of suspension or termination.

Parents’ declaration

In completing the online Application to Enrol form we will ask parents to declare that to the best of their knowledge they have:
• disclosed any special needs of their child
• provided a copy of any Parenting or Restraint Order that applies to the prospective student and parent(s) and
• fully completed the Application to Enrol form.
If a parent withholds information relevant to the registration and enrolment process then we will reserve the right to refuse, or terminate the enrolment process on these grounds.

Ongoing enrolment

When a place at the school is accepted, the student will be expected to attend all the activities of the school, including classes, excursions, camps, mission programs, extra-curricular activities and special school functions (such as Chapel services, concerts and inter-school sporting events.)
Continued enrolment at the School is dependent upon the student making satisfactory academic progress, attending consistently, and the student and the parent/carer(s) observing all behavioural codes of conduct and other requirements of the School which are applicable from time to time.
When guardians or carers are enrolling children

In this Policy, we have referred to ‘parents’ to indicate those people responsible for enrolling students. Most of our enrolments involve the natural parents of children so we have chosen to use this terminology to simplify our documents. However, we readily accommodate applications to enrol in which guardians or carers have responsibility for a child’s application.

Our Enrolment Policy may change

The School reserves the right to alter its Enrolment Policy.

The School may alter the terms and conditions of enrolment at any time by giving not less than two (2) term’s notice to the Parent/guardian(s) in writing which shall apply to both current and future students and parent/guardian(s) from the date specified in the notice.

The most up to date version of the enrolment policy is available from the School’s website.

MAITLAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL – ENROLMENT CONDITIONS

1. Acceptance of an Offer of Enrolment
1.1. An offer of enrolment must be accepted by both Parent/carer(s) where appropriate unless the School agrees to waive this requirement. Upon acceptance all signatories to the terms and conditions will be jointly and severally liable in respect of the obligations contained in these terms and conditions.
1.2. The acceptance of the offer must be accompanied by an Enrolment fee. This fee is credited to the family’s fee account after attendance at the New Parents’ Information Evenings. This fee is non-refundable if the parents should subsequently decide not to proceed with the enrolment offer.
2. Conditional Enrolment
2.1. All enrolments are conditional upon the School being satisfied in its discretion that the Student’s needs can be met by the School. The School may cancel the enrolment if it determines prior to the start of the enrolment that the Student’s needs cannot be met.
2.2. The School may require Parent/carer(s) to provide reports and assessments necessary to determine the particular needs of the Student.
2.3. Competence in English is a pre-requisite for enrolment. If the School considers that the English language capabilities of the Student are not sufficient it may require the Student to undergo an intensive English language course. If the required language level is not reached the School may decide that the enrolment should be cancelled.
3. Progress of Student
3.1. If the School considers that the progress of a Student is unsatisfactory and that it can no longer meet the Student’s needs it may cancel the enrolment of the Student by giving not less than one term’s notice.
4. Fees and Charges
4.1. The School Board determines the fees and charges that will be payable from time to time which are set out in a Fees Schedule. The fees are revised regularly and may be amended each year.
4.2. The School’s Fee Policy is set out in the School Fees Booklet and is available on the school web site or on request.
4.3. The School requires payment of all fees agreed upon with families by the due date, with consequences for non–payment of fees.
4.4. Fees will not be remitted in whole or part if the Student is absent due to illness, leave or suspension.
5. Withdrawal of Students
5.1. Where students leave to enrol at another school, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requires that parent/carer(s) advise the School in writing of the name of the school the Student will be attending and the grade the Student will be entering at the new school.
5.2. If parent/carer(s) wish to withdraw a Student from the School, notice given must be not less than one full term’s notice to expire at the end of a term.
5.3. If the required notice of withdrawal of a Student is not given the parent/carer(s) must pay the balance of the School term’s fees.
6. Obligations of Students
Students are required to:
6.1. have high standards of behaviour
6.2. abide by the School Rules and Codes of Conduct as they apply from time-to-time
6.3. behave courteously and considerately to each other and to staff at all times
6.4. not do anything which may bring the School into disrepute, including in print and electronic media
6.5. support the purpose and values of the School
6.6. attend and, if required, participate in assemblies, the School sports program, camps, mission activities and excursions that are an integral part of the School curriculum, and important school events such as Celebration Services or other events determined by the Principal
6.7. wear the School uniform as prescribed including when travelling to and from school in accordance with the School’s policies, and guidelines.
6.8. attend the School during school hours, except in the case of sickness or where leave has been given or an exemption from attendance has been granted
7. Obligations of Parent/Carer(s)
The parent/carer(s)
7.1. must accept and abide by the requirements and directions of the School Board and the Principal relating to the Student or students generally and not interfere in any way with conduct, management and administration of the School,
7.2. are required to support the purpose, values and activities of the School, and
7.3. Should read the School Newsletter and are actively encouraged to follow the School on social media
The parent/carer(s) must promptly advise the School:
7.4. in writing of any change of home, mailing, email address or contact details or other information on the Enrolment Application Form. Offers of enrolment may be cancelled if the School loses contact with the parent or mail is returned
7.5. if the Student is absent from the School due to ill health or other reason
7.6. in writing of any orders or arrangements that affect the Student concerning custody or access, any change to them or any other orders or arrangements which were relevant to the Student’s education and welfare and provide copies of any orders to the School.
The parent/carer(s) also:
7.7. must ensure the Student has each item of officially required uniform, clean and in good repair, and all other requirements such as textbooks and stationery,
7.8. should communicate with students, parent/carer(s), visitors and staff members in a courteous manner, and follow the communication guidelines laid down by the School from time-to-time and observe the Parent Code of Conduct,
7.9. should use their reasonable endeavours to attend parent-teacher interviews and parent forums and participate in courses offered by the School which are relevant to the Student’s education,
7.10. must not use social media or any other public methods to denigrate the School, staff, students or other members of the School community
8. Health and Safety
8.1. Parent/carer(s) must advise the School immediately if they become aware of any special needs that the Student may have including, but not limited to, any medical, physical, psychological needs, or any changes to these needs
8.2. Parent/carer(s) must complete and return to the School the required health form(s) for the Student prior to the Student commencing at the School and provide updates if circumstances change or as required by the School from time to time.
8.3. If the Student is ill or injured, requiring urgent hospital and/or medical treatment (for example injections, blood transfusions, surgery) and parent/carer(s) are not readily available to authorise such treatment, the Principal or, in the Principal’s absence, a senior staff member of the School, may give the necessary authority for such treatment. The parent/carer(s) indemnify the School, its employees and agents in respect of all costs and expenses arising directly or indirectly out of such treatment.
8.4. Parent/carer(s) must observe School security procedures for the protection of students
8.5. Students are responsible for their personal property and the School does not accept any responsibility for the loss of their belongings
8.6. The Principal or the Principal’s nominee may search the Student’s bag, locker or other possessions where there are reasonable grounds to do so, in order to maintain a safe environment for all students.
9. Programs and Activities
9.1. The School determines the educational and other programs and activities conducted at the School from time to time in its absolute discretion.
9.2. The School may change its programs and activities and the content of these programs and activities without notice.
9.3. The Student will be required to participate in all compulsory activities including excursions, camps and mission activities unless the Principal agrees otherwise. Charges that are levied for these activities are not refundable due to student absence
10. Reports
10.1. The School will send academic reports to the address or addresses notified by the Parent/carer(s). Where Parent/carer(s) do not live together, reports will be sent to both Parent/carer(s) unless there is an Order of the Court or an agreement that the reports will only be sent to one Parent.
11. Leave
11.1. If the Parent/carer(s) wish to seek leave for the Student not to attend any School academic or co-curricular program or activity during a term, they must apply to the Principal. Leave will usually only be granted in most extreme circumstances.
12. Suspension & Termination of Enrolment
12.1. The School may suspend or terminate the enrolment of a student, either temporarily or permanently at any time for reasons which may include, but are not limited to:
a) a serious breach of the School’s rules or Code of Conduct
b) conduct prejudicial to the reputation of the School or the well-being of its students or staff, and;
c) where the Principal or School Board believes that a mutually beneficial relationship of co-operation and trust between the School and the Parent/carer(s) has broken down to the extent that it adversely impacts on that relationship
12.2. The School will only exercise its powers under this clause to expel a student if it has provided the Student and their parent/guardian(s) with details of the conduct which may result in a decision to expel the Student and provided them with a reasonable opportunity to respond and where there has been procedural fairness.
12.3. The School may terminate the enrolment of the Student without notice if, either before or after the commencement of enrolment, the School finds the relevant particulars of the special needs of the Student have not been provided to the School or the particulars provided are materially incorrect or misleading.
13. Privacy
13.1. The Parent/guardian(s) acknowledge that they have read the School’s privacy policy.
14. Amendments of Terms and Condition
14.1. The School may alter the terms and conditions of enrolment at any time by giving not less than two (2) term’s notice to the Parent/guardian(s) in writing which shall apply to both current and future students and parent/guardian(s) from the date specified in the notice.
15. Definitions
In the terms and conditions:

Parent means the parent/guardian(s) who entered into the contract of enrolment with the School
School means the Maitland Christian School
Student means the student who is named in the contract of enrolment

BULLYING POLICY

PURPOSE STATEMENT
Maitland Christian School is a Christian educational community, growing faith, character and abilities through teaching and learning excellence, in partnership with families and the Church.

BIBLICAL BASIS
We believe:
• The one sovereign triune God, who has revealed himself through Christ and in his word the Bible, is the Creator, and Redeemer of the ordered world that he sustains moment by moment through his word of power (Hebrew 1:3).
• Human beings are called to act in a stewardly manner towards each other and towards God’s creation, according to God’s created norms. Due to the fallen nature of humanity, we exercise this stewardship imperfectly.
• Maitland Christian School devises (and revises) its policies and procedures to guide the life of our community under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and in the light of the laws and regulations of New South Wales and the Commonwealth.
• Due to the fallen nature of man we can expect the need for the school to intervene in bullying and harassment concerns (1 Corinthians).
• We can take comfort when the need for school intervention occurs in acknowledging that God is sovereign over all things and that Jesus experienced suffering on our behalf.
• God uses all situations for His purposes even when we cannot see or feel that this is so (Romans 8).
• We will aim to offer care, compassion, sensitivity and support to all members of the school community using as Jesus our role model for us to follow (2 Corinthians).
• Christ’s sacrifice is the highest price for every pleasure and the deepest comfort for every pain.

And we recognise:
• We are committed to providing a safe environment for the school community.
• A safe environment should promote learning, personal growth, respect and positive self-esteem.
• Our aim is to encourage and develop healthy and positive relationships where individual differences are respected by all.
• We will not tolerate harassment of any kind, whether it is verbal, written, electronic or physical behaviour.

WHAT BULLYING IS
Bullying is the repeated and intentional behaviour of causing fear, distress or harm towards another person that involves an imbalance of power. It can involve humiliation, domination, intimidation, victimisation and harassment. In any bullying incident there are likely to be three parties involved: the bully, the person being bullied, and bystanders.
Bullying can take many forms including:
• Physical bullying which involves physical actions such as hitting, pushing, obstructing or being used to hurt or intimidate someone. Damaging, stealing or hiding personal belongings is also a form of physical bullying.
• Psychological bullying is when words or actions are used to cause psychological harm. Examples of psychological bullying include name calling, teasing or making fun of someone because of their actions, appearance, physical characteristics or cultural background.
• Indirect bullying is when deliberate acts of exclusion or spreading of untrue stories are used to hurt or intimidate someone.
• Cyber bullying is the ongoing abuse of power to threaten or harm another person using technology. Cyber bullying can occur in chat rooms, on social networking sites, through emails or on mobile phones.

WHAT BULLYING IS NOT
There are many negative situations which, whilst being potentially distressing for students, are not bullying. These include:
• Mutual Conflict Situations which arise where there is disagreement between students but not an imbalance of power. Mutual conflict situations need to be closely monitored as they may evolve into a bullying situation; or
• One Off Acts (of aggression or meanness) including single incidents of loss of temper, shouting or swearing do not normally constitute bullying.

SIGNS OF BULLYING
Major behaviour changes in a student may be indicative of bullying. Such behavioural changes may include:
• Crying at night and having nightmares;
• Refusing to talk when asked “What’s wrong?”;
• Having unexplained bruises, cuts or scratches;
• An unwillingness or refusal to go to school;
• Feeling ill in the mornings;
• A decline in quality of school work;
• Becoming withdrawn and lacking confidence;
• Beginning to bully siblings; and
• Acting unreasonably.
Parents/carers are encouraged to recognise signs of bullying and notify the school through a trusted staff member immediately (such as a class teacher, co-ordinator, school pastoral staff etc), if they suspect their child is a victim of bullying.

POLICY
Maitland Christian School recognises its duty to students to provide a safe and positive learning environment where individual differences within the school are respected and accepted.
Bullying is not tolerated at Maitland Christian School.
It is our policy that:
• Bullying be managed through a ‘whole of school community’ approach involving students, staff, and parents/carers;
• Bullying prevention strategies are implemented within the school on a continuous basis with a focus on teaching age appropriate skills and strategies to empower staff, students and parents/carers to recognise bullying and respond appropriately;
• Bullying response strategies are tailored to the circumstances of each incident;
• Staff establish positive role models emphasising our no-bullying culture; and
• Bullying prevention and intervention strategies are reviewed on an annual basis.

BULLYING PREVENTION STRATEGIES
Maitland Christian School recognises that the implementation of whole school prevention strategies is the most effective way of eliminating, or at least minimising incidents of bullying within our community.

The following initiatives form part of our overall bullying prevention strategy and our strategy to create a ‘no bullying’ culture within the school:
• A structured curriculum and peer group support system, that provides age appropriate information and skills relating to identifying bullying (including cyber bullying) and bullying prevention, to students over the course of the academic year;
• Education, training and professional development of staff in bullying prevention and response strategies;
• Regular provision of information to parents/carers, to raise awareness of bullying as a school community issue to equip them to recognise signs of bullying, as well as to provide them with clear paths for raising any concerns they may have relating to bullying directly with the school;
• Promotion of a supportive environment that encourages the development of positive relationships and communication between staff, students and parents/carers;
• Education and training to develop coping strategies and to build resilience.
• Promotion of responsible bystander behaviour amongst students, staff and parents/carers;
• Reporting of incidents of alleged bullying by students, bystanders, parents/carers and staff is encouraged, and made easy through the establishment of multiple reporting channels (as specified below);
• Regular risk assessments of bullying within the school are undertaken by surveying students to identify bullying issues that may ordinarily go unnoticed by staff; and
• Records of reported bullying incidents are maintained and analysed, in order to identify persistent bullies and/or victims and to implement targeted prevention strategies where appropriate.

REPORTING BULLYING
Students and their parents/carers are sometimes reluctant to pursue bullying incidents, for fear that it will only make matters worse.
A key part of Maitland Christian School’s bullying prevention and intervention strategy is to encourage reporting of bullying incidents as well as providing assurance to students who experience bullying (and parents/carers) that:
• Bullying is not tolerated within the school;
• Their concerns will be taken seriously; and
• The school has a clear strategy for dealing with bullying issues.

Bullying incidents can be advised to the school verbally (or in writing) through any of the following avenues:
• Informing a trusted teacher;
• Informing the school pastoral staff;
• Informing a student’s Care or Devotions teacher;
• Informing the Deputy Principal or the Principal; or
• Via the Maitland Christian School online Safety reporting tool.

RESPONDING TO BULLYING
Bullying behaviours vary enormously in their extent and intent and, as a consequence, each incident needs to be dealt with on its facts.
In all circumstances the school:
• Takes bullying incidents seriously;
• Provides assurance to the victim that their confidentiality will be respected;
• Takes time to properly investigate the facts including discussing the incident with the victim, the alleged bully and any bystanders;
• Takes time to understand any concerns of individuals involved;
• Maintains records of reported bullying incidents; and
• Will escalate its response when dealing with persistent bullies and/or severe incidents.
Actions that may be taken when responding to bullying include:
• Notification of/Consultation with parents/carers;
• Offering counselling to persistent bullies/victims;
• Implementing effective follow up strategies; and
• Disciplinary action at the Principal’s discretion including suspension and expulsion of persistent bullies, or in cases of severe incidents.

School Liaison Police
School Liaison Police are NSW Police officers who work with schools to reduce crime, violence and anti-social behaviour. School Liaison Police are a point of contact for the school community and the NSW Police Force. Our students are encouraged to contact the School Liaison police if they have any concerns.

Our School Liaison Police Officer is Senior Constable John Collins. The School Liaison Police Officer can be contacted on 0437 771 757.

Other Support Services
Maitland Christian School also provides access to Pastoral care staff.