❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses duty of care, supervision ratios, and change room protocols for public school swimming lessons and excursions. The Minister acknowledges existing policies and a current review of outdoor education procedures.
AnsweredQoN 4335Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What are the requirements for duty of care with school swimming lessons for public schools?
(2) What is the teacher to child ratio required at a public swimming centre additional to any swimming centre staff?
(3) What supervision is required when children are using change rooms at a public swimming centre?
(4) Given that change rooms are gender specific, does the gender of the staff member accessing the change room need to correspond?
(5) What should occur if a school does not have enough teachers of a specific gender to supervise?
(6) What is the teacher to child ratio required when travelling on a private bus?
(7) Does Education Department policy need to be reviewed regarding supervised school excursions or swimming lessons; and
(a) if so, what does the Minister propose?
(2) What is the teacher to child ratio required at a public swimming centre additional to any swimming centre staff?
(3) What supervision is required when children are using change rooms at a public swimming centre?
(4) Given that change rooms are gender specific, does the gender of the staff member accessing the change room need to correspond?
(5) What should occur if a school does not have enough teachers of a specific gender to supervise?
(6) What is the teacher to child ratio required when travelling on a private bus?
(7) Does Education Department policy need to be reviewed regarding supervised school excursions or swimming lessons; and
(a) if so, what does the Minister propose?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 February 2011
Responded by
Minister for Education
Response time
91 days
(1) The Department has a
Duty of Care for Students
policy (effective from 26 June 2007) that requires teachers to take care to protect students from risks and harm that reasonably ought to be foreseen whilst they are involved in or present for a school activity. For off school site activities, such as swimming lessons, principals must approve a Management Plan as specified by the
Excursions: Off School Site Activities
policy, which addresses relevant risks including providing adequate supervision at public swimming pools.
(2) For all water based activities, there must be at least one qualified supervisor for every 32 students or part thereof.
For some activities, however, this ratio may vary. That is, there must be more supervisors for some types of activities.
Specific swimming pool based activity duty of care requirements, including information on supervision levels, are outlined in the Department's
Outdoor Education and Recreation Activities
procedures. This document can be downloaded from the Department's website at:
www.det.wa.edu.au/policies
.
Please note that the ratio of students to teachers engaged in swimming pool based aquatic activity, therefore, can vary. In many instances, the students' teacher does not hold an activity-specific qualification. As such, an external provider (e.g. swimming teacher) or another member of staff may form part of the supervisory team.
(3) The Department's
Duty of Care for Students
and
Excursions: Off School Site Activities
policies require schools to provide supervision of students in change rooms at public swimming pools. The Department works with aquatic centre management to arrange separate change rooms for students wherever possible. If this cannot be arranged students are supervised in public change rooms. Schools arrange a roster to ensure adequate supervision, considerate of gender.
(4) Teachers are not required to enter change rooms to supervise students of the opposite sex.
(5) If schools cannot provide a member of the same gender to supervise students, alternative arrangements include:
· seeking assistance from swimming instructors;
· if separate change rooms have been arranged, a staff member checking the change rooms prior to student entry and standing outside the door until all students are accounted for;
· students returning to school to get changed; and
· cancellation of lessons for that particular day.
(6) The Department's
Excursions: Off School Site Activities
policy recommends that at least one supervisor travels on each bus.
(7) The
Department's Outdoor Education and Recreational Activities
procedures are presently under review.
(7)(a) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
Duty of Care for Students
policy (effective from 26 June 2007) that requires teachers to take care to protect students from risks and harm that reasonably ought to be foreseen whilst they are involved in or present for a school activity. For off school site activities, such as swimming lessons, principals must approve a Management Plan as specified by the
Excursions: Off School Site Activities
policy, which addresses relevant risks including providing adequate supervision at public swimming pools.
(2) For all water based activities, there must be at least one qualified supervisor for every 32 students or part thereof.
For some activities, however, this ratio may vary. That is, there must be more supervisors for some types of activities.
Specific swimming pool based activity duty of care requirements, including information on supervision levels, are outlined in the Department's
Outdoor Education and Recreation Activities
procedures. This document can be downloaded from the Department's website at:
www.det.wa.edu.au/policies
.
Please note that the ratio of students to teachers engaged in swimming pool based aquatic activity, therefore, can vary. In many instances, the students' teacher does not hold an activity-specific qualification. As such, an external provider (e.g. swimming teacher) or another member of staff may form part of the supervisory team.
(3) The Department's
Duty of Care for Students
and
Excursions: Off School Site Activities
policies require schools to provide supervision of students in change rooms at public swimming pools. The Department works with aquatic centre management to arrange separate change rooms for students wherever possible. If this cannot be arranged students are supervised in public change rooms. Schools arrange a roster to ensure adequate supervision, considerate of gender.
(4) Teachers are not required to enter change rooms to supervise students of the opposite sex.
(5) If schools cannot provide a member of the same gender to supervise students, alternative arrangements include:
· seeking assistance from swimming instructors;
· if separate change rooms have been arranged, a staff member checking the change rooms prior to student entry and standing outside the door until all students are accounted for;
· students returning to school to get changed; and
· cancellation of lessons for that particular day.
(6) The Department's
Excursions: Off School Site Activities
policy recommends that at least one supervisor travels on each bus.
(7) The
Department's Outdoor Education and Recreational Activities
procedures are presently under review.
(7)(a) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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