Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Primary School

Our school motto of ‘Integrity and Gentleness’ guides all our interactions as a community. We strive to live our school values of excellence, respect, service, compassion and justice,every day.

The Code of Conduct describes the minimum standards of conduct in all behaviour and decision making to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students. It includes all online communication and digital interactions. The Code applies to staff, students, volunteers, parents and guardians.

Our Student Code of Conduct describes the standards of conduct and behaviour expectations of students to ensure all children feel happy and safe in our school.

The Codes of Conduct can be found under Procedures and Forms.

Administering medication: Only essential medication is administered at school by staff or the student. Parents complete the School Medication Record and provide prescribed medication in the original container or with a copy of the label, with relevant instructions. The form can be found under Procedures and Forms.

Medical treatment: The treatment of asthma or use of an EpiPen will be according to the Medical Action Plan provided by your doctor. It is parents’ responsibility to provide updates and medication within the expiry date.

Emergency contacts: Parent and emergency contact details must be kept up to date, in case of illness or an emergency.

Accident or head injury: Parents will be notified if a child is injured or bumps their head. In case of emergency, you will be contacted immediately. An ambulance may be called and associated costs are the responsibility of the parent. Student insurance is included in school fees.

Parents are responsible for supervising their child on campus outside of school hours (before 8.30 am and after 2.50 pm), unless the student is under the supervision of a duty teacher.

Supervision before school:

• Children should not be on the school grounds before 8.15 am.
• Duty teachers supervise the undercover area and Kiss and Drive from 8.15 am to 8.30 am.
• Students proceed to class at 8.30 am.

Supervision after school:

• The official pick-up window is from 2.50 pm to 3.05 pm.
• Duty teachers supervise the Kiss and Drive, the basketball court gates and Koman Way gates until 3:05 pm.
• After 3.05 pm, any remaining students will be taken to the front office for collection.
• Parents must collect children on time to uphold duty of care.

Play areas and equipment: Play areas and equipment are not to be used before 8.30 am or after 2.50 pm.

Before- and after-school events involving third-party providers: The school is not responsible for student escort, supervision or collection. Families and providers must ensure proper behaviour and timely arrival and pickup.

Food at school: We are an allergy aware school and encourage that foods containing nuts, or nuts themselves, not be brought to school. For birthdays, children may bring an individually packaged food item to share with the class, or small baked goods.

Sun safety: Children must wear a hat when outside, or play in the shade. Sunscreen is available in classrooms.

Park and Walk

• Parents can park and walk with their children to and from school.
• The speed limit in school zones is 40 km/h — please drive carefully at all times.
• Front of the School: Parking bays are available on Hudson Avenue and Girrawheen Avenue. Additional parking is available at Hudson Park, where parents can park and walk with their children.
• Back of the School: Parents may drop off or collect their children at the basketball court gates or the Koman Way gates.
• The Blue Bays in front of the office are reserved for ACROD permit holders only.
• Children must be supervised at all times in car park areas.

Kiss and Drive

• Available for students in Years 1 to 6.
• Operates before school from 8:15 am to 8:30 am and after school from 2:50 pm to 3:05 pm.
• Entry to the Kiss and Drive is via Hudson Avenue.
• The speed limit on school grounds is 10 km/h — please drive with care.
• Parents must remain in the vehicle, and children should exit from the left-hand side only.

Cycling to school: Children may ride their bicycle to school. Helmets must be worn. Once on the school grounds, bicycles are to be pushed. Bike racks are available and we recommend the use of a bike lock for safe keeping.

Contacting the teacher: Parents may contact teachers through SeeSaw or email during the school’s communication hours (8 am to 4 pm on school days) and we will endeavour to respond within 24 hours. For matters requiring a more in-depth conversation, the teacher may phone parents or request a meeting.

SeeSaw: Teachers publish child and class-related news and notes on the SeeSaw app - please check it regularly. Download the SeeSaw Parent & Family app and the teacher will provide a QR code to log in.

Weekly newsletter: We provide parents with need-to-know school information and important dates in the weekly newsletter. Our aim is to only communicate with you once a week - please ensure you read the newsletter. Previous editions can be found under Quick Links - Newsletters.

Social media: You can choose to follow nice-to-know news, photos, events and videos on our social media.

Use of student images: A pictures says a thousand words and permission for your child to appear in photos and videos helps immensely. We are respectful in the way we share images and do not publish children’s names on social media.

Handling complaints: We seek to handle any complaints with procedural fairness. According to National Child Safe Organisation Principles, our school also has a child focussed complaint handling procedure. Student complaints are taken seriously; responded to promptly and thoroughly; and privacy is respected. The complaints process can be found under Procedures and Forms.

Wellbeing: We use the Berry Street Education Model to support student wellbeing and engagement. It helps students build emotional resilience, self-regulation, positive relationships, and a strong sense of identity. Berry Street helps to create safe and supportive classrooms where students are ready to learn.

Pastoral care: In addition to our staff and leadership team, our school School Counsellor offers additional guidance, support and strategies to help students navigate challenges and develop coping skills. We also have access to CEWA’s Psychology, Safety and Wellbeing team for additional support when assessing student needs and recommending interventions.

Behaviour management: At our school, we use a Tiered Behaviour Support Approach to promote a safe, positive, and inclusive learning environment for all students. More information can be found under Procedures and Forms.

Keeping safe: Each term we teach students about respectful relationships and child safety through the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum. Themes included that we all have the right to be safe and can help ourselves to be safe by talking to people we trust.