Rules and policies are in place to make sure your child remains safe and well at school.
Visit the NSW Department of Education’s policy library for all current operational policies.
Our school uses the department's School Community Charter to ensure all of our communication is collaborative and respectful.
Attendance and absences
Students must attend school regularly so they can achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options.
In NSW, all children from the age of 6 are legally required to attend school or be registered for home schooling through the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). All students must complete Year 10, or its equivalent.
Young people below the age of 17 who have completed Year 10 must be:
in school, or registered for home schooling
in approved education or training, such as a traineeship, apprenticeship or TAFE
in full-time paid employment (average 25 hours a week)
in a combination of work, education and/or training (average of 25 hours a week combined).
Students 17 years and over who are enrolled in school must attend school regularly to meet HSC course requirements.
As a parent or carer, you are responsible for ensuring your child attends school every day when they are of compulsory school age. You must explain all absences to the school within 7 days.
For more information about compulsory school attendance, visit:
SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS
Attendance
Bankstown Girls High School expects students to attend school each day. If this is not possible, the parents should inform the school in writing. In Stage 5 and Higher School Certificate years, medical evidence may be required by the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA) for absences during assessment or examination times. Students are expected to have an attendance rate of more than 90% to satisfactorily meet this requirement. More than 10% absence (i.e. approximately five days per term) is unacceptable and may lead to non-completion (‘N’ determination) in the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) and the Higher School Certificate (HSC), referral to Home School Liaison Officer (HSLO) and/or Warning of Expulsion and/or repeating year to complete course work.
Late Arrival
Our school day begins at 8.45am. All students are expected to be on school grounds ready to attend their Essential Learning Period (ELP). Students who are late to school will not be allowed to enter class without a note issued by the Front Office using their student ID card. It is important to provide a note explaining the late arrival for their reports to show that the partial absences are explained. Students who are regularly late will receive letters home through their Year Advisor and, if necessary, will have a meeting with their Deputy Principal and their parents to discuss and resolve the issue. Students can’t meet NESA requirements if they are regularly late or absent.
In circumstances that a student needs to leave school early, a note must be provided to the Front Office in the morning. The note should contain: Student’s Name, Student’s Year, Leaving Time, Reason for Early Leavers, Parent/Carer Signature.
Absences
At Bankstown Girls High School, when a student is absent, the school automatically sends out a text message at 11am informing the parent/carer of the student’s absence. The school requires a response to this message detailing why the student is absent. If an electronic response isn’t provided, it is expected that a note is provided the first day of the student’s return. The note should contain: Student’s Name, Student’s Year, Date of Absence, Reason for Absence, Parent/Carer Signature. All notes need to be given to the front office. When a student is away for a prolonged period, a call to the school is necessary.
SCHOOL POLICIES
Mobile Phones
Our policy is that students may bring their mobile phones to school, but when arriving at the school gate mobile phones are to be turned off and placed in their bag for the duration of the day. Mobile phones are not to be used in class unless permitted by the teacher. The school will not take responsibility for damage or loss of mobile phones or any other unauthorised items at school.
Students who bring phones or electronic devices to school must comply with Department of Education guidelines and the procedures listed below.
- When students arrive at school, phones are to be switched off and placed in their bag
- No student is permitted to make or receive phone calls during the school day, this includes when feeling unwell; in these circumstances, teachers should send the student to sickbay and the office staff will contact parents/carers
- Earphones and ear pods must not be used at any time
- Individual teachers and/or their faculties maintain the authority to determine whether devices are permitted to be used in a classroom and under what circumstances
- No charging of phones is permitted on school grounds
- Use of devices during exams or formal assessment tasks will be considered malpractice and will be dealt with as such
- Devices may NOT be used in the playground during recess and lunch time unless a phone pass has been issued
- Music devices/speakers are not to be used at school or on excursion
- PE and sport classes will have access to special arrangements and devices are to be given to their teacher for safe storage during the lesson; PE is the only faculty that collects student's valuables and devices
Failure to comply with the code of practice will result in the following actions by staff:
- If a student has a device out in class without permission from the teacher, the device/phone will be taken by the teacher
- The teacher will give the confiscated device to the Deputy Principal
- Every time the phone is confiscated and bought to the Deputy Principal; the student’s name will be recorded in Sentral as an area of concern by the classroom teacher
- The first time the phone is confiscated, the student may collect it from the Deputy Principal on the same day after 3:00pm
- The second time the phone is confiscated, the parents may collect it from the Deputy Principal the same day after 3:00pm
- The third time the phone is confiscated, the parents may collect it from the Deputy Principal the next day
- If this should occur on a Friday, parents may choose to leave the device at school over the weekend or collect it on Friday afternoon from the Deputy Principal; who will issue a warning to suspend
If this behaviour continues, the student will be issued with a suspension for continued disobedience and non-compliance of school rules.
Loitering
Loitering in hallways between bell times and classes is disruptive to the education of all students. We prompt students to get to classes quickly and efficiently to ensure an optimal learning experience.
Before or after school times, students should not loiter individually or in groups at the station, bus stop, neighbouring streets, or parks. All our students are representatives of the school, and we hope they will act as such.
This page was last edited March 29, 2022