Family Handbook

Compass School Manager

From Term 1 2024, our school will use Compass as its main Student Information System. To access the Parent Portal visit: Compass Parent Portal

We strongly recommend you download the mobile app for ios or Android to stay up-to-date with notification from the School.

You require your unique username and password. These have been provided to all parents by the school. If you have not received your login details, please contact reception for assistance.

Through our Compass Parent Portal, you will be able to:

  • Access information regarding upcoming events and news
  • View up-to-date class and school attendance information
  • Approve or enter upcoming or past absences for your child or young person Download, print and approve permission for upcoming excursions
  • Update your registered email and mobile number (used for SMS alerts) details

As we progress in our use of Compass more functionalities will be introduced including:

  • Receipt of communications to notify you of sick bay attendance, incidents in the yard, overdue library book reminders and wellbeing notes.
  • Book your Parent/Student/Teacher conferences
  • Pay school fees, charges and contributions
  • Access your child's Student Progress and Semester Reports

If you require any assistance to access Compass, please contact the school and we will be pleased to help you.

General Info & School Attendance

Semester 1
Term 1 Wed. 31 January to Thu. 28 March
Break Fri. 29 March - Tue. 16 April
Term 2 Wed. 17 April - Fri. 21 June
Break Sat. 22 June - Mon. 15 July
Semester 2
Term 3 Tue. 16 July to Thu. 19 September
Break Fri. 20 September - Mon. 7 October
Term 4 Tue. 8 October - Wed. 11 December
Break Thu. 12 December - (Start T1 2025 TBC)

 

The following is our school's Google Calendar. You can add this to the calendar app on your own device(s) via the "Add Other Calendar" feature using this link: Perth Montessori Calendar.

 

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School is open and supervised from 8:25 am - 3:15 pm.
Office hours are from 8:15 am – 4:00 pm.
After School Care (additional paid service through TheirCare) from 3:00pm - 6:00pm.

Gates open 8:25 am
Classes start and gates close 8:40 am
Morning snack Student's choice
Lunch Eating (Primary - Supervised)

12:00 pm – 12:10 pm

Lunch Recess (Primary) 12:10 pm - 1:00 pm
Dismissal* 3:00 pm
Gates locked ** 3:30 pm


*Parents are asked to collect their children by 3:00pm.  If you are unable to collect or supervise your child from 3:00pm, then please ensure you book them into TheirCareAny student not collected by 3:15 pm will be supervised in accordance with the Emergency Student Pick-up procedure detailed in this handbook.

**Please refer to the After Hours Play section of this handbook for details on students playing at school after 3:00 pm.

Our school has partnered with an independent provider called TheirCare to provide exceptional Outside School Hours Care services for our school community.

The program is available for all children at Perth Montessori from 3:00pm until 6:00pm each school day. During Pupil Free Days the service will operate from 7:00am until 5:00 pm.

Families wishing to use this service can visit the TheirCare website: www.theircare.com.au 

Families are eligible for a Government Rebate called the Child Care Subsidy which can reduce the cost per session by up to 85%.

More information can be obtained by contacting the school or ringing TheirCare Support Team on 1300 072 410.

TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence and creativity through play-based programs. 

Gates open at 8:25 am.  Students will be greeted by a staff member at the gate before going to class. Gates close at 8:40 am. 

All students arriving after 8:40 am must be signed in at reception by their parent/carer, provide the reason for their lateness and collect a late note to take to their class Guide (teacher).

It is preferred that parents/carers do not come onto school grounds during morning drop-off unless it is necessary. Class guides have found that students settle better into their class routine when goodbyes are made at the gate before coming into school.

For any student who needs to leave school prior to 3:00 pm, a parent/carer must put this in writing to their child's class guide and email or phone reception. The parent/carer is to come to reception to sign their child out. At no time will any student be permitted to leave with someone who is not on the "Authorised to Collect"* list for that student.

* Photo I.D. is required for those not already known to the school. Please refer to the section on Nominated Emergency Contacts in this handbook for more details.

Notification of any absence from school needs to be made by contacting reception AND your child's class guide at the earliest opportunity - please use the online absentee form as it will send all relevant information to both for you. You may also phone or email the school directly if you prefer.

If your child has a contagious illness, please be sure to provide this information as well, so that your child's class guide can observe the other children for symptoms and the school community can be notified of the possible presence of the illness.

In an emergency, or if at short-notice parents/carers are unable to collect their child at the end of the school day, students will be taken to the School Office Administration at 3:15pm*.

Staff will continue to try and contact a parent/carer or emergency contact for the child(ren).  If not collected by 3:30pm, the child(ren) will be signed in to stay at TheirCare and charged the "on the day rate". 

* Please refer to the Outside School Hours Care page for further details.

** Photo I.D. is required for any carers collecting a student who is not already known to the school.

If any of the contact details change for your family, please provide the new information by completing the update contact details form.

Parents/carers are asked to provide at least one emergency contact in the event that the student's primary parents/carers cannot be contacted. By providing contact information for these people, you are authorising the school to allow them to collect your child(ren) from school in the event that they are unwell or in an emergency situation. Photo ID is required for anyone not already known to the School.

 

Classroom Needs & Routines

All Students

No booklist requirements unless advised directly by class guides. The school supplies all required materials.

Cycle 3, 4 & 5

* Click here for "Bring Your Own Device" Requirements. Applicable to Cycle 3 and above.

Cycle 1 classrooms have a snack and washing roster for students/parents/carers to assist with regular jobs for the class. This is usually posted at the entry to each classroom.

Ideally, these are jobs intended as a component of your child's life skills activities. Involve your child in the process, better still; show them how to use the washing machine and insist on their help hanging it out!

The snack basket will be given to the rostered student at school pick-up time. Please provide mainly whole fruit and vegetables in line with the Crunch&Sip guidelines. The whole fruit and veg. will be prepared by students as part of their practical life jobs during class time.

Your child's class Director will guide you as to appropriate quantities to provide, or any particular produce they would prefer you did or didn't provide. This will also include details of any allergies for other student's in your child's class that you need to be mindful of. 

All students have lunch with their classmates and their class Director(s). For younger students lunches are checked to see that they are eating enough and any unused items are kept by the children to take home so parents can monitor this. Please refer to the Healthy Food & Drink section of this handbook for details on appropriate foods and drink for students.

Students are allowed to have free play from 12:10pm, as long as their class Director is satisfied with the amount of food they have eaten. This judgement is made with the understanding of the amount of food the student may have consumed earlier in the day during snack time, or during cooking or gardening lessons.

Perth Montessori is currently undergoing a change in uniform design which includes the contracting of a new uniform supplier. 

Through this time of change uniform policy has been eased to accommodate old and new uniform styles. Please refer to the Uniforms page for further details on purchasing options and dress codes etc.

Students are required to have their clothing and belongings labelled. The lost property box is located in the second-hand uniform room next-door to Waabiny. Parents/carers are welcome to check the box at any time for items that may have gone missing. Staff members do their best to hand back items when they know to whom they belong.

At the end of each term, all items that have not been claimed and are in reasonable condition will be cleaned and donated to the second-hand uniform supply.

These are important milestones in all our lives and at Perth Montessori, we like to celebrate them!

If you would like to provide a birthday treat for your child and their class, we ask you provide a fruit and/or veg. platter for health reasons. Please consult with your child's class Director in the first place to ascertain if there is anyone with special dietary requirements.

If you are having a birthday celebration for your child and are inviting children from the school, please ensure that the invitations are either  handed to the parent/carer of the child invited or that you send them electronically via the class What's App group.

Please note that class directors cannot hand out party invitations on your behalf. 

Perth Montessori is a non-denominational school and religion is not part of the curriculum. However, exposure to, and respect for all, creeds is encouraged. Families who recognise special days during the year are invited to do a presentation for their child's class.

Older students will, at some time, do a study of world religions as part of their cultural work. 

Christmas is a traditional holiday in Australia. All classes will prepare gifts in some form through craft activities. A "Christmas Concert" is also held in December each year. While every effort is made to be comprehensive, songs that contain Christian references to God may be included.

 

Health & Safety

Perth Montessori is committed to the health and well-being of our school community. For accurate and up-to-date information on COVID-19, please visit wa.gov.au/government/covid-19-coronavirus. For government information specific to schools please visit education.wa.edu.au/covid-19-safe-schools or healthdirect.gov.au/covid19-restriction-checker/education-and-childcare/wa

To ensure the safety of all community members, we will follow advice from the Department of Education and the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA) on how best to respond to WA Department of Health directions. Updates will be provided to staff and families by email when required.

Current Status, 29 April 2022:

Although WA is in a very high caseload setting, restrictions at Western Australian schools will be eased for the start of Term 2, in line with the latest health advice.

Generally
  • Parents/carers are welcome back on school sites.
  • School activities and special events can resume, including; performances, school camps, inter-school events, assemblies and meetings.
  • If your child is unwell, they must stay home from school.
  • New asymptomatic close contact protocols mean that children continue to attend school if they are a close contact with no symptoms.
If your child is a close contact and has no symptoms, they must:
  • attend school
  • take a RAT every day for 7 days
  • wear a mask (Year 7 and above) when they leave the house, including at school.
Vaccination requirements
  • Parents/carers are not required to show proof of vaccination to drop off, pick up, attend assemblies, volunteer or participate in any other ad hoc activities.
  • Students 5 years old and above are encouraged to be COVID vaccinated but it is not required to attend school. 
  • Proof of vaccination (or an approved exemption) is required for all staff, contractors and regular visitors to the school. This requirement ends on the 10th of June.
Mask requirements
  • Masks are no longer mandatory at school.
  • Masks are encouraged where physical distancing isn’t possible.

Every Monday to Thursday you are welcome to let students have a short play after school, but we ask that you please leave the school grounds by 3:30pm. This is important to help our TheirCare staff keep the campus secure for the children in the OSHC service. For those wanting to play for longer, be sure to keep your Friday afternoons free for any upcoming Stay & Play sessions.

Supervision after 3:00pm is the sole responsibility of parents/carers

Students are supervised by teaching staff at all times during the school day from 8:30am to 3:15 pm.  The students understand the rules allowing them and others to enjoy doing so safely and respectfully.  They also know to behave according to the standards set in our Code of Conduct.

At the end of the school day students know to exit the grounds via the gates on Egham Road.  A staff member is on duty in this area to ensure the safe exiting of students from school.  Students are also aware that they are not to be playing at this time unless directly supervised by a parent/carer.

No school staff are on duty after 3:15 pm to supervise students whilst playing. If there are staff still at school, whether in their classroom or elsewhere, we ask that you and your child please do not disturb them after hours unless you have an appointment, as this is time used to prepare the learning programs for your children.

If you choose to remain on school grounds with your child(ren), then you are doing so understanding and accepting the sole responsibility for supervising them.  "Supervision" means keeping a direct line of sight to your child(ren) at all times.  It also means ensuring they behave according to our Code of Conduct and other rules in their play and interactions with other students and parents.  Students know the rules they follow during school hours and we ask you to enforce consistency while you supervise them after hours.

If you identify any broken play equipment or other risk after hours, please alert other parents to remove their children and bring the matter to our attention by contacting staff in reception.

If your child suffers a minor injury after school, you should avoid either you or your child seeking assistance from their classroom teacher or other staff members who are at school as they would during school hours. For example, if your child is used to getting ice or band-aids from their classroom, you should explain instead that you need to take them home.  A First Aid Kit is located in the office, and if an injury is such that it cannot wait until you get home, it may be accessed.  If an injury is serious, you should call an ambulance.  Please notify school reception the following day of any injuries or incidents to your child so we can record it and address any risk.

We ask that all parents please supervise their children after school hours as described so that all can enjoy the gifts of play and friendship.
 

Healthy Food

The food children eat directly affects their ability to concentrate and learn, interact with others as well as their general health and wellbeing. Please ensure that your child brings a healthy, nutritious lunch and morning snack. PM recommends families follow the Crunch&Sip guidelines

Drinks

Students must bring their own, clearly labelled, drink bottle to school. Drinks other than water are not necessary and not recommended. 

Nuts & Food Allergies

PM follows the guidelines of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy Inc. (ASCIA) which recommends risk minimisation regarding nut and food allergies. Please refer to the Allergy Aware Best Practice Guidelines for further information.

In summary, ASCIA does not recommend the implementation of blanket food bans or attempts to prohibit the entry of specific food substances into schools due to allergies. As such Perth Montessori is not a nut-free school.

If you have concerns regarding the management of your child's allergies whilst they're at school, please contact their class Director as soon as possible to discuss an appropriate action plan.

Sustainable Food Packaging

We strongly encourage the reduction of packaged products and processed foods in students’ snacks and lunches.

What NOT to bring to School

We do not permit chips, lollies, sweets, chewing/bubble gum, flavoured milk/juice or fizzy soft drinks to be brought to school.

Perth Montessori has a comprehensive emergency plan that is reviewed annually. All staff are briefed on the plan and drills are conducted with the students at periodic times during the school year to ensure the procedures are familiar to all.

In the event of an emergency, the School's telephone system will be diverted to the School’s mobile phone (or the delegated head staff member on-site), and parents/guardians will have direct access to this number for communication.

Guidelines for the minimum period of exclusion from schools can be found in the WA Health's Communicable Disease Manual.

If your child has had gastroenteritis please keep them home from school until symptoms have ceased for at least 24 hours.

Immunisation Status

In accordance with the Public Health Act and the School Education Act, schools have specific responsibilities in relation to the immunisation status of enrolled students. This is why during the enrolment process parents/carers will be asked to provide their child’s Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) Immunisation History Statement.

For children enrolling in Cycle 1; Pre-Kindergarten (3 years old) and Kindergarten (4 years old), it is also a requirement that they are up-to-date with all their childhood vaccinations.

For full details of the government's immunisation requirements please visit the Department of Health's website; health.wa.gov.au/immunisationenrolment.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Students generally are not required to be COVID-19 vaccinated. However, students aged 16 years and older may be required to comply with the vaccination requirements (and show proof of vaccination) if they are on an excursion/work placement/at a venue where proof of vaccination is required.

Please inform your child's class Director as soon as possible if they contract head lice.

A note will go to all students so that they can be checked and their hair treated according to the procedure outlined in the notices sent home.

All students will be treated with the four-Step Asthma First Aid plan (Asthma Foundation of WA) unless the school is advised of special requirements for individual students. All staff members are trained in the provision of asthma first aid.

If your child suffers from severe asthma and has special requirements please contact your child's class Director to discuss the details as soon as possible. It is important that an emergency plan is prepared and that the school is provided with medications to respond to emergency situations. 

Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life-threatening. It occurs following exposure to an allergen (food and non-food such as pollen, insect stings and medication) to which the student is already sensitive. It must be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment and urgent medical attention.

If your child suffers from anaphylactic allergies please contact your child's class Director to discuss the details as soon as possible. It is important that an emergency plan is prepared and that the school is provided with an epi-pen or other medications to respond to emergency situations.

If your child is ill enough to require medication, then he/she should be resting at home.

In cases where regular medication must be administered or a course of antibiotics is to be finished, a consent to administer medication form must be completed by a parent/carer and the medication provided to the front office or to the class Director (in the original packaging).  Please come to the front office to complete the form.

If the course of medication is ongoing, please provide supporting documentation from your child's GP or Specialist. A covering letter may be helpful to accompany the medication in the interests of efficiency.

The School policy when a student is unwell is that they are triaged first by the attending teacher to assess the degree of illness. If necessary the teacher will direct the student to the First Aid Room. Some students prefer to have quiet time in the classroom under the monitoring of their own class Director. All teaching staff are trained in First Aid.

In the event of a minor injury or accident, the attending teacher will complete an incident report which will be signed by the head teacher and a parent/carer when the student is collected from school. A parent/carer will be called if the student requires additional support or rest, or the illness is deemed contagious.

In the event of an emergency, major illness or accident, an ambulance will be contacted. Every effort will be made to also contact the student's parent/carer as soon as possible.

The school actively encourages children of suitable age to walk or ride to school and there are footpaths surrounding the school. However, as yet, there are no crosswalks nearby. Some streets have 40km/h flashing speed signs that come on during peak periods. PM is currently advocating for the introduction of a zebra-crossing on Burswood Road in conjunction with the Town of Victoria Park's plan to improve the Burswood South Streetscape area more widely.

For older students, class Directors supervise their exit from class to ensure that only children allowed to walk or ride home do and all others are kept back until a parent/carer picks them up.

Many parents choose to drive their children to school, but we ask that all who do, please be mindful that there is limited verge parking available and Egham Road gets easily congested during peak school times. The ToVP has advised the School that parking is allowable in the driveway cross-over in front of the large purple and orange roller door. However, parking is not permitted at any time between the driveway and Burswood Road.

We ask that all those who choose to drive, please take great care and drive slowly during peak times to ensure the safety of others. Respect other drivers, our neighbours and their properties and ensure that you do not park on anyone's verge or driveway unless you have the owners express permission.

Please refer to the School's Complaints Procedure flowchart for details on how best to express your concerns or make a complaint. Further details may also be found in the School's Concerns, Complaints and Disputes Policy.

Our School has expectations of behaviours and boundaries for all individuals interacting with children and young people within our community. This includes all teaching staff, non-teaching staff, Board members, Volunteers (direct and indirect), Third Party Contractors, External Education Providers and parents/carers. These are outlined in more detail in our Child Safe Code of Conduct Agreement.