Help for non-English speakers
If you need help to understand the information in this policy, please contact Traralgon (Stockdale Road) Primary School on 03 5174 1607 or traralgon.ps.stockdale@education.vic.gov.au.
Purpose
To provide a safe and secure learning and teaching environment for students and staff by establishing processes to monitor and manage visitors to Traralgon (Stockdale Road) Primary School.
Scope
This policy outlines our school’s arrangements for visitors who attend school grounds when the school is open for instruction between the hours of 8:45am until 3:30pm, including parents, contractors, and any other visitors. Outside of these times, our front office is not staffed, and this policy does not apply.
Definitions
Child-related work: As defined by the Worker Screening Act 2020 (Vic), child-related work is work that usually involves direct contact (including in person, over the phone, written and online communication) with a child that is a central part of that person’s duties. It does not include work that involves occasional direct contact with children that is incidental to the work.
Policy
Traralgon (Stockdale Road) Primary School strives to create an open and inclusive school community, and encourages parents and carers to be actively involved in their child’s development and education. We also strive to foster strong partnerships with local community services, schools and other organisations.
Traralgon (Stockdale Road) Primary School is not a public place. The principal has the authority to permit or deny entry to school grounds and encourages all visitors to familiarise themselves with our school’s Statement of Values and School Philosophy, Child Safety Policy, Child Safe Code of Conduct and Visitors Policy.
From time to time, different members of the public may visit our school. Visitors may include, but are not limited to:
- Parents
- Volunteers – see our school’s Volunteers Policy for more information
- Prospective parents, students and employees
- Invited speakers, sessional instructors and others addressing learning and development
- Public officials (e.g. Members of Parliament, local councillors)
- Persons conducting business e.g.: uniform suppliers, booksellers, official school photographers, commercial salespeople
- Tradespeople
- Children’s services agencies
- Talent scouts
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing workers
- Victoria Police
- Persons authorised to enter school premises (e.g., WorkSafe inspectors, health officers, etc)
- Other Department of Education and Training staff (including allied health staff) or contractors
- NDIS therapists or other allied health or health practitioners
Sign-in procedure
All visitors to our school are required to report to the school office on arrival (see exceptions below in relation to parents/carers). Visitors must log in the iPad in the foyer
- Record their name, signature, date and time of visit and purpose of visit on the Compass Kiosk in the foyer
- Provide proof of identification to office staff upon request
- Produce their valid Working with Children Check where required by this policy (see below)
- Follow instruction from school staff and abide by all relevant policies relating to appropriate conduct on school grounds including Child Safety Code of Conduct, Sexual Harassment Policy, Workplace Bullying Policy,
Respect for School Staff, and Statement of Values.
- Return to the office upon departure, sign out on the Compass Kiosk.
Traralgon (Stockdale Road) Primary School will ensure that our school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct are available and visible to visitors when they sign in.
Working with Children Clearance
For Working with Children (WWC) Check and other suitability check requirements relating to parents/carers and other volunteers working with students please see our Volunteers Policy.
All visitors who are engaged in child-related work (see definition above) must have a valid WWC Clearance. Additional suitability checks may also be required such as reference, proof of identity, qualification and work history involving children checks.
It is at the discretion of the principal as to whether to require a WWCC for those not engaged in child-related work, noting that the Department recommends that visitors have a WWCC if they will be regularly present at the school and/or children can reasonably be expected to be present.
In some circumstances, visitors to our school who are not engaged in child-related work will also be required to produce a valid WWC Clearance depending on the particular circumstances of their visit. For example, we will require a valid WWC clearance for:
- visitors who will be working regularly with children during the time they are visiting, even though direct contact with children is not a central part of their normal duties
- visitors (e.g. contractors), who will regularly be performing unsupervised work at the school during school hours where children are present.
Further background checks, including references, may also be requested at the discretion of the principal.
Visitors who will be working in areas away from students (e.g. a visiting auditor who will be located in the front office with administration staff) or who will be supervised and accompanied by a staff member during their visit (e.g. a Member of Parliament, a journalist, a prospective parent on a school tour) will not be required to have a WWC Clearance.
Sworn Victoria Police officers or sworn Australian Federal Police officers are exempt from requiring a WWC Clearance but may be asked to verify that they are sworn officers by providing proof of identification.
Invited speakers and presenters
On occasion, Traralgon (Stockdale Road) Primary School may invite external speakers or providers to deliver incursions, presentations, workshops and special programs for our students. Consistent with Department of Education requirements, Traralgon (Stockdale Road) Primary School will:
- ensure that the content of presentations and programs by external providers contributes to the educational development of our students and is consistent with curriculum objectives
- ensure that any proposed visit, programs or content delivered by visitors complies with the requirement that education in Victorian government schools is secular and is consistent with the values of public education, Department policies and the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic). In particular, programs delivered by visitors are to be delivered in a manner that supports and promotes the principles and practice of Australian democracy including a commitment to:
- elected government
- the rule of law
- equal rights for all before the law
- freedom of religion, speech and association
- the values of openness and tolerance
- respect the range of views held by students and their families.
Parent visitors
We understand that there may occasionally be a reason why a parent or carer may want to speak to or see their child at school, during school hours.
If there is a particular pressing or unavoidable issue that cannot wait until the end of the school day, we ask that parents or carers call the school office to make the request to speak to or see their child during school hours.
We also ask that parents avoid arranging to visit their children at school wherever possible, as this can cause inappropriate disruptions to the school day.
All parents or carers who visit our school during school hours, other than for the purposes of school pickups and drop offs or for specific school events (e.g., parent teacher interviews, concerts, assemblies etc), are required to sign in as a visitor at the school office.
Parents or carers who are prohibited from entering the school under a court order or direction of the principal are not permitted to visit the school. Our school maintains and provides office staff with a list of restricted parents/carers which may include identifying photographs and any other information as required depending on the level of risk posed.
Other visitors
All business operators, tradespeople and other visitors attending the school to conduct work must report to the school office upon arrival for instruction and follow the sign in procedure outlined above.
Communication
This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:
- Provided to staff at induction and included in staff handbook/manual
- Discussed at staff meetings/briefings as required
- Made available publicly on our school website
- Made available in hard copy from school administration upon request
Further Information and resources
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies on the Department’s Policy and Advisory Library (PAL):
Policy Review and Approval
| Policy last reviewed | 16th September 2025 |
| Consultation | School Council consultation: 14.10.2025 |
| Approved by | Principal |
| Next scheduled review date | Before September 2027 |
