YARD DUTY AND SUPERVISION POLICY 

YARD DUTY AND SUPERVISION Policy 2026-2028 

Help for non-English speakers 

If you need help to understand this policy, please contact Glenroy College on 9304 0400 

Purpose: 

To ensure school staff understand their supervision and yard duty responsibilities.    

Scope: 

This policy applies to all teaching and non-teaching staff at Glenroy College, including education support staff, casual relief teachers and visiting teachers.     

Policy: 

Appropriate supervision is an important strategy to monitor student behaviour and enables staff to identify and respond to possible risks at school as they arise. It also plays a vital role in helping schools to discharge their duty of care to students.  

The Principal is responsible for ensuring that there is a well organised and responsive system of supervision and yard duty in place during school hours, before and after school, and on school excursions and camps and other school activities. 

School staff are responsible for following reasonable and lawful instructions from the Principal, including instructions to provide supervision to students at specific dates, times and places. Supervision should be undertaken in a way that identifies and mitigates risks to child safety.  

Before and after school Supervision 

Glenroy College’s grounds are supervised by school staff from 8:40am until 9:00am before school and from 3:05pm to 3:25pm after school. Outside of these hours, school staff will not be available to supervise students. 

School staff will supervise all areas of the yard before and after school for twenty minutes as per the yard duty roster. 

Students who may wish to attend school outside of these hours are encouraged to report to breakfast club. 

Yard duty Supervision 

All teaching staff and some ES staff at Glenroy College are expected to assist with yard duty supervision and will be included in the weekly roster.  

The Daily Organiser is responsible for preparing and communicating the yard duty roster on a regular basis.  At Glenroy College, school staff will be designated a specific yard duty area to supervise.  

Yard duty Zones 

The designated yard duty areas for our school are as follows: 

Yard duty Equipment 

School staff must wear a provided safety/ hi-vis vest whilst on yard duty. Safety/hi-vis vests will be stored in the main staffroom and in staff offices  

Yard duty responsibilities 

Teachers who are rostered for yard duty must remain in the designated area until they are replaced by a relieving teacher.

During yard duty, supervising school staff must:  

• methodically move around the designated zone 

• be alert and vigilant 

• intervene immediately if potentially dangerous or inappropriate behaviour is observed in the yard 

• enforce behavioural standards and implement appropriate consequences for breaches of safety rules, in accordance with any relevant disciplinary measures set out in the school’s Student Engagement policy 

• ensure that students who require first aid assistance receive it as soon as practicable  

• log any incidents on COMPASS where appropriate 

   

If being relieved of their yard duty shift by another staff member (for example, where the shift is ‘split’ into 2 consecutive time periods), the staff member must ensure that a brief but adequate verbal ‘handover’ is given to the relieving staff member in relation to any issues which may have arisen during the first shift. 

If the supervising teacher is unable to conduct yard duty at the designated time, they shouldcontact the Daily Organiserwith as much notice as possible prior to the relevant yard duty shift, to ensure that alternative arrangements are made. 

If the supervising teacher needs to leave yard duty during the allocated time, they should contact the Daily Organiserbut should not leave the designated area until the relieving teacher has arrived to replace them. 

If the relieving teacher does not arrive for yard duty, the teacher currently on duty should call the General Office and not leave the designated area until a relieving teacher has arrived. If a staff member on duty requires support, they must call the General Office. Should students require assistance during recess or lunchtime, they are encouraged to speak to the supervising yard duty teacher.  

Classroom Supervision 

The classroom teacher is responsible for the supervision of all students in their care during class.  

If a teacher needs to leave the classroom at any time during a lesson, he or she should first contact the General Office for assistance. The teacher should then wait until a replacement staff member has arrived at the classroom before leaving.   

School activities, camps and excursions Supervision 

The Principal and leadership team are responsible for ensuring that students are appropriately supervised during all school activities, camps and excursions. Appropriate supervision will be planned for school activities, camps and excursions on an individual basis, depending on the activities to be undertaken and the level of potential risk involved.  

Digital devices and virtual classroom  

Glenroy College follows the Department’s Cybersafety and Responsible Use of Technologies Policy with respect to supervision of students using digital devices. 

Students requiring additional supervision support  

Sometimes students will require additional supervision, such as students with disability or other additional needs. In these cases, the Principal or delegate will ensure arrangements are made to roster additional staff as required. This may include on yard duty, in the classroom or during school activities.  

Workplace learning programs 

When students are participating in workplace learning programs, such as work experience, school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, and structured workplace learning, the safety and welfare of the student is paramount.  Organising staff are required to follow all applicable Department of Education and Training policies and guidelines in relation to off-site learning, including policy and guidelines on the safety and wellbeing of students. Refer to: 

• Structure Workplace Learning 

• School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships 

• Work Experience 

• School Community Work 

Independent Study 

Year 12 students have independent study periods.  All sessions are timetabled adjacent to the school day where students will attend study periods. Teacher supervision and support will be provided, and attendance will be recorded by the Senior Sub-School.   

Supervision of student in emergency operating environments 

In emergency circumstances our school will follow our Emergency Management Plan, including with respect to supervision. 

In the event of any mandatory period of remote or flexible learning our School will follow the operations guidance issued by the Department. 

Further Information and Resources: 

• School Policy and Advisory Guide:  

• Supervision 

• Duty of Care 

• Child Safe Standards 

• Visitors in Schools 

Communication: 

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:  

• Included in staff induction processes  
• Discussed at staff briefings or meetings, as required 
• Included in our staff policy handbook 
• Made available in hard copy from school administration upon request 
• Uploaded to our school website 
•  

 Policy Review and Approval: