Senior School Handbook

Pastoral Care

Pastoral care of students is considered an essential part of life in the Senior School. All teachers are conscious of the need to support the students that they teach and to convey information about their academic progress to their tutors, school leaders, as well as to the students and their parents.

 

Pastoral care is the responsibility of all Senior School staff, tutors and the School Psychologist. The major unit for pastoral care is the Tutor Group, which meets on a regular basis. Tutors will come to know their group well and will monitor the students’ academic and social progress. Tutors will provide support when any difficulties arise and are an important point of contact with the School. Tutors may, from time to time, contact parents about specific matters and following the regular student progress checks that occur in the Senior School. Similarly, parents should feel free to contact tutors concerning their child or may contact school leaders if an issue is seen to warrant this.

 

All new students to the Senior School will be allocated to one of the four Houses: Hodgkin, Mather, Ransome or Unwin. 

 

Pedestrians

Students are expected to cross Argyle Street using the overpass. It is expected that staff and parents will follow this practice for their own safety and to model the appropriate behaviour to students.

 

Student Cars

Students are permitted to drive their cars to school on the condition that they do not use the car during the school day and that they abide by the conditions as stated in the Senior School Agreement. 

 

These conditions are as follows:

  • all student drivers must complete an Agreement Form (available from the Senior School Office) to be lodged at the Senior School Office
  • student passengers are not to be taken unless there has been a signed permission form from the student passenger’s parents/guardian, submitted to the Senior School Office
  • drivers must be especially mindful of safety in the immediate vicinity of the School. Commercial Road, Carr Street, Boa Vista Road and Argyle Street are extremely busy at the start and finish of the school day
  • if students need to use their car during the day for any reason, they must consult a school leader to seek permission
  • limited parking is available in the immediate vicinity of the School and is mostly short period or resident-only parking. Please consider parking in an adjacent street such as nearby Rupert Avenue, Lewis Street or Stoke Street. 
  • Students must not operate or park their vehicles on School property in any circumstance

Special Provision - TCE

The Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) provides for Reasonable Adjustments to be made for students who, because of particular circumstances, are unable to be assessed in the same way as other students. This may include significant health impairments or other physical and learning disabilities. Applications must be made through the School following a referral from a registered psychologist or other medical professional. Students are required to provide recent evidence and documentation that demonstrates their need for alternate provisions or arrangements on assessment tasks. Applications must be received by the end of Term 2. TASC has sole responsibility for making a determination on these applications.

 

Special Provision - IB Diploma

The IB believes that all candidates should be allowed to take their examinations under conditions that are as fair as possible. Where normal examination conditions and assessment procedures would put candidates at a disadvantage and prevent them from being able to demonstrate their skills and knowledge adequately, reasonable modification to assessment arrangements may be authorised.

 

Candidates eligible for inclusive assessment arrangements are those with individual needs such as a specific learning difficulty, an emotional or behavioural difficulty, physical, sensory or medical conditions, or mental health problems. The Request for inclusive assessment arrangements should occur on or before 15 May, six months before the written examinations. However, the IB is flexible if a condition emerges/re-emerges after this deadline. Applications must be made through the School. The School is required to upload supporting psychological, psycho-educational or medical evidence and at least one piece of educational evidence. The IB has sole responsibility for making a determination on these applications.

 

Study Periods

We believe in the importance of allowing senior secondary students to develop skills in self-management including managing their time, setting goals, working independently and developing self-discipline. Spaces for private or small group study are provided on campus from 8.30am to 4pm including in the Senior School Library, the Years 11 and 12 Study Room and the Years 11 and 12 Common Room. Incidental supervision by school staff is provided in these locations. Students with a timetabled Study Period may choose to study off-campus throughout 2024 during the school day such as at home or in the State Library with parent permission by signing this agreement. In keeping with the notion of building trusting relationships and earning privileges and freedoms that come with being a young adult, students in Year 12 may also leave campus during the school day during timetabled Study Periods to visit local shops or cafes in the near vicinity of the School with parent permission by signing this agreement. The School does not actively supervise students choosing to leave campus during these times and duty of care reverts to parents and guardians. School leaders reserve the right to revoke this privilege to any student who is unable to meet the on or off campus expectations of behaviour expected of a Senior School student when representing the School in a public setting. 

 

Transport

Metro buses for the city and the Eastern Shore leave outside ‘Pendle Hill’ in Elizabeth Street at 3.45pm each afternoon and on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in Argyle Street. Buses for the Northern suburbs leave from New Town Road. Buses for the Channel area leave from Argyle Street under the overpass and buses for New Norfolk leave from Argyle Street opposite the Primary School.