The Wellbeing Page 

Choosing to Stay to Play After School

At SMPS, we deeply value the sense of community that grows when families have the chance to connect at the end of the school day. For this reason, we keep the school gates open after hours to allow time for conversations, catch-ups, and for children to enjoy some extra playtime outdoors.

We want to support children in being active and connected, especially knowing that many of our families live in apartment settings without easy access to outdoor play spaces. However, we kindly remind all parents and carers that once the school day ends, the responsibility for supervising children shifts from staff to families.

Here are a few important points to keep in mind:

• From 3:30pm–3:40pm, two school leadership staff supervise the dismissal area for students who are still waiting to be collected.
• During this time, staff are focused solely on ensuring students are safely handed over to their parent or carer. We are unable to supervise children who are playing, as this increases the risk of a child leaving with the wrong person or without our knowledge.
• After 3:40pm, there is no staff supervision. If you choose to remain on school grounds, please supervise your child closely—just as you would if they were playing at Boyd Park or any other community park.
• Student-Student Incidences. While student-to-student incidents are rare, they can occasionally occur. During school hours, we have clear policies and procedures in place to support and protect all children. However, once the school day ends, it is up to parents and carers to supervise and help prevent these situations—just as you would if your child were playing at a birthday party or in another off-site setting.
• Our staff care deeply about your children, and it is always upsetting to hear of any incidents that happen after hours. But we cannot support or intervene in situations when we are not present. We rely on families to step into that role once the school day has ended.

We want all children to stay safe, happy, and connected—during school hours and beyond. To help this happen, we ask that parents and carers stay close to their children and actively supervise them while they enjoy the school grounds after hours.

Thank you for your continued support in making our school a safe and caring environment for everyone.