From the Head of Junior School
Congratulations to all our students for their enthusiastic participation in the Junior School Swimming Carnival last Friday.
The weather was terrific, and it was a great way to finish a very busy week. Mr Doherty has provided a report on the day in the Junior School News, but I also wanted to express my thanks to all who were involved in preparing, running and attending what was a very successful day. A particular note of thanks and admiration to our Year 6 House Captains and Vice-Captains for preparing their Houses for the Spirit Cup.
With our House leaders only voted in and inducted a week before the carnival, it was impressive to see the quality of the Spirit Cup and how well they were leading their Houses. I am looking forward to seeing them in action again later in the term for the Junior School Athletics Carnival.
Child Safety and Protection
Girton Grammar School has always been committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of child safety and protecting students from harm. In response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2017, the Victorian State Parliament enacted world-leading child protection standards with Ministerial Order 870, which was superseded in 2022 by Ministerial Order 1359. MO 1359 mandates child safety and reporting measures for all organisations that have dealings with children. Girton Grammar School fully supports this legislation and has enacted the Order to its fullest. To this end, the school has ensured the following:
Establishment of a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
Child safety and well-being are embedded in organizational leadership, governance, and culture.
Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
Processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.
Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
- Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.
Girton staff complete Child Safety and Protection training each year to learn what constitutes abuse, how to identify potential signs of abuse and what action must be taken. Parents or community members who have concerns that a child may be unsafe and in danger of emotional, physical or sexual harm are urged to contact the school and ask to be referred to one of the school-appointed Child Safety Officers; contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing directly (1300 598 521); or contact the Police (000).
Details of Girton’s child safety policies and resources can be found on Astra under the Child Safety icon. The school has also published policies relating to student safety and wellbeing in the publicly accessible Publications section of the Girton website so that they can be accessed by anyone in the wider community.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like further information about the school’s approach to child safety. I urge every parent to continue to have age-appropriate conversations with their children about their safety. The Commission for Children and Young People has collated some helpful resources for families, which you can view on the CCYP website.
Mr Don Thompson
Head of Junior School