Driving to School

Prior to students driving to school, they must obtain a form from the Year 12 Office that provides important information regarding road safety and the protocols for parking outside the College grounds. These forms are to be returned to the school with parent/carer consent as an acknowledgment of the conditions provided by the Department of Education and VicRoads.

*NB: Students must not access their vehicle until they leave for the day following their last scheduled class. Students are NOT permitted to access their vehicle during recess and lunch times.

Student Drivers Policy

PURPOSE 

This policy sets out our school’s approach to students driving to and from school and school events. Our school recognises the need for the whole community to make efforts to minimise the risks associated with young drivers and to encourage responsible driving behaviours for students,

SCOPE 

This policy applies to all students at Norwood Secondary College (NSC) who have a valid driver’s licence. 

POLICY 

Our school recognises that some students will turn 18 and obtain a driver’s licence while they are still attending school. Some of these students will want to drive to and from school. NSC expects that all student drivers will adhere to the conditions of their licence and the road rules and will drive in a safe and responsible manner. If the school becomes aware that a student driver has driven in an unsafe or irresponsible manner, police may be notified.

Students are not permitted to drive themselves to and from camps, excursions or other school activities unless previously arranged and agreed in consultation with the school Principal, and only in exceptional circumstances or in circumstances where all students are required to make their own way to the event. Consistent with Victoria’s Graduated Licensing System conditions, students are permitted to drive only one peer passenger (aged 16-22), unless the passengers are siblings of the driver. 

Students are not permitted to use their motor vehicle during the school day unless it is for an approved reason such as an unavoidable medical appointment. A certificate of attendance at the appointment is required. 

When a student turns 18, they are legally adults and can make their own decisions so they do not require the consent of their parent/carer to attend an appointment during the school day. However, unless there are valid reasons why the student does not want their parent/carer to know about the appointment, the school will either require consent from the parent/carer for the student to leave the school for the appointment or at least ensure that the parent/carer is aware that the student will be leaving during the school day for the appointment. 

Students are not permitted to be out of the College grounds during the normal course of the day and must not access motor vehicles at lunchtimes, recess or during study periods.

As part of this policy, students and their parents/carers are required to complete the Student Drivers Policy – Registration form and submit this to the Year 12 Coordinator. If students act in breach of this policy, parents/carers will be notified and appropriate student sanctions will apply. 

PARKING 

There is no parking available for students on the College grounds. Motor vehicles must be parked legally in neighbouring streets, not in staff car parks or designated visitor spaces. NSC takes no responsibility for damage to student vehicles as parking is at the vehicle owner’s own risk. Additionally, students parking in surrounding streets should ensure that they do not cause a nuisance to neighbours by parking across driveways or by littering. 

COMMUNICATION 

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

• Available publicly on our school’s website
• Explained to students at Year 12 Assemblies

FURTHER INFORMATION AND RESOURCES 

The Department’s teaching and learning resource: 

• Traffic Safety
• Norwood SC Student Drivers Policy – Registration Form