Frequently Asked Questions

At the start of the school day, students are welcome to enter the College grounds from 3 directions. The gates are open off the 3 carparks – Ponderosa Loop, Boardman Road and Dumbarton Road. Students riding bikes are welcome to lock them up at the bike racks near the Galileo building or at the front of Student Support and Engagement Centre (this is the best location for senior students who leave the College early on a flexi class). The bike racks at the front of Galileo are only opened at the end of day.

Students entering and leaving the College via the Galileo building need to use the gates next to the gym each morning and afternoon. Please do not go through the foyer of the building.

Once school has started for the day, students must enter through the Dumbarton Road entrance – the side gate near the Administration office will be open until 8:50am. Students who arrive after this point must sign in at the Student Support building on Dumbarton Road. Please send a note to explain the lateness or have a parent call the College.

For varying reasons there are occasions when students miss days at school. 

• Please call 9334 9026 or email canningvale.col.studentsupport@education.wa.edu.au to report any absences.
• SMS messages will be sent to parents after 10.00 am if their child has been marked absent.

Students enrolled at CVC are required to regularly attend and participate fully in our educational program by being on time for every class. Student attendance is recorded daily on a period by period basis and then converted to total half day absences. The role and responsibility of parents/guardians is to provide notification (e.g. phone call, text message, letter, medical certificate) to explain any student’s absence or lateness or respond to the school to provide a satisfactory explanation about their child’s absence from school. Regular and chronic non attendance will result in a case conference meeting with the school and possible referral to the Attendance Officer at South East Metropolitan District Office.

Leaving Early

• Students leaving early must get permission from their parents/guardians to the Student Support Office before school. Students will be issued with a Leave Pass to show the classroom teacher in order to be released from class.

Students are not permitted to leave the College without parent/guardian permission.

Students leaving due to illness: 
If a student feels ill, they must get their teacher’s permission to go to the Health Centre or Student Support (or see the nurse at recess or lunchtime). The nurse will then assess the student and contact the parent/guardian if necessary. Under no circumstances is a student to contact home directly and arrange to be collected.

Student Sign In/Out Procedure
If students arrive late, they must sign in at Student Support. If they have organised to leave early they must sign out at Student Support before leaving the College.

Consistency is a key to achieving higher outcomes, therefore we try to limit student class movement but students are moved when required. A change of class is usually based upon academic results; however there are times when social issues may also impact learning. Please speak to your child’s Year Coordinator or relevant Student Support Manager.

Students are encouraged to ride their bikes to the College. Students riding their bikes to school can lock them up in either the compound near Galileo or the bike racks near Student Support and Engagement. Students who have flexi and ride a bike, will need to lock them near Student Support and Engagement on the days they leave early. The Galileo compound will not be opened before 3pm. Skateboards and scooters are very popular with our students but students must lock them up at the bike racks near Student Support and Engagement or in the bike compound near Galileo building.

Students are not permitted to ride their bike inside the College grounds. They are encouraged to walk their bike to the bike racks where they can than lock their bikes. Please do not leave any loose items on the bike. The College can not accept any responsibility for theft, loss or damage.

The following Department of Transport bus routes connect with CVC:

205 , 206 , 518, 207

Want to manage your child’s SmartRider online? Simply sign up for a Transperth ‘My Account’ at www.transperth.wa. gov.au and add your child’s SmartRider card to your account. You can have multiple cards registered to one account.

Any other queries, please don’t hesitate to contact the Education Officer at Transperth on 9326 3970, or email on: education@transperth.wa.gov.au.

Every student receives a free CVC ID/SmartRider card when they start at CVC. The card is a photo ID card to be used at the College for a variety of reasons: 

• Students require this card for their personal photocopying and printing at the College. Students can purchase photocopying credit from the Administration office before school or at recess or lunch time. All photocopiers are fitted with card readers and the charge is $0.05 cents per A4 standard copy. (Note: Any remaining balance when the student leaves the school cannot be refunded).
  
• The card is required when borrowing books from the College library.
  
• The card is required to access the services of our IT technicians. The IT technician cannot assist students with IT problems unless they produce their card for identification.
• The card can be used for travel on Transperth buses and trains. Money for travel is not added at the College.
• Lost or damaged cards can be replaced at a cost of $5.00 by applying at the Administration Office.
• If a student commences at the College at some time other than the start of the year, they will need to visit the library so that their photo can be taken and a card ordered. 

Note: Students with an intellectual disability are eligible to apply for access to the specialised school bus service run by the Public Transport Authority. Further information is available from the School Bus Service website.

A letter is required from parents if a student is transferring to another school or of post compulsory age and is leaving the College. The letter must be given to the Student Support Office. A Clearance Form must be completed by the student to finalise charges and contributions, tests, library books and to inform staff.

All students must remain in full time education or training until the end of the year they turn 17. The preferred option for 17 year olds is full time attendance at school, however, for those students where school is not an appropriate option a number of pathways are allowed. If your child is not opting to return to the College, please ask for the necessary forms. These forms are to be completed by the parent and the employer before being returned to the College, who will then forward them to the Department of Education for approval.

Holders of a Centrelink Family Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran’s Affairs Pensioner Concession Card may be eligible for Financial Assistance through the Secondary Assistance Scheme. Application forms are available from the Administation office and close at the end of Term 1.  

During the year the College conducts emergency drills. This may be for either a lock down situation or an evacuation. Please be aware that these are only practice situations so that students and staff know what to do in case of an emergency. Please do not be alarmed if your child contacts you on their mobile (something they should not be doing). These drills are conducted for the safety of the College community.

Some of the senior classes have an early finish to make up for an early start time. Senior students that are leaving the College at lunch time for their flexi finish must leave through the gates on the oval. The teacher on duty will check their leave pass. If students ride a bike to the College they need to remember to lock it at the Socrates bike racks as the ones at the front of Galileo remain locked until the end of the day.

Students in Year 7-10 will be given homework and homework assignments. On nights when students do not have formal homework, they need to work on assignments, review what they were doing in class and/or go back through their bag and files and make sure everything is organised. Students are also encouraged to read on a regular basis. It is extremely important for students to read a range of different texts, from newspapers to novels.

Year 11-12 students are expected to complete their nightly homework and assignment work but they also need to study and review what they have learnt. We recommend students create a study planner that allocates time for homework, assignments, revision, part time work and even TV/social time to help them have good habits throughout the year. This can assist them in taking the pressure off the night before assignments are due or when exams are occurring.

The Library is the place to go for books and information when students are researching for assignments. Students can also use the library before school and during lunch breaks for a quiet place to read, borrow, research, print or access games. The library stocks a variety of resources written, audio and visual texts. All students can borrow up to five resources for two weeks at a time, with the option of renewing if need be.

Library Hours: https://cvc.wa.edu.au/curriculum/cvc-library

Lost Property can be reported to and collected from the Student Support Office. All named items will be returned to students.

At the start of 2020, our school joined all public schools state-wide and implemented the Department of Education policy of banning the use of mobile phones for all students, ‘Off and Away All Day.’ This means Students in Years 7 to 12 are allowed to have their phone in their possession but must turn it off and keep it out of sight from the time they arrive at school until the end of the school day. This also extends to the use of smartwatches, earbuds, tablets and headphones. The policy aims to reduce distractions in class and improve student engagement. Your assistance in reminding your child/children and making them aware of their responsibilities regarding mobile phone use at the College is greatly appreciated.

 There is limited parking for parents – there are some spaces on Boardman Road and the car park off Comrie Road on Ponderosa Loop is also an option (especially for student pick up and drop off). 

Please note:  All bays marked “Visitor” are NOT to be used for student pick up and drop off before and after school. These bays are for visitors who are entering the College grounds only. 

As there is a shortage of parking space within the College grounds, students will need to park their vehicles off the college premises on either Boardman Road or Comrie Road (facing the oval). The Year 12 Coordinator must be informed of car and motorcycle registration numbers. Students, other than the driver, are not permitted to travel in a car or on a motorcycle without parental permission.

These are usually held at the beginning of each year. A letter will be sent to all families that will include your PTO login prior to the evening. The PTO login will provide you with access to the list of teachers for your child/children and the ability to book in your meeting time. Please be aware that these are very busy afternoons and you will need to book early. Please be aware that if you need to speak to a teacher regarding your child that you do not need to wait for this time. Teachers’ emails are available (https://cvc.wa.edu.au/contact-us/teacher-contacts) and you are welcome to contact them directly.

All students must keep close watch over their own property as the College does not have lockers for students. Loss of clothes, bags, pens, books, files and other small items is at times unavoidable. It is essential that ALL personal property be clearly labelled. This applies particularly to bags, many of which are otherwise identical. The College does not accept responsibility for lost mobiles or other electronic devices.

The College will record the theft of student property and were possible investigate the loss. The College cannot take responsibility for loss/theft of cash or valuables.  

Student reports will be published via Connect at the end of each Semester (July and December).

Year 7-10 students are not required to purchase text books. These will be supplied by the College. A recommended list of personal materials will be provided to parents and there may also be some requirements for optional subjects chosen by students.

Year 11-12 students will be required to purchase text books in conjunction with the subjects selected, as well as other personal learning materials.

The lists of requirements for the following year are available by December. If you join the college throughout the year you can view these on our website under For Parents – Book Lists.

Student details can be updated by the legal parent/guardian in writing to admin.canningvale.college@education.wa.edu.au . Please keep your mobile phone number and email address updated.

All visitors (parents, presenters, visiting teachers,tradesmen etc) are required to sign in at the Administration office to receive a visitor’s pass, and either wait for a staff member or be directed to the appropriate meeting place.