Calwell High School safety concerns ongoing after a dozen extra staff hired

Year 7 and 8 students at Calwell High School were banned from campus in March after WorkSafe ACT issued a prohibition notice and six improvement notices relating to serious violent incidents and staff shortages.

More resources have been sent to the school since the notices were issued but some parents said ongoing safety issues were putting students at risk.

One parent told The Canberra Times their child with a disability was formally suspended twice and was told to stay home from school five times during term 3. On each occasion staff said they were working on adjusting the student's safety plan.

In one incident, the child was suspended for three days, only to be told on the third day they were suspended for another five days so staff could continue to work on the safety plan.

The parent said the school had not followed steps on the existing safety plan, such as allowing the child to access the wellbeing room. The child and parent were not involved in drafting the new safety plan.

"I've given them chance after chance; nothing changes," the parent said.

"It's harming my child's mental health and wellbeing."

The parent said last year the student had a mostly successful year at school but that changed after the WorkSafe notices were issued.

Data revealed through freedom of information earlier this year showed students with disabilities were vastly overrepresented in suspensions issued in public schools.

Sixty-five per cent of suspensions went to students with a disability, despite an average of 3.5 per cent of students being enrolled in disability programs.

In response to questions about the parent's claims, an Education Directorate spokesman said they would not be sharing personal information relating to individual students.

He said all ACT public schools followed safety plans put in place for students.

The spokesman said Calwell High School issued 50 suspensions in term 1, 34 in term 2 and 32 in term 3, but would not say how many students received suspensions due to privacy concerns.

Reforms to the Education Act clarifying when and why suspensions are used will take effect on December 20.

The spokesman said the directorate's policies and procedures "emphasise prevention and early support for behaviour that may lead to suspension, as well as the consideration of alternatives to suspension when safe to do so".

"All ACT public schools operate in line with the same suspensions policy," he said.

Another parent told The Canberra Times they were intending to move their child to a non-government school because of bullying at Calwell High School.

"Financially it is a great stress but I think safety comes before the financial things," the parent said.

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The school was in full or partial lockdown 10 times in term 1 amid frequent violent incidents involving students and sometimes parents.

Year 7 and 8 students were banned from the campus from April 4, returning on May 16 after the prohibition notice was lifted.

The number of students enrolled at Calwell High School has dropped by 13 since February to 404 students.

The directorate claimed this was in line with "natural fluctuations experienced at all schools throughout the course of a year" and year 7 enrolments for 2023 were in line with previous years.

The directorate spent up to $155,850 on a consulting firm to address the work health safety issues identified in the WorkSafe Notices and to conduct a review of incident management systems for all ACT public schools.

It also commissioned a special purpose review which found three-quarters of teachers were at the school for less than three years and one-third were new educators in their first three years of service.

The directorate threw more resources at the school from term 2 amid a national shortage of teachers.

A permanent youth worker was appointed from term 2.

From term 4, three extra permanent executive teachers will be responsible for teaching and learning support, the positive behaviours for learning program, implementing a student voice and student pathways and careers.

The also school made the following temporary appointments:

The vacancies created at the new teachers' previous schools will be advertised to be filled via transfer or recruitment.

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