FAQs

The full list of Catholic schools can be found on the Catholic Education Commission website. Click here to find a Catholic school in Victoria.

Parent engagement in learning is about supporting your children in various ways through their learning journey through school.

The nationally recognised definition of parent and family engagement is:

• Parent and family engagement in learning is the capacity of families, in partnership with schools, to support student learning and achievement by promoting interactions with children and young people that nurture positive attitudes towards learning, confidence as learners, and the development of subjective learning resources.
  (Barker, B., & Harris, D. (2020). Parent and Family Engagement: An Implementation Guide for School Communities. Canberra: ARACY 

Working together, schools and families can build and sustain effective partnerships that improve the school’s climate and culture and increase the student’s chances for success in school and life. While both are vital and necessary for schools to provide the support and resources needed for students to achieve, parent and family engagement are the key to effective and successful school-family partnerships.

• Click here to explore the Catholic School Parents Australia Parent Engagement Toolkit.
• Click here for parent engagement resources for parents [page to come]
• Click here for parent engagement resources for schools [page to come]

There are various leadership opportunities for parents in Catholic schools. The more formal traditional roles include involving yourself as a member of a fundraising parents committee or School Advisory Council. Other opportunities include involving yourself as a helper in the classroom, on school excursions or volunteering to help out at events or other school activities.

The information can be found on your Catholic Education Office website in your specific Catholic diocese:

• Catholic Education Diocese of Sandhurst – School Advisory Councils
• Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Limited – School Advisory Councils
• Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited – School Advisory Councils
• Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Advisory Councils

The best place to begin is to determine if the issue or concern is to do with your child’s learning or their wellbeing. Your child’s teacher or home room/pastoral care teacher is the best person to raise any issues or concerns with first. Most Catholic schools will have a wellbeing leader or learning and teaching leader who may be able to answer questions you may have.

If you need to report a more serious issue you may need to contact the school Principal or Deputy Principal. Your school secretary will know the best person for you to speak with.

If the issue has escalated and you need to take it further, you may wish to contact the Catholic Education Office or Regional Office where your child’s school is located.

The best place to begin is to determine if the issue or concern is to do with your child’s learning or their wellbeing. Your child’s teacher or home room/pastoral care teacher is the best person to raise any issues or concerns with first. Most Catholic schools will have a wellbeing leader or learning and teaching leader who may be able to answer questions you may have.

If you need to report a more serious issue you may need to contact the school Principal or Deputy Principal. Your school secretary will know the best person for you to speak with.

If the issue has escalated and you need to take it further, you may wish to contact the Catholic Education Office or Regional Office where your child’s school is located.

The best place to begin is to determine if the issue or concern is to do with your child’s safety or if the school has breached any of the mandated 11 Child Safe Standards. Your child’s teacher or home room/pastoral care teacher is the best person to raise any issues or concerns with first. Most Catholic schools will have a wellbeing leader or learning and teaching leader who may be able to answer questions you may have.

If you need to report a more serious issue you may need to contact the school Principal or Deputy Principal. Your school secretary will know the best person for you to speak with.

If the issue has escalated and you need to take it further, you may wish to contact the Catholic Education Office or Regional Office where your child’s school is located.

The Working with Children Act 2005 requires all employees, contractors and volunteers to obtain a Working with Children Check if they are engaged in child related work.

Child related work:

• involves contact that is direct and a part of the person’s duties, and
• includes but is not limited to work at or the following activities: a school or other educational institution, accommodation services provided for students on an overseas student exchange program (including homestay), coaching or tuition services for children, publicly funded or commercial transport services for children, counselling, overnight camps, school crossing services, commercial photography services specifically for children, any work engaged in by a minister of religion unless any direct contact with children is only occasional and incidental to that person’s work.

The full Victorian Curriculum can be found on the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority website. Any other questions you may have about the curriculum can be directed to your school Principal or Learning and Teaching Leader.