Northland School Board of Trustees

Use of School Facilities Policy

Rationale:

Northland School is available as a community resource for recreational use, extra curricular school activities and community programmes. School facilities will be available for use out of school hours by other groups but areas may be available in school time for groups to use. The school and the learning programmes should not be disadvantaged by the use of its facilities by outside groups.

Purpose:

To set guidelines for approval for the use of the school facilities and to set suggested hireage charges where appropriate.

Guidelines:

Casual use of the grounds
• The school playgrounds are available for casual use by local families outside school hours. Northland School students are expected to go home after school before returning to play in the school grounds. This helps to ensure that parents know where their children are. The school accepts no liability for casual use of the grounds, and expects those using the playgrounds to respect the school’s property and use it safely.
• The school reserves the right to turn away users of school property if they do not comply with the guidelines in this policy.

Arranged use of school grounds and facilities:

• The use of school grounds and facilities for organised extra curricular and community activities outside school hours requires the approval of the Principal. The Principal has the right to decline applications to use the school and to cancel any existing arrangements. Normally, approval will cover the use of one specific area that is appropriate for the activity concerned. In principle, the areas available for use are the Viggers Centre, the Library, the staffroom and the playgrounds.
• The use of the school grounds and facilities will normally be limited to caretaker hours. The Principal can approve the use of the school grounds and facilities outside caretaker hours.
• Conditions for approval for use of the school are to be determined by the Principal, based on an assessment of the risks to the school of the proposed use. Such conditions may include the date, time and extent of agreed use, as well as other restrictions as deemed appropriate by the Principal.
• The Principal or Office Manager will inform approved users of the school’s security procedures and other requirements associated with use of specific facilities. This includes the identification of known hazards.
• All groups using school facilities will be required to complete and sign a hire agreement.
• Facilities must be treated appropriately and left in their original condition.
• Any costs incurred as a result of the hire will be charged to the group, eg security call-outs.
• The school will accept no responsibility for accidents which occur during the use of school facilities after hours unless these activities are supervised by school staff.

Hireage Charges:

• In-school and after school groups providing a service for Northland School students (eg music tutors, Brownies/Guides etc) – no charge
• Community organisations - Evening and weekend - $10 per hour per area of the school or $50 per day per area of the school
• Commercial organisations – Evening and weekend - $20 per hour per area of the school or $100 per day per area of the school

Approved: 19 July 2007

Review Date: 2010