Westfields Sports High School

First In Australia

Student health and safety

We are committed to ensuring a safe and happy environment for your child.

Student health

Promoting health, supporting student health care needs and reducing health risks are important to everyone at our school.

Prescribed medication

If your child is being prescribed medication that needs to be taken during the day, please inform us so that arrangements can be made for the medication to be administered. Please read the important information about prescribed medications at school.

Allergies

If your child has been diagnosed with an allergy or allergies, it is important that you tell the principal as soon as you become aware of it, or if your child's allergy changes. If your child is diagnosed at risk of an anaphylactic reaction an individual health care plan is developed that includes strategies to minimise the risk of a severe allergic reaction.

Managing complex health needs

An individual health care plan is developed for each student with complex health needs. The plan supports students with severe asthma, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, anaphylaxis and those at risk of an emergency or requiring the administration of specific health care procedures.

Infectious diseases

There are many infectious diseases that affect children and young people. Schools and parents should contact their local health network for advice regarding infectious diseases.

Immunisation 

Our school's immunisation program works in cooperation with our local health network of the NSW Department of Health who deliver the NSW adolescent school-based vaccination program to high school students.

Head lice

Head lice outbreaks sometimes occur at school. If your child has head lice please treat your child and inform us. Daily combing of dry hair with conditioner can get rid of head lice. You should continue to send your child to school. Head lice information in community languages.

Healthy eating at school

Healthy food keeps children alert and focused and gives them the nutrition they need each day. Our school canteen provides a healthy, nutritious canteen menu in line with the Fresh Tastes NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy. If your child brings their own lunch to school you can help by packing food that is interesting and nutritious. See lunch box ideas.

Sun safety

Our school takes sun safety seriously. Children learn how to protect themselves from the sun's damaging UV rays, and our school implements a range of sun protection strategies. Sun sense information in community languages.

Ear infections

Otitis media is a common middle ear infection which may cause fever or vomiting. If undetected, a child may suffer from hearing loss and their learning could be affected. Most ear infections respond readily to treatment.

Student safety

We create and maintain a safe school environment by protecting the well-being of our students and promoting positive relationships between students.

Child protection

Strict safety checks are in place to protect students including criminal record checks of all permanent and casual teachers. We teach our students to recognise when they may be unsafe and how to get help.

Internet safety

Web filtering technology prevents students from accessing inappropriate material on the internet and email system.

Bullying

We work hard to prevent bullying in our school and we recognise that the best outcomes are achieved by school communities, parents, students and teachers, working together to help prevent and to respond to bullying.

Our Anti-bullying Plan includes protection, prevention, early intervention and response strategies for student bullying. Any student who experiences bullying and any person who witnesses bullying should report it to a teacher or the school principal.

Racism

Anti-racism education is taught in our classrooms and we make every effort to ensure our school is free from discrimination. Our anti-racism contact officer can help any member of the school community who wishes to raise a complaint of racism. Our anti-racism contact officer can help any member of our school community who wishes to raise a complaint of racism. For more information see information in community languages.

Sun safety

We teach students about the damaging effects of the sun and promote sun safety practices.

Road safety

Road safety education is taught to all students from Kindergarten to Year 10 as part of personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE). Driver education programs are also taught as part of the PDHPE 7-10 syllabus.

Drug education

Drug education and understanding responsibility and relationships is taught as part of PDHPE from Kindergarten to Year 10.

Crossroads

Crossroads is a course for Years 11 and 12 students. It encourages students to extend and build on the relationship and drug issues outcomes achieved in PDHPE in previous years and reflects other contemporary health issues facing young people.

We support your child’s health and safety through a range of strategies including:

For more information, visit the student wellbeing section of the department’s website.

Student wellbeing

Like all NSW public schools, we provide safe learning and teaching environments to encourage healthy, happy, successful and productive students.

The department is committed to creating quality learning opportunities for children and young people. These opportunities support wellbeing through positive and respectful relationships and fostering a sense of belonging to the school and community.

The Wellbeing Framework for Schools helps schools support the cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual development of students and allows them to connect, succeed and thrive throughout their education.

Like all NSW public schools, we promote the healthy development of students through:

  • school programs and practices that protect and promote health and safety
  • supporting individual students who need help with health issues
  • providing first aid and temporary care of students who become unwell or who have an accident at school.

Positive Behaviour for Learning

At our school, we use Positive Behaviour for Learning – a whole-school approach for creating a positive, safe and supportive school climate where students can learn and develop. Our whole school community works together to establish expected behaviours and teach them to all students.