An Anglican community inspiring every learner every experience every day
To be a leader in Christian education that is characterised by a global vision that inspires hope
Values
Commitment
Compassion
Courage
Integrity
Respect
Barker College makes particular provision for counselling students and their parents/ guardians with respect to the personal development and academic progress of each student.
The Senior School has 16 Houses each with a Head of House, together with a Connect Group leader in each year group. The Head of House is the first point of contact in the School for students and parents/guardians and is responsible for supervising the School’s reporting on the progress of each student. The Heads of House report to the Head of Senior School and the Deans of Senior School.
Currently students and parents in Years 10-12 receive Learner Agency grades in Terms 1 and 3 through Canvas. At the end of each semester a formal report is sent to parents indicating the student’s Learner Agencies and their academic progress throughout the semester. A parent-teacher interview evening is provided for all students in Years 10-12. A parent-Head of House interview is also provided for all students in Years 10-12.
Year 12 students are also provided with a Statement of Attainment at the completion of their schooling. This statement summarises their achievements and their personal contribution to the life of the School.
In addition to the Heads of House, Deans of Senior School and Head of Senior School, there are other senior teachers who administer sections of the Senior School and who are available to provide specialist advice.
They are:
• The Deputy Heads
• The School Psychologists
• Dean of Careers and External Programs
• The Director of Studies
• The Chaplaincy Team
Where appropriate, students may be referred to these senior staff for advice, disciplinary action or counselling.
Student Services Staff monitor attendance, lost property and uniform and assist in maintaining an orderly environment for learning.
The School Psychologists are available to speak to all students and parents/guardians. Students and parents/guardians may approach the Psychologists directly for any assistance and advice, or may be referred to them by the student’s Head of House.
The Dean of Careers and External Programs will be available to assist students in the Senior School with advice about careers, GAP placements and community service activities once students have left school.
The Senior School is a place where young people are supported to be active and responsible participants in the wider community. Barker is a place where each member of the community is affirmed, valued and challenged.
Five core values are identified as central to these principles. Members of the Senior School community should strive to be aware of and adhere to these values at all times.
• Commitment
• Compassion
• Courage
• Integrity
• Respect
Classes usually start at 8:30am although some commence at 7:30am. It is therefore necessary for students to arrive at School no later than 8:20am. Students are responsible for their lateness and for the disturbance of lessons caused by late arrival.
All latecomers to School should report to the Student Services staff office to sign in.
If a student is at School but arrives late to class, after the roll has been marked, they will be marked absent unless they sign in with the Student Services staff. In this instance they will be marked as “late unexplained” and a note or email is required to explain this.
An email from a parent or guardian stating the reason for lateness must be sent to absent@barker.nsw.edu.au by 8:30am on the following day.
The public judges the School by the behaviour of its students on trains, buses and in public places. Students are expected to be guided by safety and common sense.
Students may drive to School provided they have parental permission and provided that they do not drive in the School grounds and that they park outside the School grounds without giving offence to other property owners. Cars may not be used during the School day under any circumstances without special permission from the Head of Senior School or the Senior School Deans. The approval to drive to School may be withdrawn in the event of reckless or unseemly behaviour connected with driving cars. Students carried as passengers in cars driven by other students must have their own parent’s/guardian’s permission.
The School cannot accept responsibility for any accident or other misadventure while travelling to or from School.
Students, including boarders, invited to travel in private cars to and from School, sporting or other functions, must have their parent’s/ guardian’s written permission.
Students should cross the roads only at pedestrian crossings or at traffic lights.
Students going to and from School must ensure that their behaviour is exemplary when in and around shopping centres or shops. Students may not eat or drink whilst in the street, using public transport or walking through shopping centres. If they wish to eat they must sit in an appropriate area.
All students who are new to Barker College should apply for their School Opal Card via: apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts
After applying online your card will be posted to your residential address.
To order a replacement Opal card please visit: apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts
Barker provides buses for travel to and from School in the mornings and afternoons from the Northern Beaches, Terrey Hills, St Ives, Northbridge, Cammeray, Arcadia, Narrabeen and Balgowlah. Further details can be found on the Barker website. Normal School rules apply for all travel.
Students must show proper regard for other students’ property as well as their own. All property must be properly marked with the student’s name. Lost property must be reported to and dropped to the Student Service staff. Found property should be collected promptly.
Day students’ belongings should not be left at the School overnight and boarders’ belongings must be returned to the Boarding House each night.
Books and bags should be locked in lockers and not left in classrooms or outside where they will be subject to the effects of heat or rain, or theft.
Students in Years 10 - 12 are required to bring their own personal computing device with them to School and to utilise the Barker wireless network for filtered internet access.
Mobile computing devices should be used in accordance with the Barker Technology Acceptable Use Agreement and the Student Code of Behaviour contained in the School Diary. Students accept full responsibility for the safety and security of any mobile computing devices. Teachers will encourage the use of mobile computing devices in classes when they deem it appropriate.
Students will respect the teacher’s instructions and use their device appropriately.
For more information regarding suggested devices and minimum recommended specifications please see the parent portal.
Students are expected to treat School property with respect and care.
There may be no eating, drinking or unwrapping of food in classrooms, in the Chapel, Leslie Hall, Rosewood Centre, Senior School Hub study areas, Aquatic Centre, Library or Administration areas.
Possession of knives, fireworks and water pistols or any form of toy gun at School is not permitted. Cigarette lighters are not permitted.
Chewing gum is not permitted.
Except under the direction of a member of staff, classrooms must not be used before School, at recess, at lunchtime or after School. Specialist classrooms may be entered only when a staff member is present. Furniture should not be moved from its original location without the permission of a member of staff concerned.
Students have access to the pool only at designated times. These are notified clearly. Students may not enter the Aquatic Centre nor swim in the pool outside these times unless the Aquatic Centre Manager, or a member of staff appointed by the Aquatic Centre Manager to be responsible for their safety and control, is present. Behaviour in the Aquatic Centre must be guided by safety. No running or chasing is allowed. Common sense and decency must prevail. Any practice which is harmful, dangerous or unhygienic must not occur.
Students may not enter the changing rooms (except when participating in sports), the Maintenance Areas, or the Staff Hub
Sports fields may only be used for organised team practices or games under the direction of a member of staff. Lawns are not to be used as thoroughfares.
The Leslie Hall must not be entered without the permission of a member of staff.
The McCaskill Music Centre may only be entered by students authorised to do so. Pianos and musical equipment may only be used by students authorised by the Music Department to do so.
Dormitories and boarders’ studies are for the use of the boarders concerned. Day students and other visitors may enter only with the permission of the Head of Boarding, and only in the designated community spaces.
Year 11 and 12 students are free to use their study periods according to their own planning, but are expected to use the time purposefully, in a quietly controlled manner and without disturbance to the rest of the community. The following guidelines apply:
• Students must remain inside the School
• Students are expected to be in the Library, the Senior School Hub or an allocated study room
• School Tuckshops are not available to students outside of Recess and Lunch
• Students who cannot use study time appropriately may be supervised during this time
• After school subject specific support (aka ACCESS) is available in the Senior School Hub and other selected locations 3.30pm5pm Monday - Thursday.
All secondary students undertake written examinations each year in every subject.
Students are not permitted to absent themselves for home study days prior to exams, except where official study leave is granted. Staff give valuable advice and revision guidance up to the last period before exams.
Cheating is regarded as a very serious offence. Any student believed to have cheated will receive zero marks for the paper and will receive further sanctions.
Assessment in HSC courses formally commences in Year 11 at the beginning of Term 4, and covers the four terms until the completion of the Trial HSC in mid-Term 3 of Year 12. Complete details are provided in the Assessment Program booklet issued to Year 11 students towards the end of their Term 3 and is available on the parent portal.
Employing routines for students as they enter, participate in and leave the classroom is a proactive measure that facilitates positive student behaviour and maximises learning opportunities.
• Students enter the room in an orderly and considerate manner
• Students await the teacher’s greeting prior to the start of the lesson
• Laptop is closed until the teacher asks for its use
• If requested, students rise upon entry of a visiting staff member to the classroom
• Students are engaged, productive and respectful until the teacher indicates the lesson has concluded
• Students thank the teacher at the conclusion of the lesson
• Students take responsibility for their organisation, using the tools available to them
Our Promoting Positive Relationships Framework is a flexible multi-tiered system of support for all Barker students.
The Universal level of a tiered approach provides a foundation of proactive and preventative practices. When implemented with fidelity, this foundation will address the needs of most students.
Additional tiers of support (for students at risk through to students with significant needs) are in place in recognition that at times, some students will require more frequent and intensive levels of support or intervention to address behaviour concerns. Support at these levels is often accompanied by and documented within the individual personalised planning process.
Building relationships with the students is the foundation of a teacher’s approach in the classroom. Investing in this enables teachers to understand what each student brings to the classroom before the first sentence of any lesson is spoken.
It is important not to assume that students will instinctively absorb positive learning behaviours from teachers who implicity express them. Instead, students need to have these behaviours explicitly modelled and explicitly taught in the curriculum and in formal distinct programs - in ways that are appropriate to the age and context of the students. Classroom teachers have a significant role to play in this but it is imperative that the whole School climate
supports teachers in this endeavour.
Responding to unacceptable student behaviour
Responses to unacceptable behaviour should be informed by restorative practices. That is, teachers should facilitate opportunities to build healthy relationships and a positive learning culture by encouraging students to take responsibility for their behaviour, reflect on their actions and be equipped with strategies to make better decisions. The teacher-student relationship is central in this approach as teachers actively seek to prevent harm, encourage growth in character and understanding, and enable restoration of relationships.
Restorative questions:
• What happened?
• What were you thinking about at the time?
• Who has been affected by what happened?
• In what way have they been affected?
• What do you need to do to make things right?
• What could you do differently next time?
The following levels of action are guidelines rather than prescriptive procedures intended as a remedial and corrective process. They outline examples of misdemeanours that may be considered minor through to extreme and what sanctions may apply in these circumstances. These misdemeanours are of equal severity whether they are committed at school or online. However, there is flexibility within these levels of action, dependent on the particular context of the misdemeanour and the needs of the student involved.
It is important to note that the aim of the sanction is to enable the student to reflect on and revise their behaviour, leading to restoration of relationships and re-engagement with the School community.
Teachers are able to apply sanctions when a
student’s behaviour lies in Levels One, Two or Three. Teachers should refer an incident to the relevant Dean or Head of School if a student’s behaviour lies in Level Four.
Sanction Examples of misdemeanour
Study Hall* failure to complete work as set by the class teacher
Uniform detention failure to adhere to uniform standards
Clean up detention incidental swearing minor disruption to class lateness to class without reason littering chewing gum
*Study Hall is a lunchtime session for students who have not completed their homework. If students are allocated a Study Hall by their class teacher, the following day they are required to attend a Study Hall session from 12:40pm to 1:10pm where they complete the outstanding work (or other academic work if it has since been completed). Students must then show this work to their class teacher after they have completed the Study Hall.
Sanction Examples of misdemeanour
Friday detention misuse of laptop persistent swearing persistent or significant disruption to class persistent or significant lateness to class without reason absence from co-curricular sport or activity without reason failure to serve Level One sanction
Sanction Examples of misdemeanour Manners detention OR directed swearing
Saturday community service directed swearing persistent or significant disrespect shown to students or staff inappropriate sexualised comments truancy
lying or cheating failure to serve Level Two sanction
Sanction Examples of misdemeanour Stages of Behaviour AND physical violence
Internal suspension OR vandalism
External suspension smoking or vaping use of drugs or alcohol theft repeated truancy bullying or sexual harassment of other students
Expulsion at the discretion of the Head of Barker College
2. Supply reduction working to reduce the availability of illicit and unsanctioned drugs within the School.
3. Harm reduction providing information to reduce the harm that drug taking behaviours can cause.
Detention times:
Friday afternoon after school from 3.30pm4.30pm
Saturday Community Service: 2 - 3 hours, morning or afternoon.
Clean-Up: Study Hall during the lunch break.
Priority
Detention will have priority over all other School activities. Any variation in an individual student’s detention can only occur with the authorisation of the Head of Barker College, Deputy Head, the Head of Senior School or Dean.
All work done in detention will be written work. The work is set by the teacher at the time of giving the detention, sufficient to fill up the detention period.
Students must return the work done in detention to the teacher who issued the detention on Monday morning. Unsatisfactory work will be appropriately dealt with.
Bullying is the repeated, wilful, conscious desire to hurt, threaten, isolate, exclude or
embarrass someone. Bullying can occur face to face, through written means, by mobile phones, messages and computers. Bullying does not only refer to those occasions when actual physical pain is inflicted.
The School’s Procedure on Bullying and Harassment states that:
1. Staff and students at Barker support a climate of respect and care for others. Barker College thus actively promotes respect for and tolerance of individual differences.
2. At Barker College bullying in all its forms – physical, emotional and verbal, is totally unacceptable.
3. The School is committed to minimising all forms of harassment.
4. The School has systems of pastoral care, reporting and discipline, which react immediately to cases of bullying when they arise.
5. While recognising that the School’s first priority is to support victims of bullying, the School will also provide support for the bully.
1. Tell someone. This person may be a parent, your Head of House or a trusted adult.
2. If you think someone else is being bullied, tell someone. Tell a parent, your Head of House or a trusted adult.
3. If bullying occurs at School, during School functions, or on the way to or from School, you should contact your Head of House as soon as possible.
• Barker College has a conservative school uniform that reflect our values. All Senior School students are expected to respect and comply with our uniform expectations. In the Senior School, our students need to:
• Have their tie and top button done up;
• Tuck in their shirt;
• Wear trousers to the ankle;
• Wear skirts to the knee;
• Wear regulation school socks; and
• Wear clean and polished black leather shoes with a regulation heel.
The Senior School blazer is part of the winter uniform and should be worn to and from school in Term 2 and Term 3. The jumper is not to be worn as an outer garment off campus at any time.
Full school uniform including blazer should be worn to all formal school activities, including parent-teacher interviews, plays and evening functions.
Students wear their full school uniform to school each day and bring their blue school bag with their belongings. Bags, phone and sports items are to be kept in the locker throughout the day.
Sport uniform may be worn for PE classes and mid-week sport training. Students are not permitted to go home in PE uniform, unless they have an afternoon training session. We ask that students do not wear a combination of sport and school uniforms.
Accessories to the school uniform are not permitted. This includes:
• No jewellery, other than a single pair of sleepers or studs for girls
• No make up, false nails, false lashes or unnatural hair colour
Jewellery worn for religious or health reasons must be approved by the Head of Senior School.
Students who wear makeup will be asked to have it removed.
Hairstyles should be neat and conservative. Girls must have their hair tied back if beyond the collar, using neutral, blue or red hair tie/ ribbons.
For boys, hair must not touch the eyes, ears or collar and be no shorter than a number two. Students with mullets, fades or other haircuts deemed inappropriate by Senior staff, will be asked to rectify their hair immediately.
Boys must also be clean shaven.
Please refer to the adjacent table for further information regarding uniform items and requirement.
The accompanying photographs are indicative of how the Senior School summer and winter uniforms should be worn
All uniform items are available via the Plume Store.
Boys and Girls
Sport
PE uniform Two
Navy PE Shorts Red PE shirt Can be worn to PE classes and training
House Shirt One House shirt
Tracksuit One Red tracksuit pants Red Tricore jacket or 1/4 zip or hoodie
Cap One Red sports cap with BC insignia
Sports bag One Red with school crest
Can be worn to PE classes and training
Students may spectate in their tracksuit
No other sports bag to be used
The wearing of hats by students in the Secondary School is optional, but students are encouraged to seek protection from harmful solar radiation. A Barker cap is available for students to purchase from the Plume Store.
Barker College recognises that the nature of the climate of Sydney creates health and medical risks associated with excessive exposure to the sun. The School accepts a responsibility to educate its students on such matters and to adopt and implement policies and practices to lessen the risks.
The PDHPE Department maintains an ongoing program of education on sun protection and related issues, and implements practices to guide students in sun protection.
PDHPE teachers and sport coaches strongly encourage students to use sunscreen where appropriate. A supply of sunscreen and sunscreen dispensers are maintained in key locations (eg Sports storeroom) for the use of students who have forgotten their own.
Shade
The School provides shaded and undercover areas for student use during breaks. Shade trees are, where possible, maintained as an important part of the landscaping plan.
For relevant activities students are encouraged to wear sun smart clothing e.g. Long-sleeved cricket shirts. The School makes available such items as part of the uniform.
Plume Store
All uniform items can be purchased at the School uniform shop known as the Plume Store
Location: 25 Clarke Road, entry from Marillian Ave
Telephone: 9053 2876
Email: plumestore@noone.com.au
Term Trading Hours
Monday to Friday: 9.00am - 4.30pm
Online Store
Parents can shop online if that is more convenient. www.noone.com.au/school/barker-college/shop
Payment: Cash or Credit Card
Students studying in the Senior School Hub on Saturdays are permitted to wear causal clothes between 10am -1pm.
Students involved in Drama and Music rehearsals after school or on weekends may wear casual clothes with the permission of department staff.
Students on campus out of hours should remain in their designated areas and not wander the campus.
The Barker College ICT Department is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 5:30pm during School term time and from 8am to 4pm during School holidays. The department is only closed for public holidays and from Christmas Eve to the start of the first full working week in January.
ICT support for all members of the School community is based at iCentral, which is located in the Secondary School Library. iCentral can also be contacted via phone on (02) 8438 7775 or via email at icentral@ barker.nsw.edu.au
The Barker College Library has an extensive collection of print and digital resources to support student learning and various spaces students can be used for study and/or collaborating with their peers.
The Library subscribes to a number of online databases to support students and teachers. Senior students should be accessing the Library and/or the Senior School Hub during their scheduled study lessons. Any student requiring research assistance can speak with the Teacher Librarians for individual research support.
Teachers may also schedule research sessions for their class.
The Library also encourages a love of reading and reading for pleasure. They also have access to eBooks and audiobooks. The Teacher Librarians are always willing to offer suggestions and/or take recommendations to enhance the collection. For our senior students the library also provides several subject specific resources to support HSC study.
The Senior School Hub provides a welcoming space for students to engage in independent study, cocurricular activities or to socialise with their peers.
Students can access the Library and Senior School Hub from 7:30am Monday to Friday. The Library closes at 5:00pm Monday to Thursday and at 4:00pm on Friday. The Senior School Hub closes at 8:30pm Monday to Thursday and at 4:00pm on Friday. The Senior School Hub is also open on Saturday, with varying hours throughout the year based on the assessment schedule.
A weekly bulletin which keeps students and parents/guardians informed of the dayto-day activities of the School from PreKindergarten to Year 12.
All Barker parents and guardians are provided with parent portal access. Student timetables, reports and assessment schedules, calendar, School events, and co-curricular information are available to parents, guardians and students via the parent portal. Information is disseminated using this platform so it is important for you to have access.
The ICT Service Desk (iCentral) can be contacted to resolve any access or service difficulties for parents, guardians and students either via email icentral@barker.nsw.edu.au or by telephoning (02) 8438 7775. iCentral is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5.30pm during School term time.
The Year in Review is published each year, featuring highlights of the School year. It is distributed at Celebration (held in early December each year) and is available online at https://www.barker.college/news-events/ barker-publications and copies are also sent home with students at the commencement of the new School year.
A bi-annual magazine published for the Barker Community containing news and information about the activities of the students and staff, the Old Barker Association, The Barker College Parents’ Association and the Barker Foundation.
The Barker is also available online barker. college/news-events/barker-publications
We encourage the Barker Community to follow what is happening at the School via our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube channels. Links to these pages can be found on the home page of the Barker website www.barker.college.
Boyce Hall D:10
Cadet Office B:7
Careers & Counselling E:10 Carter House C:10
Centenary Design Centre H:7
Communications C:10
Copeland/Junior School East F:3
David Gamson Centre B:8
Dining Hall B:10
Enrichment Centre F:4
Enrolments Office (Carter House) C:10 Finance D:10 Foundation C:11