Rules and policies are in place to make sure your child remains safe and well at school.
Visit the NSW Department of Education’s policy library for all current operational policies.
Our school uses the department's School Community Charter to ensure all of our communication is collaborative and respectful.
Attendance and absences
Students must attend school regularly so they can achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options.
In NSW, all children from the age of 6 are legally required to attend school or be registered for home schooling through the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). All students must complete Year 10, or its equivalent.
Young people below the age of 17 who have completed Year 10 must be:
in school, or registered for home schooling
in approved education or training, such as a traineeship, apprenticeship or TAFE
in full-time paid employment (average 25 hours a week)
in a combination of work, education and/or training (average of 25 hours a week combined).
Students 17 years and over who are enrolled in school must attend school regularly to meet HSC course requirements.
As a parent or carer, you are responsible for ensuring your child attends school every day when they are of compulsory school age. You must explain all absences to the school within 7 days.
For more information about compulsory school attendance, visit:
School frameworks (school rules)
As well as following the department’s operational policies, we have developed frameworks for our students in line with our school’s values and commitments.
Valuables at School
- Personal valuables may be lodged with the Office for safe keeping.
- Mobile phones, iPods and MP3 players are discouraged and should be ‘Off and Away' during all lessons, assemblies and functions.
- No responsibility is taken if valuable items are lost or stolen at school.
Mobile Phones (Updated 2023)
Our School’s Approach
- Yass High School does not consider mobile phones to be an appropriate digital learning device under the Department’s BYOD policy. This is due to their small screen size which has implications for optical health as well as their incompatibility to utilise a wide range of software required to access a wide range of learning activities and experiences. Students will have access to digital devices such as desktop computers, Chromebooks and iPads for learning activities that require specific access to online and offline platforms. Yass High School has recently purchased a number of new laptops to support this and, in conjunction with Yass High School P&C, are currently in the process of ordering another class set of Chromebooks.
- Yass High School utilises the YONDR phone pouch system. All students enrolled at Yass High School will be allocated a YONDR pouch free of charge. Students enrolling throughout the year will be allocated a pouch as part of their enrolment. If this is damaged or lost a replacement cost of $10 will be billed to parents/carers. Yass High School Mobile Phone Policy and Procedures
Laptops and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
- Students are able to bring their own device for learning purposes.
- Students have access to software from Microsoft, Adobe and Google to install on their BYOD for school use.
- A BYOD agreement (available from the library) must be signed and returned in order to use the wireless internet provided
- It is the student's responsibility to take care of their device and ensure it is charged and ready for use each day.
- The school takes no responsibility for damaged, lost or stolen devices at school.
- Support will be given for students who do choose to bring a device from the Technical Support Officer.
- More information about BYOD can be found at http://yasshighbyod.weebly.com/
Use of the Internet
- The aims of using electronic media include:
- enhancing students' learning opportunities and outcomes
- enhancing staff professional development through better links with professional bodies
- assisting staff and students to develop better information and communication skills
- enhancing the existing information facilities in classrooms, the school library and faculties
- No personal information will be provided to outside users through the Internet.
- The Internet is not to be used by students to distribute material which is harmful to individuals or the school as a whole.
Privacy Act
- Our employer, the NSW Department of Education, has advised schools that under the Privacy Act we are required to obtain parent/carer permission before photographs of students may be published in monthly bulletins, in the end-of-year magazine or in publicity for the school including newspapers and the Department's Website. Student images will also be seen when they are participating in video conferences.
- This consent is found on the Student Enrolment application.
- Please contact the school if you wish to change this consent.
Use of Vehicles at School
- Senior students may be given permission to drive to and from school.
- Students must complete a permission note, obtainable from the Deputy Principal, and indicate any passengers who they are transporting. Passengers must also complete a permission note.
- This privilege may be removed from any student who drives dangerously or recklessly whilst on school grounds.