Student Drivers on Western Australian College of Agriculture and Farm Based Public School Sites Procedures

1. Policy supported

Duty of Care for Public School Students Policy

2. Scope

These procedures apply to all site managers of Western Australian College of Agriculture (WACoA) and farm based public schools with student drivers of government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery.

3. Procedures

3.1 Management of student drivers

The site manager must verify that the designated responsible staff:

• use the Student Driver Guidelines;
• are aware that students are not permitted to drive government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery on public roads even when they hold any class of Western Australian Driver’s Licence as issued by the Department of Transport (including Learner and Probationary);
• hold the appropriate qualifications in assessing and supervising student drivers as per procedure 3.2 Student Driving Assessment;
• provide relevant information to parents to obtain written consent before allowing students to participate in driving activities as passengers or drivers;
• communicate to students their responsibilities and obligations with regard to driving government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery;
• confirm that participating students are at minimum in Year 10 and 15 years of age and their written parental permission has been received;
• confirm that students participate in a structured driver training program as per the Student Driver Guidelines and are issued with the relevant farm student driving permit when achieved;
• confirm that students wear appropriate clothing and footwear when driving a light commercial vehicle or machinery;
• confirm that students are only allowed to drive government owned light commercial vehicles or machinery with the express permission of, and subject to, the instructions and supervision of a staff member, as per Procedure 3.3;
• confirm that any passengers in a light commercial vehicle driven by a student driver are inside the cab and are wearing seat belts, unless students are directed by a staff member to engage in work that requires travelling on the back of the light commercial vehicle or machinery;
• confirm that in circumstances where students are travelling on the back of the light commercial vehicle or machinery for a specific purpose, including loading and unloading bales of hay, the light commercial vehicle or machinery must be driven on predominantly flat terrain at a speed less than 10 km per hour;
• suspend the driving rights of students who breach driving rules or cause careless damage to government owned light commercial vehicles or machinery for periods appropriate to the offence;
• are aware that students can use two wheel motorbikes (limited to 250cc), subject to successfully passing the Stage I permit, in achieving and on achievement of the Unit of Competency, as specified in Appendix A;
• are aware that students can use skid steer loaders, subject to successfully passing the Stage II permit, in achieving and on achievement of the Unit of Competency, as specified in Appendix A; and    
• are aware that students are not permitted to drive Quad Bikes under any circumstances.

3.2 Student driving assessment

The site manager must confirm that:

• staff and students comply with the driving permit requirements detailed below and in Appendix A;
• the assessment of student driving is conducted by a staff member who:
  • is an experienced driver/operator;
  • holds a valid licence relevant to the light commercial vehicle or machinery type; and
  • is a qualified Trainer and Assessor, or as a minimum holds the TAESS00015 Trainer and Assessor Skill Set or equivalent successor; and
• students pass a written test before undertaking a formal driving test and have any impairment related to a medical or physical condition assessed for its influence on driving capability before obtaining any permit.

3.3 Supervision

The site manager must confirm that all staff approving students to drive government owned light commercial vehicles and machinery comply with the following levels of supervision:

• students on a Probationary Permit must only be permitted to drive light commercial vehicles:
  • utility, with a staff member in the front seat at all times who uses their professional judgement as to whether it is appropriate to have passengers (refer to the information provided below under guidance); and
  • light tractors, when undertaking an approved task within a designated area and with a staff member in close proximity at all times.
• students on a Stage I or II Permit must only be permitted to drive:
  • light commercial vehicles, with students as passengers, when engaged in supervised activities within the designated area for the approved task and in line of sight of a staff member or if line of sight is obstructed, actively supervised by a staff member at all times; and
  • machinery, when undertaking an approved task within the designated area and in line of sight of a staff member or if line of sight is obstructed, actively supervised by a staff member at all times.

4. Definitions

5. Related documents

6. Contact information

Policy manager:                        

Director, Agricultural Education

Policy contact officer:  

Principal Consultant, Agricultural Education

T: (08) 9264 4041

E: agriculturaleducation.services@education.wa.edu.au                 

7. History of changes

8. Appendices

Appendix A:  Levels of driving permits for students on WACOA and farm based public school sites (PDF file - 50.8kB)

Appendix B:  Student drivers on WACOA and farm based public school sites, assessment templates (PDF file - 125.8kB)