Enrolment Eligibility Plan
Background
Most students successfully transition through schooling in a mainstream education environment. Unfortunately, some students may be adversely affected by multiple factors and circumstances (examples are referenced below) and may become disengaged from education.
Typically, a disengaged student physically withdraws from their academic responsibilities as well as emotionally disconnecting themselves from social interactions at school. There are negative risk factors that can result from disengagement which impact their academic and social outcomes.
These outcomes can have adverse implications for the course of their lives. Therefore, successful engagement with education is fundamental to a positive pathway in a student's life.
Queensland Pathways State College (QPSC) offers a senior transitions program for young people, being adolescents, in years 10 to 12, who face significant barriers in accessing mainstream education.
QPSC offers secondary education to such students through programs and services being delivered on a variety of campus sites and has a curriculum that focuses on delivering accredited vocational education and training through a student-centred learning approach that supports wellbeing, vocational development and community partnerships.
The college actively identifies, develops and facilitates clear pathways to post-school education, training or employment and caters for a diverse range of student needs.
Rationale
QPSC recognises that schools in mainstream schooling have the greatest access to support and services and those students who can attend such schools should continue to attend.
However, some adolescents require additional support and an alternative environment to mainstream schooling to stay engaged. QPSC may be able to provide an alternate pathway to success for those students.
To identify students who would benefit from attending the college, there is an enrolment eligibility process for all students wanting to enrol. Students not accepted into the program will be referred to their nearest State high school or appropriate educational setting to complete their senior years.
Enrolment capacity
The campuses of QPSC are located in:
- Bundamba
- Goodna
- Mt Gravatt
- Townsville
- Bracken Ridge
- Brisbane inner city.
The educational and related support required by students enrolled at the college varies from student-to-student.
The provision of such support is informed by factors that include the physical space of each campus, the educational and other staff at each campus, educational and support resources at each campus, and the reasonable provision of educational and related support to students already enrolled at the college.
Consequently, the maximum enrolment places available at each campus are:
- should no declaration have been made by the Principal of QPSC, a maximum of 60 students per campus
- where physical space and resources are, with the addition of any more students to a campus, not capable of reasonably meeting the educational and related support required for all students at the campus
- as declared by the Principal, from time-to-time, in a manner at the discretion of the Principal
- the total number of students attending each campus will vary based upon the level of support required per student. The cumulative complex needs of a campus cohort may reduce the maximum number of students attending an individual campus below the maximum of 60.
Enrolment policy
Under Chapter 8 of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (the Act), a principal must enrol a student at a school the student is entitled to be enrolled at.
Students enrolling at QPSC must be eligible for general enrolment in state schools and must also satisfy the specific enrolment criteria of the college as set out in this plan.
Enrolment criteria
The prospective student must meet all the enrolment criteria set out below, otherwise the student is not eligible for enrolment.
In order to be eligible for enrolment at QPSC there must be enrolment capacity at the relevant campus.
Furthermore, a prospective student must:
- be referred, via submission of a QPSC referral form to the college's principal by a referring organisation
- have completed enrolment forms and submitted the forms to the QPSC Principal
- make a commitment to, if enrolled at the college, use best endeavours to complete the college's curriculum
- have completed an interview with a staff member of QPSC
- the college's Principal being satisfied that the prospective student meets the general enrolment requirements for state schools prescribed in the Act.
If there is no available capacity to enrol a student at the relevant campus, the prospective student may be placed on a waiting list and provided placement at the campus if one becomes available.
Please note: Placement of prospective students from the waiting list is subject to an assessment of priority of need by the QPSC Principal.
Referrals
Referrals are to be made to the QPSC Principal by a referring organisation by the submission of a completed QPSC referral form.
The referral may be rejected by the college's Principal if the referral:
- is not in the form of a QPSC referral form or if the referral form is not completed; and/or
- is not made by a referring organisation; and/or
- is not in relation to a young person, being an adolescent, in Year 10, 11, or 12; and/or
- does not state to the Principal's satisfaction why the student is disengaged from, or at real risk of disengagement from, education in mainstream schooling; and/or
- does not state to the Principal's satisfaction why enrolment at QPSC is required, as opposed to enrolment at a school in mainstream schooling.
Enrolment form
A QPSC enrolment form is required to be completed and submitted to the Principal of the college.
The college's enrolment form may be rejected by the Principal if it:
- is not in the form of a QPSC referral form
- is not completed; and/or
- does not include a commitment by the prospective student to use best endeavours to complete the college's curriculum; and/or
- is not made by or on behalf of a prospective student who has been referred to the college by a referring organisation and whose referral has not been rejected.
Interview
Subject to a referral and a QPSC enrolment form not being rejected by the college's Principal, a prospective student may be invited by the QPSC Principal to attend an interview with a staff member.
Should the college receive no response for an interview from or on behalf of the prospective student within the response period nominated in the invitation, it is deemed that the invitation has been refused and that the QPSC enrolment form has been withdrawn, unless otherwise determined by the college's Principal.
The interview is between the student and a staff member of the college. Please note that:
- the interview is to occur 'in person', unless that is not reasonably possible, at a venue to be nominated by a member the college
- the prospective student may be accompanied at the interview by a parent, guardian, or other support person
- additional individuals may attend the interview, if considered appropriate by the college's Principal.
Disengagement of the prospective student
It must be demonstrated by or on behalf of a prospective student to the reasonable satisfaction of the college's Principal that the prospective student's circumstances are such that, absent enrolment at QPSC, the prospective student is disengaged or at real risk of becoming disengaged from education in mainstream schooling.
Such matters are unique to each prospective student. However, the primary focus will be the impact of these presenting issues upon the prospective student's life - and, in particular, education to date in mainstream schooling - by experiences such as:
- mental health issues
- difficult home lives
- homelessness
- poverty
- social isolation
- involvement with the youth justice system
- being a refugee
- substance abuse
- medical conditions
- complex behaviour
- multiple exclusions or cancellations from mainstream schooling
- previous enrolments in multiple schools
- low literacy/numeracy skills
- years out of schooling.
General enrolment requirements for state schools
Prior to enrolment the QPSC Principal must be satisfied that the student meets the general enrolment requirements for state schools prescribed in the Act. The Principal may also defer an enrolment decision to the Director-General if a student poses an unacceptable risk to the safety or well-being of the school community.
Applicants who have been refused enrolment on the basis of the general enrolment requirements may pursue review rights under the Act as advised by the college's Principal.
A prospective student will be advised by the college of the outcome of the enrolment process.
Complaints about the enrolment process
Reviews of enrolment eligibility
Should there be any cause for review of the eligibility of enrolment in relation to an unsuccessful application of a student, please direct such enquiries to the college's Principal.
Review date
The Enrolment Eligibility Plan for the Queensland Pathways State College is operational from 1 March 2018 and will be reviewed triennially or sooner if necessary. This plan remains in effect, including the period while it is under review, until a new plan replaces it.
Definitions
For the purpose of this Enrolment Eligibility Plan, a reference to a 'student' also means a reference to a prospective student and vice versa.
A 'referring organisation' means any organisation or institution that refers the student to QPSC through completion of a referral form. A referring organisation may include but is not limited to:
- a state or non-state educational institution
- a youth justice facility
- a child safety agency
- an external support agency, i.e., residential care, family connect, etc.
'Mainstream schooling' means education at a school other than QPSC, which includes education at state schools and non-state schools in Queensland.
'Adolescent' means a person that is, or but for his/her disengagement from education in mainstream schooling ought to be in the ordinary course, enrolled in Year 10, 11, or 12 in mainstreaming schooling in Queensland and who is at least 15 but not more than 18 years old.