Getting to and from school safely

Getting your child to and from school is your responsibility – however your child’s school wants this to happen safely every day.

Pick the safest way to school and practise travelling the route with your child, talking about and showing them how to be a safe road user.

Keep your school community safe by always:

• role model safe and responsible road user behaviour
• holding your child’s hand when walking on the footpath, in the car park and when crossing the road
• using the safest place to cross the road. Walk further to use pedestrian crossings, refuges and traffic lights
• keeping hold of your child’s hand in the carpark, and when entering and exiting the car, abiding by signage in and around your school
• meeting and dropping your child on the school side of the road (never call your child from across the road)
• getting your child in and out of the car via the ‘safety door’ (the rear left door closest to the footpath)
• buckling your child up correctly in an approved child restraint or booster seat this is right for their age and size, even if you’re in a hurry
• arrving and parking legally, even if it means parking further away and walking the rest of the way to school.

Share this information with your child’s carers such as grandparents, nannies and friends who may be taking your child to or from school: education.nsw.gov.au/safe-travel

Saying goodbye

Let your child know who will pick them up from school at the end of the day and where they will meet. During the first few weeks of school, the meeting place is usually your child's classroom or a central spot.

Check with your child's teacher to find out when and where to pick them up and let them know who will be picking them up

Picking up children at the end of the day

During the first few weeks of the term when school finishes each day, your child’s teacher will wait with the class at a central spot until all children are picked up. If you’re running late, notify your child’s teacher by calling the school office. Children can get upset if the person picking them up isn’t on time.

Share this information with your child’s carers such as grandparents, nannies and friends who may be taking your child to or from school.

Learn more ways of safely travelling to and from school with your child.

Out of school hours care (OSHC)

OSHC includes before and after school care (BASC) and vacation care services. OSHC services provide education and care for primary school-age children outside school hours and during school vacations. Services are often open on pupil-free days as well.

OSHC services:

• support children’s learning achievement, engagement and wellbeing

• provide developmental play opportunities in a multi-age environment

• support families to work or study outside school hours.

Your school can give you information about local services, or visit the BASC finder to find your closest OSHC.

The Child Care Subsidy helps eligible families with the cost of childcare for out of school hours.