How do RHAC students learn?

The College is committed to explicit teaching and direct instruction based on:

• High expectations of students
• Christian principles and positive, respectful teacher/student relationships
• Meaningful feedback on student work
• Data about student learning to help them improve

More specifically, explicit teaching involves:

• Sequencing
  • presenting new material in small steps
  • providing scaffolds for challenging tasks

• Questioning
  • teachers ask students challenging questions and check the student’s understanding
  • students ask questions to clarify their understanding

• Reviewing
  • teachers go back over work previously studied to ensure that new skills are refined and content knowledge is committed to memory

• Practise
  • teachers directly support students as they practice a new skill
  • teachers support students to practice independently

Christian education

RHAC is committed to a distinctively Christian education. The College gives students the opportunity to study the Bible, respond to the teachings of Jesus Christ and consider adopting Christian principles and values in their own lives. For example, Galatians 5:22-23 refers to the importance of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

RHAC loves and values all students and their families, regardless of their religious belief or worldview. The College website has more information about Christian education.

Holistic education

While RHAC is very committed to students learning and achieving academically, the College recognises that every child is uniquely and wonderfully made by God. Therefore, RHAC is committed to working with families to develop the whole child – intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

5 Key Learning and Teaching Principles

Our teaching and learning programs are designed to build student capacity using 5 Key Learning and Teaching Principles:

• Explicit Instruction
• High Expectations
• Effective Feedback
• Data Informed Practice
• Relational Teaching

Morning Session

9:15am (sign in from 9:00am)

Break 1*

11:00am

Middle Session

11:40am

Break 2*

1:40pm

Afternoon Session

2:10pm

Dismissal

3:00pm (sign out by 3:15pm)

*If students forget lunch or have an accident with their food, they will be made a basic Vegemite or jam sandwich by the teachers.

Period 1

9:00am

Classes start at 9:00am. Please ensure that your children are at school before this time so that they can be ready to start promptly at 9:00am. Students are supervised from 8:30 am.

Period 2

9:40am

Period 3

10:20am

Break 1*

11:00am

Period 4

11:40am

Period 5

12:20pm

Period 6

1:00pm

Break 2*

1:40pm

Period 7

2:10pm

Staggered dismissal from

3:15pm

End of school day

3:30pm

*Students receive a set time (up to 20 minutes) to complete eating their food, then they will be encouraged to play.

If Kindergarten students forget lunch or have an accident with their food, they will be made a basic Vegemite or jam sandwich by the teachers. Students in Years 1-6 will be provided with a basic sandwich from the canteen.

Pick-up arrangements

• Parent/carers of PreK students may enter the Gate 5 driveway from 2:50pm. They are able to park in the car spaces closest to the through road at K block. Prior to 3:10pm, parents may also use the Kiss and Drop bays as 5-minute parking.
• Parent/carers of K-2 students may start driving up the Gate 5 driveway for car pick-up from 3:15pm. Parents who arrive before this time will be asked to drive through and return to the end of the queue.
• Parent/carers of Years 3-6 students and K-6 students may start driving up the Gate 5 driveway at 3:25pm.

For more information on parking and traffic arrangements, scroll below or please click here.

Homeroom

8:45am

Period 1

9:05am

Period 2

10:00am

Recess

10:55am

Period 3

11:15am

Period 4

12:05pm

Lunch

12:55pm

Period 5

1:40pm

Period 6

2:30pm

Academic Homeroom

3:20pm

End of school day

3:40pm

On Friday Week A, Extra Curricular time runs in place of Period 6 and Academic Homeroom.

You can view, download and print the Term Dates by clicking below. The College seeks to post the term dates for a calendar year by Easter of the previous year.

Parking for Pre-K families
Please display your Pre-K parking sign prominently on your dash on entry and when parked. Pre-K parking signs are provided.

Pre-K students must be collected in person at the entry to the classrooms and signed in and out of the College.

Drop off:
Please use the marked parking spaces in the bay closest to the through road at K Block

Pick up:

Gate 5 opens at 2.50pm. Please use the marked parking spaces in the bay closest to the through road at K Block. Prior to 3:10pm in the afternoon, the kiss and drop bays may be used as 5-minute parking.

Kindergarten - Year 2 students

Wherever possible, we ask parents/carers to drop off or pick up their children using the drive through option park on the street and walk onto the site. There is limited parking in the middle section of the K Block carpark.

Assisted drop off:

• Clearly display your K-2 parking sign on your dash on entry and when parked. If you require signs for additional vehicles or other family members who regularly collect your children, please do not hesitate to contact us to request these, providing relevant details at [email protected] Please use “Parking sign request” as the email subject or click the link below.
• Follow the directions of all staff members.
• Remain in your car. If you need to help your children with musical instruments, other equipment or undoing their seatbelt, please proceed to the middle section of the K Block carpark.
• Do not let your child leave the car on the right-hand side (roadside).
• Do not park in the first parking bay around the corner or the corner bay between bays 5 and 6.

Park and drop off:

• Only cross the road at the pedestrian crossing.
• Walk with your child across the pedestrian crossing.

Assisted pick up:
The assisted pick up uses the Kiss and Drop bays from 3:20-3:40pm. Please ensure that you:

• Only enter Gate 5 at 3:15. Parents who arrive before this time will be asked to drive through and return to the end of the queue.
• Listen carefully to your bay number and wait for direction to proceed.
• After picking up your children, please wait for the car in front of you to leave.
• Remain in your car. If you need to help your child with equipment, please proceed to the car park and pick them up.

Year 3-6 students (and K-2 students with older siblings)

Wherever possible, we ask parents/carers to drop off or pick up their children using the drive through option or park on the street and walk onto the site. There is limited parking in the middle section of the K Block carpark and in the lower section of the H Block carpark.

Assisted drop off:

The assisted drop off uses the Kiss and Drop bays from 8:30-9:00am. Please ensure that you:

• Follow the directions of all staff members.
• Remain in your car. If you need to help your children with musical instruments, other equipment or undoing their seatbelt, please proceed to the middle section of the K Block carpark.
• Do not let your child leave the car on the right hand side (road side).
• The College expects students in Year 3-6 to open and close the car door themselves.

Park and drop off:

Please only park in the lower section of the H Block carpark or the middle section of the K Block carpark. Please ensure that you:

• Only cross the road at the pedestrian crossing.
• Walk with your child across the pedestrian crossing.
• Do not allow your child to walk from the car to the school without adult supervision.
• Do not park or drop off in the upper level of the H Block carpark.

Assisted pick up:

The assisted pick up uses the Kiss and Drop bays at K Block from 3:20-3:40pm. Please ensure that you:

• Only enter Gate 5 at 3:25pm. Parents who arrive before this time will be asked to drive through and return to the end of the queue.
• Listen carefully to your bay number and wait for direction to proceed.
• After picking up your children, please wait for the car in front of you to leave.
• Remain in your car. If you need to help your child with equipment, please proceed to the car park and pick them up.

Pick up:

Students may be collected in person from H-J Quad at 3:25pm.

• Do not come into the H-J quad until 3:20pm as it disturbs student learning.
• In person collection of Junior School students in Kindergarten to Year 2 who have a Senior School sibling is in from H-J Quad from 3:40pm to 3:45pm.

Walking home:

Families of students in Years 3-6 can nominate to have the children walk home. A teacher will meet them in H-J block at 3:25pm and walk them safely across Rouse Road.

KT OOSH

Parking for families utilising the KT OOSH services is in the following locations:

• K block parking is available prior to 8:20am and after 3.40pm. Please use the marked spaces in the bay closest to the through road at K Block. Do not park in staff parking even if it is only for a few minutes.
• Prior to 8:00am and after 4:00pm, the kiss and drop bays may be used as 5-minute parking.
• Please do not use the staff parking at L Block that is opposite the basketball courts
• Please do not park in the cul-de-sac near L Block.

Parking for families and visitors (Kindergarten - Year 12)

Parking for families and visitors is available in the following spaces:

• Lower part of H Block.
• In the angled parking adjacent to the Auditorium (noting this is at times 5-minute parking as per the signage).
• Lower parking at H Block.

Staff parking

The assigned areas for staff are:

• Auditorium
• Upper H Block
• K Block
• Some spaces in L Block
• The area located between the Auditorium and the demountable classrooms near H Block.
• The upper parking at H Block.

Student parking
There are a limited number of assigned student parking spaces at L Block. Students are required to display a school issued parking sign on their dashboard. When the allocated spaces are filled, street parking is to be used.

As an approved provider KT OOSH is approved to receive and pass on childcare subsidy payments under the Family Assistance Law. Under the Child Care Subsidy scheme (CCS), families may qualify for reduced fees up to 85% off their childcare fees based on family income provided that they are eligible and registered with Centrelink.

For more information or for all KT OOSH enrolment enquiries, please contact KT OOSH directly.

Parents can order up to 4 weeks in advance and set daily or weekly spending limits.

If you are currently using the Munch Monitor Parent Portal Online Ordering system, please note that you will need to update your child/ren’s year group every year . This is to ensure their lunch order is delivered to the correct classroom.

To update your child/ren’s year group:

• Log on to your Munch Monitor account
• Select My Account from the top menu
• Select My Profile
• Click ‘Edit’ next to your child’s name
• Go to ‘School Details’ and select either Junior or Senior School, then your child’s current year group. Please note, you will need to do this for each child that you have registered.

If you are unable to access your account or require further assistance, please contact Munch Monitor directly on 1300 796 190 or [email protected]

Please click on the link below to download instructions.

By Sydney Metro

Tallawong Station is approximately 15 minute walk from the College, making it that much easier for students travelling from Bella Vista, Norwest, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook and surrounding areas.

By Bus

The College is served by two bus companies, Busways and CDC NSW (Hillsbus).

Detailed timetable and bus route information can be obtained by clicking on the links below.

• CDC Hillsbus services: Kellyville, Beaumont Hills, Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Annangrove, Box Hill and Kenthurst.
• Busways services: Rouse Hill, Kellyville Ridge, Stanhope Gardens, Glenwood, Acacia Gardens, Quakers Hill, Schofields and Riverstone.
• Rouse Hill Anglican College Private Service (fees apply) : Oakville, Cattai, Maraylya, Pitt Town and Box Hill. For more information, send an email to [email protected]

Additional Services

Over time, additional services and modifications to existing services are established to reflect the draw area of the student population. We work closely with the local community to encourage improvement to local pedestrian and cycleway facilities. Any changes to our service offering will be communicated to families.

How will parents/carers know when a College event will be held?

A College event is a significant event that is likely to have parent/carer involvement (e.g. parent/carer-teacher nights, spring fair), or a significant out of hours event for students (e.g. an overnight camp).

At the beginning of each term, parents/carer will receive an email listing College events, when they will be held and when further information will be available about each event.

A table of upcoming events for the following two weeks will be published each week in the newsletter. The newsletter may promote upcoming events with additional articles or advertising.

Where parents/carers need to give permission for their child to be involved in a College event, such as a camp, the College will send parents/carer an email at least two weeks prior to that event.

Sometimes, staff will send parents/carers an email about certain College events because there is a significant amount of detail that parents/carers need to know that cannot be easily communicated in a newsletter.

School excursions

School excursions are designed to enrich classroom learning and generally will directly relate to the current or upcoming units of work (e.g. a trip to a field studies centre for a unit on Water in the World).

At the beginning of each term, parents/carer will receive an email listing School Excursions, when they will be held and for which groups of students, and will request that permission be given.

Particulars about school excursions will be available on the Edumate event entry as a PDF attachment.

Sometimes RHAC will send an email about an individual school excursion because it relates to a competition or sporting activity involving a small group of students where the dates and times were not known at the beginning of the term.

Structured parent/carer-teacher meetings

RHAC offers structured parent/carer-teacher interviews at the end of Term 1 each year. This gives parents/carers an opportunity to make a personal connection with their child’s teacher(s), gain an understanding of how their child is managing and to talk proactively about learning for the rest of the year.

The interviews will occur during the day and on one or two evenings. Students will not come to school on the day when the interviews occur. The specific dates of the parent/carer-teacher interviews will be provided to parents/carers at the beginning of each school year and an email will be sent to parents/carers asking them to request appointments at least two weeks in advance.

Formal school reports

• Semester 1 (Terms 1 and 2) – a report will be sent to parents/carers by the beginning of Term 3.
• Semester 2 (Terms 3 and 4) – a report will be sent to parents/carers in late Term 4.

Feedback on student work

In addition to formal reports, students receive feedback during the year on the academic work they produce. Some of this feedback is accessible to parents/carers through Edumate.

Other activities and visits by outside organisations to the College also form part of this rich learning experience. The cost of most excursions and activities are included in the school fees.

Overnight excursions and camps are held each year for students from Year 4 to Year 11.

• Parents/carers are urged to check the College app which lists personalised events for their children.
• A link to a calendar of major known events for the full year will be published in the parent and carer handbook by the end of January. These will only be events that involve a substantial number of students and parents/carers (e.g. year 12 graduation, Junior School musical). Small-scale events such as a Year 9 drama excursion would not be published on this calendar.
• A calendar of known, significant variations to routine will be published for each term and sent prior to that term commencing. This document will also indicate when additional information about that event will be sent, how it will be sent and what information it will contain.

Notifying parents/carers of events

For example:

Date

Friday 16/6/23

Year Group

Year 3

Activity

Excursion to Taronga Zoo

Further Information

Will be sent by email on or before 2/6/23

• Next two weeks of events published in the weekly newsletter.
• A short message referring parents/carer to the chart if they would like to find out more information about an activity.

Event permissions

We are looking to transition to a term ahead approach for granting students permission to attend various excursions and events held at the College or off-site. Permission notes and details for each event for the coming term are uploaded to Edumate and can be viewed there. We do hope that this will assist in reducing the number of individual emails about events, and the need to login in to complete approvals on an ad-hoc basis.

We require you please to log in through Edumate online or via the mobile app to grant or deny permission, and you will be able to action multiple permissions for the coming term.

There are some instances where it may not be possible to add events before the start of term, such as for representative sport or reciprocal games and competitions where the timing is determined by partner schools closer to the event dates. This will involve small numbers of students and during these circumstances, a separate email will go out accordingly.

If your child/children are unable to attend and will be away from school on the excursion or event date, please advise the College of their absence on the day they are away via the emails below.

Distinguishing between an inquiry and a complaint

RHAC welcomes parents/carers contacting staff directly to ask questions or raise concerns. Asking clarification questions or sharing an issue of concern should not be seen as a formal complaint.

RHAC asks that when parents/carers contact staff, whether it be an inquiry or a complaint, that they use measured language and always seek the College’s side of the story before making a claim or criticism. This is the most effective way to avoid misunderstanding and to ensure that the College and the parents/carers work cooperatively for the benefit of our students.

A hypothetical example of an inquiry/feedback:

Dear.....

Thank you for the work you have been doing in assisting my son with his identified learning need. He told me this afternoon that…………Thank you for doing this. However, he also mentioned that he was upset when……..occurred. Would you mind letting me know what happened? Feel free to send me a quick email or I am available for a phone call at the following times……

Kind regards,

.........

A hypothetical example of a complaint:

Dear....

I recently attended ……….at the school. While I appreciated some aspects of the event, I feel the need to complain about ……….Specifically what concerned me was………

I would appreciate discussing this further with the appropriate staff member. The best times to contact me are………

Kind regards,

.........

A hypothetical example of a complaint:

Dear....

I write to complain about a situation that arose in my son (Student A) class last Thursday morning. Student X said …….. to my son. My son came home very upset about this comment because……..

I then wrote to Mr Y to ask what happened. I did not receive a reply for over a week. When Mr Y did respond he said he did not hear the comment and then said “it has been a while since this happened and I am confident that we can move on now”. I do not find this response acceptable because………

Kind regards,

...............

Response times for enquiries and complaints

RHAC has a goal to acknowledge email inquiries and complaints in two business days unless the staff member who receives the email is on leave. An email acknowledgement does not necessarily mean that the comments and questions raised in the email will be answered in two business days. Rather, an email acknowledging a parent/carer inquiry or complaint will acknowledge receipt of the parent/carer's email and provide a timeframe for when a response will be provided (e.g. Thank you for writing to me to express your concerns. I will phone/write to you by Date X ).

The College works in collaboration with TASC and Digistorm and are always working to improve the overall functionality and user experience. Please send any concerns to [email protected]

• These requirements apply to onsite and offsite RHAC activities and when students travel between school and home.
• Variations to the published uniform and general appearance for particular activities such as mufti days and camps will be communicated directly to parents/carer.
• When teachers observe that a student is not compliant with stated uniform and general appearance requirements, the student will be instructed to meet the required standard and be issued with a disciplinary consequence. The Parent and Community Code of Conduct expects parents/carer to support teachers who enforce these requirements.

The College seeks to foster an understanding in the importance of personal appearance and all students are expected to wear their full school uniform appropriately and with pride, both at school and in the community.

College uniform garments that become worn, damaged, deteriorated, or ill-fitting are to be replaced and shoes are not to be worn with holes in the front or without laces.

Chewing gum is not allowed at any RHAC related event.

Grooming

Boys are to be cleanly shaven each day and present themselves in clean, pressed uniforms. Boys presenting unshaven will be required to shave at Student Reception.

Hair

• Requirements for boys and girls – No shaved heads or patterns shaved into the scalp, no dyed hair, no Mohawk or similar style, no braids or beads in hair, no mullets or similar style.
• Requirements for girl’s hair – If a girl’s hair is below shoulder length, her hair must be tied back and not over her face. If a girl chooses to use hair accessories, they must be purchased from the College Shop. If suitable items are unavailable, girls should use modest ribbons in RHAC colours or a black hair elastic.
• Requirements for boy’s hair – Boys' hair should be ‘short and well groomed’, completely off the collar, not over eyes or tucked behind the ears. A boy's hair should not be long enough to be able to be tied back.

Piercings and Jewellery

• Boys and girls are not allowed to wear any jewellery. The exceptions to this rule are:
  • Jewellery for a medical purpose or jewellery that has specific cultural, religious significance - wherever possible this jewellery should be worn underneath clothing. Parents/carers who believe that their child should wear jewellery for either of these reasons should write a note in their child’s diary explaining why the jewellery will be worn. Once a teacher has approved this by signing the diary, the student will be permitted to wear the jewellery.
  • Girls may wear one pair of small plain stud earrings or sleepers (rings) in the earlobe. Only one earring is permitted in each lobe. There are to be no other piercings (including clear studs).
  • A watch. Junior School students are not permitted to wear smart watches. Senior School students who use a smart watch to access social media, text messages etc during the school day will result in their watch being temporarily confiscated.
• Attempting to hide piercings that are contrary to the uniform requirements is not allowed.

Make Up

Students are not to wear make-up.

Nails

Nails should be kept short (netball length), natural and conventional – suitable for a school environment. Clear nail polish is permitted (natural looking manicures are acceptable at the discretion of the Head of Junior School Wellbeing, the Head of Years 7-9 or Head of Years 10-12). False fingernails are not permitted.

Tattoos

Tattoos are not permitted.

Where to purchase required uniform items

All items must be purchased at the College Shop except for the shoes. The girls' stockings are plain black (Junior) or charcoal (Senior) and can be purchased at the College Shop or elsewhere. The College Shop sells a RHAC scarf which is optional in winter. The College acknowledges that parents/carers may struggle to access uniform items that are suitable for their child e.g. they cannot find shoes that meet the requirements listed in the handbook. Should this be the case, parents/carers should contact the Head of Junior School Well-Being.

Winter Uniform (Terms 2 and 3) - Junior School Girls

• Blazer as outer garment to and from school. Worn at school assemblies and other events as advised by the teachers.
• Jumper - optional underneath blazer to and from school. May be worn as the outer garment while on school grounds
• Pinafore/Tunic
• Black stockings or socks
• Girls long sleeved blouse
• Brimmed hat
• Shoes
  • Kindergarten to Year 2 - black leather (velcro, not lace up) shoes
  • Year 3 - 6 - black leather lace up shoes

Early Stage 1 (Pre-K - Kindergarten) students are permitted to wear a navy long sleeved t-shirt under their uniform.

Winter Uniform (Terms 2 and 3) - Junior School Boys

• Blazer as outer garment to and from school. Worn at school assemblies and other events as advised by the teachers
• Jumper - optional underneath blazer to and from school. May be worn as the outer garment while on school grounds
• Boys long sleeved or short sleeved shirt
• Long pants
• Tie
• Brimmed hat
• Black socks
• Shoes
  • Kindergarten to Year 2 - black leather (velcro, not lace up) shoes
  • Year 3 - 6 - black leather lace up shoes

Early Stage 1 (Pre-K - Kindergarten) students are permitted to wear a navy long sleeved t-shirt under their uniform.

Summer Uniform (Terms 1 and 4) - Junior School Girls

• The blazer is optional in summer. If students would like to wear an additional garment for warmth in summer the winter rules for blazers and jumpers apply
• Dress
• Shoes
  • Kindergarten to Year 2 - black leather (velcro, not lace up) shoes
  • Year 3 - 6 - black leather lace up shoes
• Black RHAC branded socks

Summer Uniform (Terms 1 and 4) - Junior School Boys

• The blazer is optional in summer. If students would like to wear an additional garment for warmth in summer the winter rules for blazers and jumpers apply
• Short sleeve shirt
• Black shorts
• A tie is optional
• Shoes
  • Kindergarten to Year 2 - black leather (velcro, not lace up) shoes
  • Year 3 - 6 - black leather lace up shoes
• Black RHAC branded socks

Important Update: uniform changes for Years 5-6

It was announced in our College newsletter (October 2024) regarding changes to the Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) girls’ uniform. The skirt and blouse can be worn in both winter and summer and ultimately will replace the summer and winter tunics. While the skirt is the same as the secondary school skirt, the blouse has been especially designed for the Junior School.

There will be a two year period (2026) where families can opt for their children to wear the existing uniform or to change to the new uniform.

Winter/Summer and Summer/Winter transition

During the first two weeks of Term 2 and the last two weeks of Term 3, students have the option to wear either full summer or full winter uniform - not  a mix of both. Please refer to the uniform requirements above.

Sports Uniform

For Pre-K uniform requirements, please refer to the Pre-K section below.

Sports uniform is required for sports day and sporting events.

• Sport/House Shirt
• Shorts or Skorts: College Sport shorts or skorts to be worn. Tights or leggings are not permitted. Shorts are to be lower-mid thigh to knee length
• Tracksuit - Worn in Terms 2 and 3
• Sports Cap: For Junior School, students are required to wear a wide brimmed bucket hat when they are in the playground. When students are participating in sports day or sporting events, they may wear a sport cap
• Sports socks - RHAC branded sports socks
• Shoes - Sports shoes are worn on a designated sports day or sporting event. Students may wear white shoes, black shoes or navy shoes. The College acknowledges that purchasing shoes that are only one colour may be difficult. Therefore, shoes which have a limited amount of another colour are acceptable - e.g. a small strip of yellow on a navy shoe. Dominant bright or fluoro colours (including laces) are not permitted

For winter, Stage 2 (Years 3-4) and Stage 3 (Years 5-6) students – it is optional to wear tracksuit pants on the day of sport. Students may choose to wear shorts. Depending on the excursion, a decision whether students have to wear tracksuits will be communicated to parents via a permission or information note.

What clothes should students wear to an excursion, camp or other offsite event?

A permission or information note for this event will outline what students are expected to wear.

• Students wear a version of the College sports uniform to school each day. Students wear the Summer Pre-K uniform (shorts/skorts) in Terms 1 and 4, and the Winter Pre-K uniform (tracksuit pants and jacket) in Terms 2 and 3, and the Pre-K bucket hat. Students are not to wear long-sleeved shirts underneath their Pre-K sports shirt.
• White RHAC branded socks.
• Sports shoes (velcro, not lace up).
• Early Stage 1 (Pre-K - Kindergarten) students are permitted to wear a navy long sleeved t-shirt under their uniform.

Where to purchase required uniform items

All items must be purchased at the College Shop except for the shoes. The girls' stockings are plain black (Junior) or charcoal (Senior) and can be purchased at the College Shop or elsewhere. The College Shop sells a RHAC scarf which is optional in winter. The College acknowledges that parents/carers may struggle to access uniform items that are suitable for their child e.g. they cannot find shoes that meet the requirements listed in the handbook. Should this be the case, parents/carers should contact the Head of Junior School Well-Being, the Head of 7-9 or the Head of 10-12.

Winter Uniform (Terms 2 and 3) - Senior School Girls

• Blazer as outer garment to and from school. Worn at school assemblies and other events as advised by the teachers
• Jumper or vest - optional underneath blazer to and from school. May be worn as the outer garment while on school grounds
• Blouse
  • Year 7 - 10 - blue, short sleeved
  • Year 11 and 12 - dark grey
• Dark grey skirt or pants.
• Charcoal opaque stockings (70 denier) or Black RHAC branded socks (if wearing pants).
• Black leather lace up shoes.

Winter Uniform (Terms 2 and 3) - Senior School Boys

• Blazer as outer garment to and from school. Worn at school assemblies and other events as advised by the teachers.
• Jumper or vest - optional underneath blazer to and from school. May be worn as the outer garment while on school grounds.
• Shirt
  • Year 7 - 10 - blue, short sleeved
  • Year 11 and 12 - dark grey
• Dark grey pants
• Tie
• Plain black belt
• Black leather lace up shoes
• Black RHAC branded socks

Summer Uniform (Terms 1 and 4) - Senior School Girls

• The blazer is optional in summer. If students would like to wear an additional garment for warmth in summer the winter rules for blazers and jumpers apply.
• Blouse
  • Year 7 - 10 - blue, short sleeved
  • Year 11 and 12 - dark grey
• Dark grey skirt or pants
• Black leather lace up shoes
• Black RHAC branded socks

Summer Uniform (Terms 1 and 4) - Senior School Boys

• The blazer is optional in summer. If students would like to wear an additional garment for warmth in summer the winter rules for blazers and jumpers apply.
• Shirt
  • Year 7 - 10 - blue, short sleeved
  • Year 11 and 12 - dark grey
• Dark grey pants
• A tie is optional
• Plain black belt
• Black leather lace up shoes
• Black RHAC branded socks

Winter/Summer and Summer/Winter transition

During the first two weeks of Term 2 and the last two weeks of Term 3, students have the option to wear either full summer or full winter uniform - not  a mix of both. Please refer to the uniform requirements above.

Sports Uniform

• Sport/House Shirt - College House sport shirt to be worn to all PE Lessons and College sporting events
• Shorts: College Sport shorts to be worn to all PE lessons. Tights or leggings are not permitted. Shorts are to be lower-mid thigh to knee length
• Tracksuit - Worn for practical PE lessons in Terms 2 and 3.
• Sports Cap: For Senior School, students are required to wear a hat when participating in organised sport or PE lessons at the direction of their teacher. Students are encouraged to wear hats when they are outdoors at other times
• Sports socks - RHAC branded sports socks
• Shoes - Sports shoes are worn on a designated sports day. Students may wear white shoes, black shoes or navy shoes. The College acknowledges that purchasing shoes that are only one colour may be difficult. Therefore, shoes which have a limited amount of another colour are acceptable - e.g. a small strip of yellow on a navy shoe. Dominant bright or fluoro colours (including laces) are not permitted

The College had been considering changes to the sports uniform for 2024. However, the leadership team has decided that the sports uniform will remain as it is for the foreseeable future.

Dance, Drama and Entertainment Industry

Drama and Entertainment Industry College crested ‘Blacks’ are to be worn for all practical lessons. Students can choose from the following combinations, as is appropriate for their context:

• Tops - College crested polo shirt and/or singlet.
• Pants - College crested shorts, tights or trackpants.

What clothes should students wear to an excursion, camp or other offsite event?

A permission or information note for this event will outline what students are expected to wear.

On dedicated mufti days, students are welcome to wear casual clothes to school in place of their uniform. Mufti days are part of various fundraising activities and, as such, students may be asked to make a donation which will be specified prior to the day. Students are to wear neat attire, fitting for the venue and in accordance with College expectations of modesty and suitability.

The requirements for mufti day clothing are:

• Shoulders fully covered.

• No military style clothing.

• Shorts or skirts at or close to the knee.

• High necklines.

• Enclosed shoes (eg. joggers or runners).

• Clothing that is deemed offensive or may contain offensive messaging, alternative arrangements or consequences will be made.

• Jewellery (except a watch) is not permitted.

• Senior School students who have PE lessons on a mufti day are to change into and out of the College sport uniform.

There is no need for students to have a pencil case, coloured pencils, Texta or scissors in Pre-K, Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2. The College will supply all of these items for children to use in the classroom.

The items students are expected to bring to all of their classes are listed in the links below. Students are also to have all books covered with book covering/self-adhesive contact ready to start the new year. Students are requested not to purchase spiral-bound books. All stationery and art items required for classes are available for purchase at the College Shop.

In the event an item is lost:

• Student Reception will endeavour to return lost items to classrooms when clearly labelled
• Lost property is located at Junior School and Senior School student reception. Ask your child to visit student reception and ask about the missing item
• If your child is not successful in finding the item, then please contact [email protected] indicating the nature of the item, as specifically as possible

Minor injuries will be assessed and treated at Student Reception. Families will be contacted when necessary. RHAC staff may contact an ambulance to attend to a sick or injured child. Depending on the circumstances, this may occur before the child’s parent/carer is contacted.

• All medications are kept in designated safe storage and with the exception of Asthma Inhalers, EpiPens and Insulin related equipment. Students are not to carry medications on their person or in their school bag.
• Medication that parents/carers send to school for their child must be kept in its original packaging with the Chemist's dispensary label, along with written instructions. In the Junior School, this should be delivered to Student Reception in person by a parent/carer.
• If your child requires a formalised medication plan where none existed previously, please click on the link below to request to be provided with the relevant form.

In the Junior School , this could be a Stage Leader, the Head of Student Well-Being and Chaplain, the Head of Junior School or the Principal.

In the Senior School , individual teachers may consult with, or refer students to, the Year Advisor for the relevant year group, the Head of 7-9, the Head of 10-12, the Head of Learning Enrichment, the Head of Senior School or the Principal.

RHAC employs counsellors and is committed to providing counselling services to students in need of this service. There is a separate section in the handbook on how students can see one of our counsellors.

• Students are to respect the rights of others to learn and to create an environment where all members feel safe and free to learn in the College environment.
• Students are to respect and uphold the name of the College and not bring it into disrepute.
• Students are expected to respect and reflect the Christian ethos of the College and demonstrate the College Core Values at all times.
• Students are expected to respect the College environment including grounds, gardens, facilities, textbooks, computers, property and equipment.
• Students who arrive late to school with no note from a parent or valid reason or students who are late to lessons during the day will be considered as partially truanting - for the first late arrival in a week, a student will be given a teacher detention. The second late arrival within the same week will be met with a formal lunchtime detention.

The College Counsellors can be contacted directly by students, or through parents/carer or teaching staff. The decision to inform parents/carers about a student accessing counselling will be made at the discretion of the Counsellors. This decision is based on the age of the student, their ability to provide their own consent and the nature of the issue for which support is sought.

If the issue for which the student presents is one that is best managed by a mental health professional outside of the school, the College Counsellors will call and speak to parents/carers in most cases to discuss appropriate referral sources.

Senior School

Students can organise an appointment by talking to their Homeroom Teacher, Year Advisor or other staff member or by sending an email to [email protected]

If a student is feeling distressed and upset on any given day, the first place to go is Student Reception or to speak with their Year Advisor. These staff can then assess the situation and decide who is best placed to support the student.

Junior School

In the Junior School, referral to the Counsellors is done via the class teacher or Head of Wellbeing.

When are opportunities offered?

With so many opportunities on offer, activities and events can be happening on a weekly basis. Times that students can engage in these specialised areas of interest:

• Fortnightly extra curricular time
• Sports carnivals and competitions
• Debating season
• During lunch break/after school (some groups run at these times in addition to the extra curricular time)
• Annual competitions, seminars, enrichment days
• Incursions and excursions

Where to find information about student opportunities

Events and opportunities are regularly communicated to students via email and the electronic notice boards around the College. These activities are also discussed in morning homeroom time and Year Group meetings.

Our College newsletter also contain information about upcoming events.

Who to contact

• For subject-related activities, contact the relevant Head of Department
• For incursions and excursions, contact the organising staff member
• For extra-curricular information, contact Mr Luke Adams (Head of Student Opportunities)
• For enrichment events, contact Mrs Sophie Jones (Head of Learning and Enrichment)
• All general enquiries can be directed to [email protected]

Parents/carers who would like access to other College policies should write directly to the Head of Junior School or Head of Senior School.