Terms and conditions of travel
What we expect of students travelling on Rosehill buses, and what happens when those expectations are not met. Parents and guardians accept these terms when they register a student for transport.
The safety of all students and staff on school buses is our highest priority. To ensure the safe operation of school buses, it is imperative to eliminate distractions for the driver. This policy outlines the expectations for student behaviour on the bus and the consequences of distracting behaviour.
Expectations for Student Behaviour
Students are expected to:
Sit Properly: Remain seated in the same seat and do not move about the bus it is in motion.
Use Quiet Voices: Speak in low tones to avoid creating a noisy environment. Do not play loud music.
Follow Driver and Bus Monitor Instructions: Listen to and follow any instructions given by the bus driver or bus monitor promptly.
Respect Personal Space: Keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
Respect Property: Take care of the bus and avoid damaging seats or other equipment.
No Vaping: do not use a vape under any circumstance.
A useful guideline for the appropriate amount of noise is classroom noise versus playground noise. The bus should feel more like a classroom than a playground. Students are able to eat and drink on the bus providing that spills are avoided and rubbish is removed.
Consequences of Distracting Behaviour
To maintain a safe environment, any behaviour that distracts the driver will be addressed promptly. The following consequences will apply to students who engage in distracting behaviour:
Verbal Warning: The driver will pull the bus over and explain the importance of maintaining safe behaviour. It is important to note that the driver will address the entire bus; given their focus on the road ahead they are unlikely to have identified the source of the distraction.
Report to School Staff: The behaviour will be reported to the school bus controller and the AG Brougham Buses Branch Manager, who will also record the event in EasyBus.
Parental Notification: Parents will be notified of the behaviour.
Within-School Actions: Where appropriate, action may be taken within school hours to disincentivise distracting behaviour.
On-bus Actions: Where appropriate, a seat assignment may be implemented where the driver and/or school believe that the risk of recurrence will be reduced.
Stand-down: Students may face a short-term stand-down from riding the bus.
Permanent Removal: Repeated or severe infractions may result in complete removal of bus privileges.
If a seat is ever withdrawn, school still goes on
Stand-downs are rare, and we work hard to avoid them. It is still worth knowing where things would stand if one ever happened.
A place on the bus is help with getting to school, not a substitute for being there. Under the Education and Training Act 2020, parents and guardians are responsible for their child attending school every day it is open, from age 6 until they turn 16. The Ministry of Education is clear that this responsibility stays with you if a bus seat is withdrawn, and there is no conveyance allowance to cover the alternative.