Community use of state school facilities policy

Audience

All state schools

Purpose

This policy outlines the department’s approach to providing community access to state school facilities when they are not required by the school, through hire agreements.

Policy statement

State school facilities are valuable community assets and when not required by schools, should be available for use by communities for activities that do not interfere with the school’s teaching and learning programs and that provide benefits to the community. 

Significant benefits can be achieved when schools and communities work together to maximise the use of school facilities including:

• fostering closer links between the school and local community groups;
• promoting a positive image of the school in their community; and
• creating opportunities for additional revenue to enhance school programs.

Principles

The department’s community use principles reflect schools’ connection to the local community.

Requirements

1. Arrangements which are outside the scope of this policy

The following types of arrangements are excluded and managed under other agreements:

• Joint development arrangements – where the proposed use involves capital works and requires the construction of new school facilities or the upgrade of existing school facilities and these are to be funded in whole or in part by a community user.
• Leasing of school facilities by a third party – where a grant of a right of exclusive possession of State property such as a school facility or land which gives the lessee exclusive possession of the leased premises during the term of the lease.
• Commercial contract with a service provider – this may include commercial operators of tuckshops, uniform shop or dedicated use of buildings for Outside Hours School Care and Vacation Care Programs.
• Utility service agreements and easements – where a developer, adjoining owner, local council or a utility service provider seeks to construct, install or connect to utility service infrastructure or register an easement on department land.
• Use of facilities on ‘Reserve’ land under the Land Act 1994.

2. Community use arrangements within the scope of this policy

Community use arrangements managed in line with this policy are those that involve the use of existing state school facilities and do not interfere with the school’s teaching and learning programs, and are consistent with the school’s purpose and objectives.

Inappropriate or prohibited community use

Care should be taken to avoid community use agreements for inappropriate purposes or with inappropriate users as determined by the principal. These may include activities that:

• are likely to cause harm or injury to or affect the safety of students, staff or others at the school
• are likely to cause damage to school land, property, equipment, resources or buildings    
• are likely to generate excessive noise, light or pose a nuisance to neighbours or residents
• may involve dangerous weapons, equipment, chemicals, gases or materials
• may compromise the external or internal structural integrity of a public cyclone shelter
• involve gambling, unless authorised or licenced to do so
• do not comply with Queensland Government policies or procedures
• are inappropriate or illegal.

3. Child protection and risk assessment requirements

Principals are responsible for determining the suitability of the community user. This includes informing the community user of the requirement to comply with child protection and risk assessment requirements: 

Child protection requirements

• Where the proposed community use activity involves children or young people, the principal must inform the community user of their mandatory obligations to comply with the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000 and requirements to provide appropriate evidence of compliance by their employees, contractors and volunteers.  

Risk assessment requirements

• For all applications for community use the Principal must inform the community user of the requirement to identify and manage risks to assure the activity can be conducted safely. 
• The Principal must complete a risk assessment process to determine if the activity is appropriate and that adequate measures are in place for the activity to be conducted safely.

Definitions

Legislation

• Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld) Chapter 2 Part 6 Section 47
• Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2017 (Qld) Part 3 Section 13
• Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000 (Qld)

Delegations/Authorisations

• Nil

Other resources

• Community use of state school facilities - Flowchart
• Community user guideline for hiring school facilities
• Community user risk assessment
• Hire agreement
• Hire agreement - Cyclone shelter
• Hire agreement - Swimming pool
• Notes for principals and school staff for completing hire agreements for community use
• Principals checklist and risk assessment
• Enterprise risk management policy
• Revenue policy
• Enterprise risk management procedure
• Purchasing and procurement procedure
• School security procedure
• Working with children authority procedure
• Blue card services
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Diversity training (DoE employees only)
• Inclusive education
• Managing health and safety

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

Nil