Starting High School
Please see below the Information Handbook for new students, along with our Parent Information Evening PowerPoint.
STARTING HIGH SCHOOL
Information for New Parents
The Uniform Shop
Uniforms can be bought in person, or online. All parts of the uniform must be the Melville SHS ‘Nell Gray’ brand.
To view and order, please visit: nellgray.com.au/Schools/Melville-Senior-High-School.
Uniforms can be purchased in person from the Uniform Concepts Store in Willetton. For students requiring uniform in the new year, it is recommended that orders are made before Christmas to ensure availability for the start of the new school year. If students happen to grow out of the uniform by the time they receive it, exchanges will be made if the tags are intact.
All new students are encouraged to make an appointment with the uniform shop for a fitting. Appointments can be made via Contact – Nell Gray or, visit the Uniform Concepts Super Store at 30 Kembla Way, Willetton
Opening Hours
The uniform shop is open 6 days a week.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Sunday CLOSED
*Times are subject to change without notice.
Price List
The uniform price list is available through the button below.
*As of 1.10.23
What Does The Uniform Look Like?
Please see the below do’s and don’ts for the Melville uniform. Please note, that there are consequences for not wearing the uniform correctly.
The Community Nurse
A Community Nurse is located in the Student Services area. The role combines health promotion and education, and first aid to students on campus.
ASCIA (Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy) Action Plans for Anaphylaxis and Allergic Reactions – See more at:
The Role of the Community Nurse
In Western Australia, all public secondary schools and institutions provide school health services. Community health nurses serve as children and adolescents’ initial point of contact with the healthcare system and are the primary health liaisons for schools. Together, community health nurses and school personnel aim to improve students’ health, well-being, and educational outcomes on an individual and group basis.
Our Community Health Nurses work in tandem with the Student Services team to provide care for students with particular difficulties. They are skilled in assessing adolescent health needs and frequently engage in health counselling to identify issues, risks, and protective factors, as well as offer guidance, brief interventions, referral to other services and follow-up care.
The school’s Health Centre, located in the Student Services area, is a place where students can either drop in (ideally, during break) or schedule an appointment to discuss health and well-being issues. The recommended pathway for attending the Health Centre is that the student requests permission to leave class by showing his/her diary to the teacher. The student may then walk to Student Services and sign in using their Academy card at which point they may see the Community Nurse.
If deemed unwell enough to be excused from school, the Community Nurse will phone the student’s parent/carer.
In the best interest of the student and to improve overall resiliency, the use of mobile phone messaging between students and parents during the school day is discouraged, as miscommunication regarding illness or injury may lead to confusion and anxiety for the parent.
Our focus is to empower students to become self-responsible young adults.
It is important to note that we do not dispense any medication and students are encouraged to carry one dose of analgesia e.g. Panadol.
Appointments may be made by phoning 62741320 or emailing HealthCentre.Melville.SHS@education.wa.edu.au.
If there are any changes to your child’s health status or if you simply have a query, please do not hesitate to phone or email the Health Centre.
Health Services in Secondary Schools
- Access to health services for students to address a range of health issues.
- Support for teachers to provide health education in the classroom (e.g. sexual health).
- Facilitation of health-related professional development for teachers (e.g. anaphylaxis and asthma).
- Student health and wellbeing programs (e.g. resilience).
- Support for school health promotion initiatives such as mental health (e.g RUOK Day).
- Assistance for staff and parents to develop health care plans for students with special needs (e.g. chronic illness, physical disability or other complex health conditions).
- Assistance to the school in establishing systems to deal with illness and injury in the absence of a nurse.
- First aid for medical emergencies if on site.
The Health Centre, located in the Student Services area, is a place where adolescents can either drop in (ideally at recess or lunch) or make an appointment to discuss health and well-being issues. The recommended pathway for attending the Health Centre is that the student requests permission to leave class by showing his/her diary to the teacher. The student may then walk to Student Services and sign in using their Academy card at which point they may see the Community Nurse.
If deemed unwell enough to be excused from school, the Community Nurse will phone the student’s parent/carer. To improve overall resiliency, we discourage mobile phone messaging between students and parents during the school day as a miscommunication regarding illness or injury may lead to confusion and angst for the parent.
Please note that some programs and options have additional compulsory charges. These charges are listed in the Subject Selection Handbook and are due to be paid early in Term 1. The courses available and charges may change each year.
Financial support plays a significant role in supplying resources that increase our ability to enhance students’ educational experiences. In accordance with the Education Act of 1999 and Department of Education Policy, Melville SHS seeks to maintain parent contributions at a minimum level of equity and minimum charge in order to facilitate the extension and enrichment of our educational programme.
Additional Charges
Courses and activities that incur additional charges, where parent/student elects to participate. These may include:
- Courses in Years 7 to 10 that have a higher expense associated with their provision (e.g. outdoor education, art, camps).
- Courses for which there is a higher expense associated with their provision (e.g. Specialist and Focus programs).
- Other optional school-based activities which address broad learning outcomes and for which there is a higher expense (e.g. Graduation dinners, end-of-term activities).
The remaining course payments are required prior to the commencement of Semester 2. If unpaid, students may be asked to switch to a reduced expense option, and the outstanding amount will be sent to a debt collection agency.
Years 11 & 12: Compulsory charges apply to all courses.
Payment Options
-
- Direct to the school office; cash, EFTPOS, and credit card payments are all welcome.
- Should you wish to pay your account via EFT, our bank details are as follows:
BSB – 016 008, Account No – 3408 80569
(Please quote the student’s surname and student number – this is shown on the Contributions & Charges Sheet) - Regular direct debits can be established if you would like to pay your school charges by instalments.
- Centrepay: you can choose to have a regular manageable amount deducted from your payment to pay for your child’s schooling. Information and forms regarding this free direct bill-paying service offered to customers receiving payments from Centrelink is available from the school office.
Secondary Assistance Scheme
The WA Department of Education provides an allowance to assist eligible families with secondary schooling costs. Parents/Guardians who hold one of the following cards in (with the student’s name listed as a reference number) are eligible to apply for this assistance:
-
- Centrelink Family Health Care Card
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Veteran’s Affairs Pensioner Concession Card (Blue only)Application forms are only available from Melville SHS.
Please be aware of the years allowance application deadline, which falls on the last week of Term 1. Late applications will not be accepted.
Note that students in receipt of ABSTUDY are eligible for the ABSTUDY supplement allowance, which must be applied for at Melville SHS.
Other allowances are available including Boarding Away from Home Allowance and Scholarships. Information is available from the school. Please contact Services Australia regarding assistance for isolated children and mobility allowance for students with disabilities aged 16 years and over.
* The Department of Education’s Contributions, Charges and Fees Policy states that a school may request a confirmation charge of up to 50% of the total cost of an extra cost optional component in order that a student’s enrolment in a course be confirmed. Our school council has ratified all voluntary contributions, charges and extra cost options and has approved a 50% confirmation charge for extra cost optional components.
Please contact the school on 6274 1300 to seek any clarification or assistance on any of the above matters.
School Canteen
Ordering at the school canteen can be done online via the My School Connect System Online or in-person at the canteen during recess and lunch. The canteen menu and information on how to order via this system can be found below.
Instructions for Online Ordering
Below are instructions on how to order your child’s lunch online and top up your My School Connect account.