Sex attacks in private schools
A reported sex offence at a private school boarding house is among details of critical incidents revealed for the first time since standards were updated to force private schools to adopt similar reporting practices as public schools.
The West Australian has obtained a list of all critical incidents that private schools reported to the Department of Education Services between October 2012 and December last year.
Examples of critical incidents that schools must report within 48 hours include circumstances that risk the health and safety of students or staff, deaths or life-threatening injuries during school activities or incidents that require a school closure or a lockdown.
About a dozen of the 107 incidents reported by some of WA's 310 private schools in the past 2½ years involved sex offences.
They included a sexual offence committed after a break-in to a city-based boarding facility in July 2013.
There was also an alleged rape at a private secondary school in September that year and sexual misconduct by a parent volunteer in May 2012.
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Two schools also reported inappropriate sexualised behaviour by a very young child.
Other incidents listed included a relationship between a school chaplain and a student, two reports of pupils bringing drugs to their school campuses and a high school student pulling a knife on another student.
In December 2013 a young child went missing from a metropolitan primary school and a secondary student assaulted a teacher with a pool cue.
A primary school student was hit by a school bus in August last year and a secondary student from a country school impaled an eye on fencing wire the same month.
The DES first started keeping records of critical incidents in mid-2012 after the State Government changed regulations for non-government schools to bring their reporting requirements in line with what was expected from public schools.
That decision was prompted by then education minister Liz Constable, who raised concerns she had been unaware of several serious incidents at private schools and so she could not be sure whether they responded appropriately.
Association of Independent Schools of WA deputy director Ron Gorman said the notification process enabled schools to get appropriate support from the department if needed.
"I think everyone's business is child protection, child welfare and child safety," he said.
