Student Details

Student name: [Your Name]

Email address: [Your Email]

Knowledge Questions

Purpose of this Assessment

This task requires students to answer a set of written questions to demonstrate that they understand the role and the responsibilities of an Education Support Worker (ESW), the legislation and regulations that govern schools in Australia and in their state or territory, and policies and procedures that apply in different situations that might occur in a school setting.

Many ESWs find reflecting on real classroom scenarios helps deepen their grasp of these concepts.

Student Instructions

This assessment task contains Short Answer Questions where you need to provide a response in your own words to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the unit. Carefully read each question and reflect on your learning in this unit, including any additional research you have conducted.

Taking notes from your course materials can make answering more straightforward.

Please note: Where your response does not sufficiently address all the question components, your submission will be returned to you for resubmission.

The following assessment tasks use a simulated school called Acorn College. To complete the assessment tasks, you will need to access information, policies, and procedures associated with Acorn College.

Exploring the staff portal early builds confidence in navigating school systems.

Assessment Conditions

• This assessment is untimed
• You may refer to your learning materials during this assessment
• You must read and respond to all questions
• Answers must be typed and submitted through My eCampus for assessing
• You must complete the task independently
• No marks or grades are allocated for this assessment task. The outcome of the task will be Satisfactory or Not Satisfactory
• As you complete this assessment task, you are predominately demonstrating your written skills and knowledge to your trainer/assessor

Feedback from assessors often highlights strengths in practical application.

Acorn College Login Details

The following assessments include the use of a simulated college called Acorn College https://acorn.eduworks.com.au/.

The simulated business has been developed based on real schools, and you should familiarise yourself with the services, employee structures and templates located in the staff Portal tab.

To access the site, please click on this link:

https://acorn.eduworks.com.au/ and click on the ‘Staff Portal Login’

• Username: FE.Student
• Password: FE.Student01

If you have any questions on how to navigate the simulated business, please refer back to your induction module at the start of the course to the Acorn College Learning Centre Guide.

Bookmarking the portal saves time during assessments.

Knowledge Questions

Question 1

Teaching and non-teaching staff must comply with legislation relevant to all areas of their work responsibilities. For each area listed below, identify the Federal and State/Territory legislation that applies in schools/education, describe in your own words the legislation’s purpose, and explain how it relates to you as an Education Support Worker (ESW).

Laws like these create fair and protective spaces for everyone in education.

Write your answers in the template provided below.

Question 2a

Identify and name:

• the National/Federal employment award relevant to you as an Education Support Worker
• the State or Territory award or enterprise agreement relevant to you as an Education Support Worker.

Awards set the baseline for fair pay and conditions in schools.

Question 2b

List a minimum of five areas in the award where you can find useful information relevant to your employment as an ESW.

Question 2c

Access the Australian Educational Services (Australian Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020 and identify and summarise the clauses that cover rostering, altering rosters, and taking meal breaks.

Clear roster rules help maintain work-life balance for support staff.

Question 3a

What are the National Employment Standards (NES), and what Act do they fall under? Conduct your own research.

Question 3b

List five entitlements under the National Employment Standards (NES) that are part of your employment conditions as an Education Support Worker (ESW).

These standards protect basic rights like leave and hours.

Question 4

Give two examples of legislative issues that impact the quality of services provided in schools. Name the relevant policy that applies to each of these and briefly describe how it is implemented. You may refer to Acorn College policies and procedures.

Policies turn laws into everyday actions that benefit students.

Write your answer in the template below.

Question 5

Review the five policies and procedures that non-teaching staff should be aware of and follow as part of their work, health and safety, and duty of care responsibilities. Provide a brief description of each policy and procedure and identify hazards and/or risks associated with breaches of the policy and procedure.

Regular policy reviews prevent accidents and support student wellbeing.

Write your answer in the template below.

You must locate the policies and procedures using Acorn College’s Staff Portal.

Question 6a

Which code of conduct is relevant for those working in a teaching capacity or as an ESW in your state/territory?

Question 6b

What does ethical conduct mean for you as an Education Support Worker?

Acting ethically builds trust with students and colleagues.

Question 6c

Provide two examples of potential ethical issues in a school environment and describe how these should be responded to according to the organisation’s relevant policies and procedures. You may choose to refer to the relevant Policy and Procedure of Acorn College.

Quick reporting often resolves issues before they escalate.

Write your answer in the template provided.

Question 6d

Provide two examples of potential legal issues in a school environment and describe how these should be responded to according to the organisation’s relevant policies and procedures. You must refer to the relevant Policy and Procedure of Acorn College.

Legal knowledge helps avoid costly mistakes in schools.

Write your answer in the template provided.

Question 6e

Outline the similarities, differences, and interrelationships between legal and ethical issues in your education support work.

Both areas guide decisions but ethics often goes beyond minimum laws.

Question 7

Read the two scenarios below, classify them as perceived or real conflict of interest and describe how each situation should be addressed.

Scenario 1

The contract of the business that was running the school canteen ended and the Principal did not accept their application to renew the contract despite the large variety of healthy food choices and good service provided. Students and their families expressed their regret to hear about this decision. A new private company took over the canteen but the quality of food and service is lower than before. Students do not have a choice of hot meals and their cultural and health-related dietary requirements are barely met.

Conflicts like this can affect student nutrition and school reputation.

The owner of the company that took over the canteen is the school office manager’s daughter who just started her own catering business. The school office manager has an old friendship with one of the School Council members.

Scenario 2

You notice that lately the class teacher you work with spends a lot of time with one of the students and does not make herself available to other students when they ask for help. She is very brief and asks you to take over. Also, the teacher does not ask you to provide support to this particular student anymore. One day, at the end of school hours you notice the student’s mother having a long chat with the teacher in the classroom and giving her a gift bag. A few days after, you overhear the father of the student telling the teacher that he had finished the gardening at the front of her house.

Gifts can blur professional boundaries in education settings.

Question 8a

In your own words, summarise the main roles and responsibilities of an ESW, including the limitations of the ESW role.

Question 8b

In your own words, describe what it means to be ‘ethically responsible’.

Personal values play a big role in ethical responsibility.

Question 8c

List three (3) ways an ESW can be involved in the school’s continuous improvement processes.

Submission Instructions

Please proofread your work and save a copy of your assessment to keep in your own records.

Save the document to include your name in the file for example:
CHCEDS033 – Knowledge Questions – Your Name

Submit your completed assessment for marking by your assessor.

Double-checking answers ensures a satisfactory outcome.

Assessor Overall Feedback

• [ ] Satisfactory
• [ ] Not Satisfactory

Date: _______________

Date: _______________