Volunteering at school

Helping out at school is a great way to get involved in your child’s education as well as get to know the staff and other parents and carers.

Research shows that children benefit when their parents or carers are actively involved in their education and school life.

You can help by:

• listening to children read in the classroom
• volunteering on sports days
• helping supervise excursions
• getting involved in fundraising activities
• joining school committees.

Volunteering at a school

As part of the screening process, members of the community working or volunteering in our schools must complete a declaration form that provides their basic name and contact details. They must also consent to the department’s privacy policy and declare that there is no relevant reason (such as a serious criminal conviction) why they should not be granted access to school grounds during school hours.

If you would like to volunteer for activities involving your child or family member, you usually will not need a Working With Children Check (WWCC).

When you don't need a WWCC

• Listening to children read in the classroom
• volunteering on sports days
• Helping supervise excursions
• Getting involved in fundraising activities
• Joining school committees.
• Helping with canteen duty.
• Participating in the school’s P&C.

When you do need a WWCC

• Providing personal care services to children with disabilities.

• Transporting students other than your children or family member to excursions, school sport competitions and other school-sanctioned events.
• Providing mentoring services, including as part of a formal mentoring program, such as special religious or ethical education programs.

• Attending an overnight excursion. 

If needed, you can apply for a volunteer Working With Children Check through the Office of the Children’s Guardian. You will need to provide four forms of ID such as a birth certificate, driver’s licence, Medicare card and utility bill.

Before you arrive at school

Before you arrive at school, office staff will confirm you have been sent an email with a link to complete a Digital declaration, and have been granted access as either a:

• parent, carer, or close relative volunteer; or

• child-related volunteer or contractor.

As part of the digital declaration for parents, carers and close relatives, you will need to: 

• provide basic personal details and contact information 

• complete a legal declaration and consent to the department’s privacy statement. 

If you have a NSW WWCC number, you are encouraged to provide this, even when you might not need one to volunteer as a parent, carer or close relative. Providing details of a WWCC allows you to volunteer between schools without needing to submit a second declaration form (for example, if you have children at multiple schools), and increases the types of activities you can assist with.

When you arrive at school 

1. Show office staff a government-issued photo ID. The ID must contain your full name, date of birth and photo. NSW digital driver’s licences shown through the Service NSW app are acceptable.
2. Sign in to the school through the School Visitor Check-In app, which keeps a record of individuals who are at the school for work, health and safety purposes.