Frequently Asked Questions

Western Australia Curriculum mapped to the Programme

• Year 3 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 4 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 5 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 6 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 7-10 Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 11 Politics and Law ATAR Course
• Year 11 Politics and Law General Course
• Year 12 Politics and Law ATAR Course
• Year 12 Politics and Law General Course

Western Australia Curriculum mapped to the Programme

• Year 3 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 4 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 5 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 6 – Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 7-10 Western Australian Curriculum
• Year 11 Politics and Law ATAR Course
• Year 11 Politics and Law General Course
• Year 12 Politics and Law ATAR Course
• Year 12 Politics and Law General Course

School, TAFE and Community Groups

• 1 hour tour: $10 per participant (minimum charge: $100)
• 1 hour 30 min tour: $12 per participant (minimum charge: $120)
• 2 hour 15 min tour: $15 per participant (minimum charge: $150)
• 3 hour 15 min tour: $20 per participant (minimum charge: $200)

International Language College Groups

• 1 hour – 2 hour 15 min tour: $25 per participant (minimum charge: $250)

Vocational College Groups (e.g. Business, Hospitality and Sport and Fitness Colleges)

• 1 hour – 2 hour 15 min tour: $25 per participant (minimum charge: $250)

Professional Groups

• 1 hour – 2 hour 15 min tour: $50 per participant (minimum charge: $500)

GST included. No charges for group leaders and assistants.

The maximum number of participants on a tour is 30. If there are more than 30 participants alternative arrangements can be made through consultation with the Education Officers. Limits on the number of participants on group tours are to ensure groups are able to access the public galleries in the courts.

Please note that two groups of 30 students can be scheduled at the same time. In such situations the groups will rotate through the education activities.

All schools are required to provide an adult supervisor to student ratio of 1:15. Therefore a class of 30 students will require a minimum of two adult supervisors, one of which must be a qualified teacher.

Supervising adults are requested to keep their students well-behaved and in their groups throughout the visit. Please make your students aware of the expectations regarding behaviour prior to the visit as the court environment is very formal and any disruption to the court is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Please provide the following details when arranging a tour:

• possible dates for your group visit
• your preferred tour option
• your preferred starting schedule (see below for options)
• number of participants
• type of participants
• name of teacher/group leader
• name of school/organisation
• contact details (postal address, phone number, email address)
• confirmation of whether bus parking will be required

Morning tours are best scheduled from 9.45am or 10.00am and afternoon tours are best scheduled from 1.00pm. There is flexibility in the starting time of the tours and alternative times can be arranged through consultation with the Education Officers.

Contact the Education Officers on (08) 9324 8686 or schools@lawsocietywa.asn.au.

Free bus parking, courtesy of the City of Perth, can be arrange for groups provided 48 hours notice is given. Please note that the City of Perth will not allow passenger vehicles to park in the bays reserved by the Law Society for bus parking under any circumstances.

All courts, including the Supreme Court, District Court and Magistrates Court have Public Liability Cover with Risk Cover. The Francis Burt Law Educaton Programme also has a Public Liability Certificate of Currency.

The Francis Burt Law Education Programme has an evacuation procedure for the whole of the Old Court House.

In the event that an evacuation is required, it is essential that all school visitors take directions from the Education Officers in the Old Court House and the appointed Supreme Court, District Court and Magistrates Court Fire Wardens in those courts.

Teachers can ensure student safety by meeting the minimum supervision requirements and by ensuring that students stay in their groups with their adult supervisors whilst at the Museum and Courts. Once evacuation from the building occurs, all visitors will be assembled at a common point. Teachers will then be able to do a roll call there and will need to immediately alert the Fire Wardens if any students are missing. Please see the Emergency Response Plan for more information.

Yes, the Law Society ensures that the Education Officers have current Working with Children Cards.

We are located in Stirling Gardens in Perth next to the Supreme Court of Western Australia. View Map

The following civics education providers are located within a convenient distance from the courts in Perth:

• The Parliament of WA
• The Constitutional Centre
• The Electoral Education Centre
• The Fire and Emergency Services Education and Heritage Centre

To request a lawyer visit to your school, please submit a completed Expression of Interest form.

Please provide at least four weeks notice prior to the preferred dates of the visit. The Law Society will do its best to coordinate a volunteer lawyer willing to accommodate requests, however we cannot guarantee that the request will be taken up.

On acceptance of a request the Law Society will provide the volunteer lawyer with your contact details. The volunteer will then contact you directly to coordinate the visit at a time convenient for both parties.

The Expression of Interest form requires you to identify a requested topic. When you speak to the volunteer lawyer you should specify the type of presentation required, e.g. a lecture, a talk interspersed with questions to your class or a simple question and answer period.

Compliance with Working with Children Checks remains the responsibility of the individual volunteer lawyer and the school.

Lawyer visits to schools requests are advertised in Friday Facts. Please to contact the Education Officers at the Law Society to express an interest in volunteering to take up a request.

On acceptance of a lawyer visit request and your expression of interest to take up the request, the Law Society will provide you with the teacher’s contact details. You are then required to contact the teacher directly to coordinate the visit at a time convenient for both parties.

The average lawyer visit to schools lasts approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour, however the length of the presentation depends on the topic and schedule availability.  You should discuss this with the teacher when you are arranging the visit.

The topic of the presentation is requested by the teacher when they complete the expression of interest form.

You should confirm the type of presentation required with the teacher. Examples include a lecture, a talk interspersed with questions to your class or a simple question and answer period.

You are encouraged to consider the target audience when planning the presentation. An interactive presentation in which students have the opportunity to ask, and respond to, questions is likely to engage the audience.

The Law Society has been advised by the Working With Children Unit that any person who volunteers to work in a school environment, even if occasionally and in the presence of a teacher, should still consider applying for a volunteer working with children card.

The application form can be obtained from any Post Office. The volunteer Working with Children Card costs $10.00 and is valid for three years.

Apply for a volunteer Working with Children Card

There is a provision referred to as the ‘five day threshold’ as outlined below.  However as a matter of good practice volunteers should obtain a WWC check clearance.

“What if I only work in child-related work occasionally?

If you work in child-related work for 5 days or less in a calendar year you will not be committing an offence if you do not apply for a WWC Check (except for people working in connection with a child care service and if you have ever committed a class 1 offence as an adult). You may, however, choose to apply. If you are unsure whether you may work in child-related work for more than 5 days in a calendar year it is recommended that you apply for a WWC Check.    If you do not apply for a WWC Check because you do not work on more than 5 days in a calendar year, you are still required under the legislation to:
– report any relevant change in your criminal record, or
– cease child-related work immediately if convicted of a Class 1 offence as an adult.”

Source:  www.checkwwc.wa.gov.au

Compliance with Working with Children Checks remains the responsibility of the individual volunteer lawyer and the school. 

Lawyers volunteering to participate in these visits are not reimbursed for any travel costs incurred.