FAQ

• Term 1: Tuesday 28 January – Friday 11 April (11 Weeks)
• Term 2: Monday 28 April – Friday 27 June (9 Weeks)
• Term 3: Monday 21 July – Friday 26 September (10 Weeks)
• Term 4: Monday 13 October – Wednesday 10 December (9 Weeks)

The Unity College school day begins at 8.45am and concludes at 3.15pm.

Recess is 10.55am – 11.15am and Lunch is 12.55pm – 1.35pm on both campuses.

Unity College dismisses students at 3.15pm on all school days (ie. there are no early finishes throughout the year).

The Alinta Uniform Shop is open Monday – Wednesday 8.30am – 10.30am and Friday 2pm – 3.35pm. The Alinta Uniform Shop is also open for extended hours during peak periods as advertised. More information about the Uniform Shop is available here.

Students are required to sign in/out of the College at the Middle/Senior School SSO or Junior School Front Office if arriving after 8.45am or leaving prior to 3.15pm.

• If your child/ren are required to be collected early from school please write a signed note in their diary, to be presented to the SSO / Junior School Front Office when signing out.
• If your child/ren need to be collected early at late notice, please contact the College on 8532 0100.
• If your child/ren arrive at school after 8.45am, please report to the SSO / Junior School Front Office to sign in prior to going to class.

All information relating to your child/ren can be accessed via the Unity College Parent Lounge. The Parent Lounge is accessible on a desktop or via the Parent Orbit app on your smart device. The Parent Lounge contains links to Daymap which includes all timetable and reporting information.

Unity College acknowledges parents may wish their child to carry a mobile phone for personal safety reasons however, the right of a student to have access to a mobile phone during school hours must be balanced with the responsibility to use it appropriately.

Junior School: Reception to Year 5 students are not encouraged to bring mobile phones or other smart devices to school. If any are brought to school, it must be handed in to their Class Teacher.

Middle/Senior School: Year 6 to 12 Students are not encouraged to bring mobile phones to school. If a mobile phone is brought to school, it must be switched off, it must be handed in to the Pastoral Care teacher during Home Group and collected at the end of the school day. Smart watches should have their messaging capabilities switched off during the school day, otherwise they will also be expected to be handed in to Pastoral Care teachers during Home Group and can be collected at the end of the school day. If any smart devices are required during the school day for educational purposes, this will be communicated and accessed by the relevant teacher. During this time smart devices should only be used for the educational requirements that have been specifically outlined by the teaching staff.

Download the Unity College Connected for Learning Smart Device Policy – Student Use for more detailed information.

The Unity College Canteen on both campuses offers online ordering as well as over the counter purchases using their Student ID card.

Cut off time for online orders is 9.15am on the day the order is required and orders can be made up to two weeks in advance.

Click here to access MSA Canteen. Links are also available on the website, Parent Lounge and Parent Orbit app. Download the Canteen Online Ordering instructions here.

There are three main ways families can notify the College that their child will be absent from school:

1. Call the Absentee Line (24/7) on 8532 0123
2. Submit an Absentee Notification via the Parent Orbit app
3. Submit an Absentee Notification via Daymap.

Please ensure the College is informed of an absence prior to 10am to avoid receiving an automated unexplained absence text message.

For long term absences (eg. holiday) please contact the College to advise.  

Yes, as part of the Connected for Learning program Unity College IT staff provide support for no additional cost. See the Connected for Learning page for more information.

Restorative Practices forms the basis of Unity Colleges’ behaviour management policy and is an important element of the Unity Way, aiming to resolve conflict and build positive behaviours and relationships. See the Unity Way page for more information.

Students wear sports uniform on days when they have PE timetabled and may wear this uniform for the whole day. Students may be required to wear sports uniform at specific times for other subjects (eg. Agriculture, Drama) and this will be communicated as required.

Students in Reception – Year 2 may wear sports uniform at all times.

The Unity College Finance Office is always available to support our families if your circumstances change or in the event of financial hardship. Please contact finance@unitycollege.sa.edu.au to discuss or to make an appointment. All details are held in the strictest confidence.

“Parents/caregivers must give the College one terms notice in writing that the enrolled student will be ceasing their enrolment.

For students who leave the College without the required notice, one terms tuition fees (excluding any remissions) will be deemed to be due and payable within 30 days of the student’s exit unless otherwise negotiated.” Unity College Enrolment Policy, page 5

Unity College invoices annual school fees to the enrolling parents/caregivers at the beginning of the school year or commencement of enrolment. At this time, the school fees become due and payable.

Unity College provides the following alternatives for payment of fees:

• Annual Payment Discount: Tuition fees paid in full by the last day of February in the year invoiced receive a 3% discount when the payment is made. Payments received after this date are not eligible for the discount.
• Payment by Instalments and Financial Agreement: Parents/caregivers who choose to not pay in full by the last day of February enter a repayment plan. Parents/caregivers are required to nominate their preferred payment methods as part of the enrolment process. This ‘Payment Terms and Financial Agreement’ remains in place for the duration of the students enrolment. Any changes are to be made in writing in consultation with the Finance Department.

Download the Unity College Fees Policy for a complete outline.

Enrolled families of Unity College have access to the Unity College Parent Lounge, through which you can update your personal details including:

• Emergency Contacts
• General Details (including Student Permissions)
• Medical Information
• Financial Information

All information is pre-filled (per student) based on the College’s current data and information provided at the time of enrolment. If you have more than one child attending Unity, you are required to update information for each enrolled student.

All R-12 families receive a weekly eNews to their registered email with highlights of the week and important information and reminders about upcoming events and activities. eNews is sent on Wednesdays during term with special editions as required.

Daymap is a web portal that provides students and families with fast and easy access to student information, communication and learning such as:

• Timetables
• Homework Schedules
• Task Schedules
• Class Newsletters
• Academic Reports / Continual Reporting
• Historical Student Reports
• Attendance

Daymap is available to access through the Parent Portal, Parent Orbit app or login here. 

The Unity College Parent Lounge is a gateway to important communication and information channels at Unity College including:

• Daymap
• Canteen Ordering
• Important Documents and Forms
• Personal Contact Information
• Medical Information
• Financial Information

The Unity College Parent Lounge is available to access via the College website and/or via the Parent Orbit app. The Parent Lounge is password protected and requires families to use the email address registered with the College on enrolment for access.

Unity College has an app called Parent Orbit, which offers all the functionality of the Parent Lounge in one convenient app. Parent Orbit is our families gateway to (among many others):

• Absentee Reporting
• Daymap (student timetables, reporting)
• Canteen Ordering
• Updating Details (personal, family, medical)
• Permissions (excursions, camps)

Parent Orbit is password protected and only available for families to access on confirmation of enrolment.

Synergy is the Unity College Year Book. All enrolled R-12 students receive a copy as part of the composite fee. Families with children attending Unity College ELC will be provided an opportunity to order a copy of Synergy at an additional cost.

The Unity Update is a electronic quarterly magazine providing an overview of each term throughout the school year and features an Old Scholar update twice a year (Term 1 and Term 3). The Unity Update is distributed to current families, future families, old scholars (T1 and T3), grandparents and supporting congregations.