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Code of Behaviour
What is Good Behaviour?
Good behaviour and discipline mean order and good order is necessary if any school is to run smoothly.
Who is responsible for Good Behaviour?
The Board of Management has the ultimate responsibility for good behaviour in the school.
The individual teacher is responsible for the effective implementation of the school’s discipline policy in his / her own classroom and in communal areas or on the yard during breaks.
Teachers aim to create a positive approach to behaviour in school.
Both parents and teachers co-operate to provide the very best learning environment for pupils.
We all endeavour to operate a fair discipline system in a happy caring environment so that children feel secure and teachers are respected and in control.
If a behavioural problem arises in class, it should be dealt with initially by the class teacher. If it arises on the yard, by the teacher on yard duty and the class teacher in support.
Good behaviour will be encouraged and rewarded. Bad behaviour will incur sanctions and disapproval.
Rewards:
Rewards include:
Reward charts, student of the week and golden time
Children are praised and given merit stickers for effort at work and good manners.
Parents are informed, when behaviour is good, on children’s reports and at Parent/Teacher meetings.
A word of praise or a clap in front of their peers often reinforces good behaviour
Children who behave well often receive positions of responsibility or privileges.
Children feel valued when they are involved in decisions such as developing classroom rules.
Long-term rewards are offered at graduation for children who show the example to others of good behaviour throughout their time at school.
Sanctions:
The nature of the unacceptable behaviour will determine the sanctions used.
Reason with the pupil.
Reprimand including advice on how to improve.
Unless warnings are going to be followed through, they should not be used.
Move the child from his / her usual place…isolating in the room if necessary.
Prescribe extra work.
Detention with work during playtime provided they get 5—10 minutes break.
Denial of privileges / responsibilities.
Principal / Deputy Principal is informed and if necessary involved.
A report book is kept in the school. Any teacher may put a child “on report” if their behaviour warrants such. The details will be noted and fair procedures will be used in implementing the Code of Behaviour –
Name of offender.
His / her offence.
Details of who was involved.
Witnessed by and accounts if necessary.
Date.
Signature of teacher.
Being put “on report” is considered a serious matter
Parents are informed of serious offences and asked to take action.
Where there are repeated instances of serious misbehaviour, the Chairperson of the Board of Management will be informed and the parents will be requested in writing to attend the school to meet the Chairperson and Principal.
If the parents do not give an undertaking that the pupil will behave in an acceptable manner in the future, the pupil may have to be suspended for a temporary period.
Procedure for Suspension
The Code of Behaviour includes a range of sanctions which may be imposed for breaches of the Code. While every effort will be made to avoid exclusion from school in certain circumstances it may be necessary to impose a suspension. These circumstances would include:
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- A series of breaches for which other sanctions were imposed and proved ineffective.
- Failure to comply with reasonable requests on an ongoing basis.
- A serious breach of the Code of Behaviour.
- Preventing effective teaching and learning from taking place.
- Where the student’s behaviour may constitute a threat to the health and safety of other students or staff
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Where a suspension is considered appropriate the following procedure will be followed:
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- A written report on the incident(s) will be written into the report book.
- The student will be interviewed
- Other Students may be interviewed where appropriate.
- Parents/ Guardians will be contacted and invited to discuss the matter prior to a decision being made. Where attempts to contact parent/ guardians are unsuccessful or where parents/guardians decline to attend a meeting a student may be requested to remain at home until the meeting takes place. This request will be notified to the student in writing and to the parent/guardians by registered letter.
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Where a suspension is to be activated the principal shall notify the parents/guardians of the decision in writing and shall confirm:
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- The period of suspension, the dates when it will begin and end
- The reasons for the suspension
- A study programme to be followed at home
- The arrangements for returning to school
- Whether the decision to suspend may be appealed to the Board of Management
- The right to appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998 if the total number of days for which the student has been suspended reaches 20 days in any single school.
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Expulsion
The Board of Management has the authority to expel a student in an extreme case or where repeated incidents of gross misbehaviour interfere with the educational opportunities of fellow students or where there is a threat to the health and safety of either student or where the student is responsible for serious damage to property. This sanction would be imposed under the terms of the Education Welfare Act (2000). The grounds for expulsion may be similar to the grounds for suspension. In addition to factors such as the degree of seriousness and persistence of the behaviour, a key difference is that, where expulsion is considered, school authorities have tried a series of other interventions, and believe they have exhausted all possibilities for changing the student’s behaviour. Where a preliminary assessment of the facts confirms misbehaviour that could warrant expulsion, the procedural steps will include:
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- A detailed investigation carried us under the direction of the Principal
- A recommendation to the Board of Management by the Principal.
- Consideration by the Board of Managements of the Principal’s recommendation.
- The holding of a hearing with the Principal, Parents/guardians and Board of Management.
- Board of Management deliberations and actions following the hearing.
- Consultations arranged by the Educational Welfare Officer.
- Confirmation if the decision is to expel.
- Parent’s right to appeal the decision under Section 29, Education Act 1998.
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Involving Parents/Guardians in Managing Problem Behaviour
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- Parents/Guardians are valued as partners in the school community and as such will be invited to participate in promoting positive behaviour both in school and in wider community.
- Class teachers will refer to repeated episodes of minor misbehaviour in the pupil’s Homework Journal which parents/guardians are requested to sign each evening.
- In cases where pupils are required to complete some extra work as a sanction, parents/guardians will again be requested to sign the relevant work. Class teachers may occasionally request parents/guardians to visit them in school to discuss some aspect of a pupil’s behaviour.
- Parents/guardians are requested to make appointments to meet with class teachers and/or the Principal at the earliest opportunity in an effort to prevent any escalation of inappropriate behaviour. The school will remind parents/guardians of the procedures for contacting the school at every opportunity.
- Where pupils are found to be involved in more serious misbehaviour the Principal may telephone or write to Parents/ guardians to request them to attend a formal meeting at the school. Class teachers, or teachers who witness misbehaviour while supervising on yard duty, may also attend these meetings. The pupil may also attend all or part of these meetings if deemed appropriate.
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Appeals
Under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, parents are entitled to appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science against some decisions of the Board of Management, eg.
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- Permanent exclusion from a school and
- Suspension for a period which would bring the cumulative period of suspension to 20 school days or longer in any one school year. Appeals must generally be made within 42 calendar days from the date the decision of the school was notified to the parent.
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Review
The policy will be reviewed and monitored on a regular basis by the school staff and Board of Management.
Approval of Patron
This policy will be implemented immediately in All Saints’ National School. It was approved by the Board of Management on 13th October 2011. It will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Ratification
This policy was presented to the Board of Management and ratified on 13th October 2011.
All new applicants will receive a copy of this policy on information evening.