Other Stuff > Policies
Code of Discipline and Behaviour
Date: September 2006
Review date: September 2010
It is necessary that school should be a well-ordered and disciplined place. It should provide an environment where the child is physically safe and happy and where good relationships are fostered between pupils, teachers, parents/guardians and others involved in the running of the school. It should provide a curriculum and a working atmosphere to help each child develop his/her potential. It should help the child as he/she grows older to move away from an externally imposed discipline and to become self-disciplined.
A copy of the finally approved code will be made available to all parents of school-going children and should be clearly understood by pupils’ parents and teachers.
The most effective schools tend to be those with the best relationships with parents, and every effort will be made by the staff to ensure that parents are kept well informed, that the school provides a welcoming atmosphere towards parents, and that parents are told not only when their children are in trouble but when they have behaved particularly well.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR BEHAVIOUR:
All pupils are expected to behave in a responsible manner both towards themselves and others, showing consideration, courtesy and respect for other pupils and adults at all timeswill respect the right of others to learn in a secure safe atmosphere.will co-operate with instructions given by the teacher.must be shown for the property of the individual and of the school at all times.
The school recognises the variety of differences that exist between children and the need to accommodate these differences. Any behaviour will be judged having regard to a child’s age, temperament, level of ability and/or other relevant factors.
Each teacher has responsibility for the supervision and maintenance of discipline within his/her classroom while sharing a common responsibility for good order within the school. If misbehaviour occurs at lunchtime or at any time when another teacher is in charge, the teacher may impose a sanction and inform the class teacher of this.
The school places greater emphasis on rewards than on sanctions in the belief that this will, in the long run, give the best results. Teachers will keep a written record of all instances of serious misbehaviour, but they must also record any improvements in the behaviour of disruptive pupils. The school has a Discipline-for-Learning programme, which emphasises positive reinforcement for learning.
WHEN A BEHAVIOUR PROBLEM ARISES THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE IS FOLLOWED:
(1) The class teacher/teacher in charge deals with it and may impose a sanction.
If the problem is not solved the class teacher shall consult the Principal and/or the parents/guardians of the child with a view to helping the child overcome the difficulty.the problem persists or in the case of serious misbehaviour it may be necessary to have on-going discussions between the parents/guardians, teacher and Principal to monitor the situation - always with the objective of helping the child
SANCTIONS:
In imposing a sanction it is important that the teacher should communicate to the pupil that it is the misbehaviour that is unacceptable and not the individual.
When misbehaviour occurs, the following is a list of possible sanctions or strategies that may be used. This list is not exhaustive.
The pupils is made aware of the fact that his/her behaviour is unacceptable; child may receive a verbal reprimand from the teacher; teacher may discuss misbehaviour with pupil, and include suggestions on how he or she might improve;seating arrangement in class may be changed; child may be temporarily separated from class group; homework may have to be completed; note or a comment may be written on a child’s homework journal to be signed by parents/guardians;pupil may be given a written assignment re. inappropriate behaviour to be signed by parents/guardians;a pupil’s behaviour is a source of danger/disruption to himself or others he may be removed from the activity in which he is involved e.g. Art/P.E./Play; pupil may be referred to the Principal;formal parent-teacher meeting in school may be held
Department Guidelines regarding repeated misbehaviour:
Where there are repeated instances of serious misbehaviour or in the case of a pupil being continuously disruptive, the Chairperson of the Board of Management will be informed and the parents/guardians will be requested in writing to attend at the school to meet the Chairperson and Principal. If the parents/guardians do not give an undertaking that the pupil will behave in an acceptable manner in the future, the pupil may be suspended for a temporary period to a maximum of 3 days.
In the case of an incident of gross misbehaviour the Board of Management authorises the Chairperson or Principal to sanction an immediate suspension to a maximum of 3 days, pending a discussion of the matter with the parents/guardians. In exceptional circumstances the Board may authorise a further period of suspension in order to enable the matter to be reviewed.
The ultimate sanction of expulsion shall only be exercised with the prior consent of the Patron.
It may in some cases with the consent of parents/guardians be necessary to refer a pupil for medical, psychological or educational assessment.