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Behaviour and Discipline Policy
The aims of primary education may be stated as:
To enable the child to live a full life as a child.
To equip him/herself of further education so that he/she may go on to live a full and useful life as an adult in society.
The teachers are committed to the realisation of these aims. The Board of Management of the school is committed similarly. Parents of children in this school have been strongly supportive of these aims for many years.
The ethos of our school is a major factor in establishing and maintaining high standards of behaviour and discipline. This means a strong sense of community within our school and a high level of co-operation among teaching staff and between staff, pupils, parents Board of Management and ancillary staff.
In devising the code, consideration has been given to the particular needs and circumstances of this school. The aim is to ensure that the individuality of each child is accommodated while acknowledging the right of each child to education in a relatively disruptive free environment.
The Code of Discipline aims to achieve:
The efficient operation of the school
The structuring of in-class discipline, which prompts an efficient, and stimulating environment.
The maintenance of good order and safety throughout the school day, including break times, sports activities and all movements between classes.
The development of self-discipline in all pupils and care and courtesy towards others.
The development of respect for school buildings, all school property and the general school environment.
Principles of our Discipline Policy.
Our Policy is based on the principles of caring, fairness, respect, tolerance, compassion, and courtesy. The attitude of the teaching staff will have a critical bearing on how successful the policy is likely to be.
Staff shall consider themselves responsible at all times for the behaviour of children within sight or sound of them and shall respond promptly and firmly to any incident of unacceptable behaviour.
If our school is to achieve a happy, secure environment where the children can develop and learn to their full potential, then a positive, friendly, caring and encouraging atmosphere will provide a framework which promotes constructive behaviour and discourages unacceptable behaviour. Therefore, every effort will be made by all members and teaching staff to adopt a positive approach to the question of behaviour in the school.
The school places greater emphasis on rewards than on sanctions.
The agreed code offers a framework within which positive techniques of motivation and encouragement are utilised by teachers.
The school recognises the variety of differences that exist between children and the need to accommodate these differences.
General
Respect and Courtesy: Pupils are expected to behave in a responsible manner both to themselves and all others. They are expected to treat all other pupils, all members of staff and visitors to the school with respect and courtesy at all times. The use of any form of vulgarity or offensive language is unacceptable.
Punctuality: Pupils must be in on time for school each day and return to class punctually after breaks. The official opening time of the school is 8.55am. Classes for Infants end at l.35pm. All other classes end at 2.35pm. No responsibility is accepted for pupils outside of these times. Those collecting children from school should always be punctual. Lateness causes great anxiety especially for young children.
Safety when entering or leaving the school: Children must enter and exit from the school only via the gate. Children must walk when entering or leaving school. Parents must leave space for teachers to park cars and room for pupils to walk by the railing to the school gate. Courtesy and respect must be shown to the school bus driver. Pupils must walk when coming from the bus in the morning and when going towards it in the evening. Pupils must remain seated when on the bus and behave in an orderly safe manner. While waiting for the bus pupils must stand on the footpath outside the hall.
Attendances/Absences: Every absence of a child from school must be accounted for either by parents/guardians calling to the school or forwarding a written note. If a child has to leave school early or be absent from school for part of the day, a written note must be forwarded to the class teacher in school. This is to ensure as far as possible, the safety of children throughout school hours.
Illness: Any infectious illness should be notified to the school immediately. Children should return to school only when fully recovered.
Personal Property: Children must have their names on their coats and on all personal property such as school books, copies etc.
School Property: Pupils must respect all school property and treat all schoolbooks and equipment with care. Parents will be held accountable for the cleaning, repair or replacement of any school property or equipment wilfully damaged or vandalised by their children.
School environment: Pupils must keep the school environment clean and litter free. Pupils are expected to co-operate fully in any organised clean up activities.
Behaviour in Class.
Pupils must have all books and materials or equipment required.
All pupils are expected to work to the best of their ability. Written work must be presented neatly.
Respect and courtesy are basic to classroom behaviour. Disrespectful behaviour towards other pupils, towards a teacher, a member of staff or towards any visitors to the school is unacceptable.
Pupils must respect the right of other pupils to learn. Any behaviour that interferes with this right, e.g. regular disruption of the class or persistent disturbance of others is unacceptable behaviour. Pupils are expected to co-operate fully with their teachers’ instructions as given so that an effective education programme can be undertaken.
Uniform
Pupils are expected to wear the correct uniform each day.
Behaviour out of Class.
Pupils should treat others as they would wish to be treated themselves. Pupils should behave in an orderly manner at all times and must walk when going from one area to another within the school buildings or in the school yard area. This is to ensure the safety of themselves and all others.
Pupils must not behave in any way, which endangers others or themselves. Examples of behaviour which endangers are: roughness, fighting, kicking, striking, spitting, punching, tripping or verbal abuse. Teachers will seek to ensure that standards of safety are observed and shall prohibit games or activities considered to be dangerous. Any directions given by teachers on these matters are to be followed implicitly. Pupils are required to play only in the designated yard area. All pupils are required to line up promptly and in an orderly manner at the end of breaks.
Inclement Weather: On such days pupils stay in the GP room for breaks. They must observe implicitly any directions given by teachers and safety procedures must be followed at all times.
Behaviour in School Field/Playing Pitches. Respect and consideration for others are the basics. Any form of verbal or physical abuse of others is unacceptable and is considered to be serious misbehaviour. Pupils are required to use the areas assigned to their particular class level.
Bullying and Intimidation of others.This is always regarded as a serious offence. All forms of threatening behaviour are unacceptable. Children must be able to attend school and to go home safely and without fears.
If children are being bullied of threatened either verbally or physically, teachers must be told so that the matter can be dealt with effectively. If teachers are not informed, then they cannot be held responsible.
Rewards for Acceptable Behaviour.
The following are some of the ways of showing appreciation for acceptable good behaviour, which are in operation in the school. Oral praise, written praise, pupil to be given job, responsibilities that they like, teacher communication with parents, pupils to be given small prizes, merit lists, merit stars, reduction of homework.
Very Serious Unacceptable Behaviour.
Examples considered very serious: stealing, bullying or threatening others, making abusive, insulting, offensive or insolent remarks, laughing or jeering at others mistakes or disabilities, wilful damage to school buildings, furniture, books or equipment or the property of others, fighting, telling tales, showing disrespect to teachers or other school employees, school bus driver, disrupting lessons by causing a distraction, shouting and wasting time, being generally rowdy aggressive, rough, spitting, being unhygienic, disturbing other children at work, being disobedient or defiant.
Serious Unacceptable Behaviour.
Examples considered serious are: making rude signs or annoying gestures, using vulgar or bad language, being late often, copying work from others, not sharing with others, not completing school tasks, being inattentive during class work, not completing homework without a valid reason, entering buildings or classrooms without permission, littering in buildings or school grounds, leaving designated play area without permission.
Minor Unacceptable Behaviour.
Talking out of turn in class (if there is a repeated pattern, this is considered serious). Leaving the seat without permission. not wearing school uniform regularly, being forgetful.
Sanctions plus Strategies to show disapproval of Unacceptable Behaviour.
Sanctions and strategies as recommended are regarded as primary in helping pupils to develop responsibility, a positive attitude and self-discipline. However, where a pupil disregards school rules and infringes on the rights of others to participate in an ordered and structured learning environment sanctions may be needed. The overall responsibility for discipline within the school rests with the Principal. Each teacher has responsibility for discipline within his/her classroom while sharing a common responsibility for good order within the school. A pupil will be referred to the Principal for serious breaches of discipline and for repeated incidents of minor misbehaviour.
The following strategies may be used to show disapproval of unacceptable behaviour.
Reasoning with the pupil.
Reprimand (including advice on how to improve)
Temporary separation from peers, friends or others.
Loss of privileges
Detention during a break or after school hours.
Prescribing additional work.
Referral to Principal.
Communication with parents.
Suspension (temporarily)
Teachers shall keep a written record of all instances of serious misbehaviour as well as a record of improvements in the behaviour of disruptive pupils. Before resorting to serious sanctions e.g. suspension, the normal channels of communication between school and parents will be utilised. Parents will be involved at an early stage rather than as a last resort.
Communication with parents will be verbal or by letter, depending on circumstances. The parents will be invited to come to the school to discuss their child’s case. For gross misbehaviour or repeated instances of serious misbehaviour, suspension will be considered. Aggressive, threatening or violent behaviour towards a teacher will be regarded as serious or gross misbehaviour, depending on circumstances.
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 at the school to meet the Chairperson and the Principal. If the parents do not give and undertaking that the pupil will behave in an acceptable manner in the future, the pupil may have to be suspended for a temporary period. Suspension will be in accordance with the terms of Rule 130 (5) of the Rules for National Schools.
In the case of gross misbehaviour the Board shall authorise the Chairperson or Principal to sanction an immediate suspension, pending a discussion of the matter with the parents. Expulsion may be considered in an extreme case, in accordance with Rule 130 (6).
Every effort will be made to have an emotionally disturbed child referred for psychological assessment without delay. Help will be sought also from support services within the wider community e.g. Community Care Services provided by Health Boards.
A copy of this Code is available to all parents.
It is a condition of attendance of the school that pupils abide by the Rules and Regulations of this Code of Discipline.