School Disipline Policy

The promotion of a safe, calm and pleasant environment for students, staff and families.  All sections of the school community parents, staff and students are subject to various specific requirements in terms of manner and behaviour.  This document relates specifically to students responsibilities in these areas.

1. Discipline in the school is designed to promote the safety, happiness and quality of work environment.  This document should be read in conjunction with the policy on Bullying and Harassment, School Rules/Student Discipline Policy and The Business Notice.
2. A number of basic principles underlay the discipline procedures:
• Students should at all times follow the direction/instruction of members of staff.
• No students should engage in activities that are unsafe or potentially unsafe.
• All students are expected to work to the best of their ability.
• Students are expected to be polite and courteous to teachers, other students and members of the
• ommunity at all times.
• No students should interfere with the happiness or the ability of other students to carry out their work.
  
  
  
3. The Principal or Deputy Principals will publish/announce from time to time rules/regulations or directions in relation to these Principles.
4. If students in the opinion of staff do not comply with rules/regulations/directions then a series of sanctions will apply.
5. Students who have not complied with rules/regulations/directions will have a chance to discuss issues and may be directed towards appropriate resources such as counselling as well or instead of having sanctions applied.  Students have access to a student counsellor and pastoral care teachers in this regard.
6. Sanctions will usually (but not always) be applied in a hierarchy of severity.  The sanctions that are used by the school in order of their severity are:
• Warning
• Short unrecorded sanctions eg. Picking-up paper, time out, moving seats in a classroom.
• \Friday Detentions  - 3:30 – 4:30pm Friday evening
• Saturday Detentions  - 9:30 – 12:30 Saturday morning on select Saturday’s
• Internal Suspension
• External Suspension
• Removal
  
   
7. If a student has been involved in a serious issue that may involve the removal from school the following procedure will apply:
• An initial interview of parties will take place.
• If the Principal or a Deputy Principal forms the initial view that the issue is:
• Potentially serious enough to result in a student being removed from the school
  Is one of a series of events in which a student has failed to comply with rules/regulations or nstructions
• They will be suspended indefinitely.
• The issues that the school considers to be serious are listed (but not necessarily limited to) in the school diary.  They include:
• Deliberate and/or premeditated harassment – sexual, racial or other – of another person
• Drinking alcohol at a school function
• Smoking when at school or in uniform, or when engaged in any school related activity
• The possession, at school or during a school activity, of tobacco or alcohol
• Bullying (verbal or physical) – refer to policy below
• The use of any prohibited drugs or any dealings in drugs
• Assault
• Damage to school property
• Breaking and entering
• The use of violence or the threat of violence
• Forging a person’s signature
• Rudeness or physical aggression towards students or staff
• Any behaviour, which is potentially harmful to the reputation or good management of the school.
• ne or both Parents/Guardian will receive a letter explaining that their student has been spended and may be in a position where they are asked to leave the school.
• Further investigation of the matter(s) will be conducted.A meeting will be conducted with the principal, other appropriate staff, the student and his Parents/Guardians in which:
• Questions and queries about the issue will be discussed and clarified.
• The student will have the right to put any points they wish to make in relation to the incident.
• After the meeting the Principal will make a final decision and inform parents of his/her decision on the matter in writing.
  
  
  
8. The Principal has final responsibility in all matters relating to the day-to-day running of the school, including student’s behaviour and discipline.   The Principal may delegate that responsibility to other members of staff, particularly the Deputy Heads. 
9. In matters of student discipline the Principal’s decision is final.  School council plays no direct role in issues of student management other than setting broad policy positions.  It does not involve itself in specific discipline issues.
10. Parents/Guardians will be notified of issues relating to discipline or sanctions.  This will be either by:
• Phone call
• Diary entry
• Letter
  
  
11. Notification to parents of detention or suspension will occur before the sanction takes place.
12. Parents/Guardians have the right to make an appointment to discuss issues of sanctions at any stage.  With the exception of the most serious issues this will usually be with a Head of Year, class teacher or Deputy Principal.  Similarly members of staff will from time to time request appointments with parents/guardians.  It is expected that Parents/Guardians will attend such appointments.
13. A position at the school is at the prorogative of the Principal (see Business Notice), and is based on a full acceptance of the sanctions and procedures of the school.
    

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