Code of Behaviour
Code of Discipline Statement
School: Laragh (2) Muff, Kingscourt Co. Cavan
Our Curriculum aims to enable each child to:
v Live a full life as a child and to realise his or her potential as a unique individual
v Develop as a special being, through living and co-operating with others and so contribute to the good of society
v Prepare for further education and lifelong learning.
The Board of Management, teachers and parents are committed to the realisation of these goals. Our aim is to create a safe, secure and attractive learning environment for the children in our care in which there is a good sense of order.
Aims of Code of Conduct
v To help create a positive learning environment in which every child can benefit from school in an environment as free from disruption as possible.
v To help the children to become more self-disciplined and encourage good standards of behaviour at all times
v To help organise a large group so that school can operate smoothly for the benefit of all
v To care in a practical way for children, parents, staff, the school and its environment.
v Implement policy in conjunction with Anti Bullying Policy
Role of the board of Management
The Board of Management has a role to play in the maintenance of desirable standards of behaviour in our school. It should be supportive of the principal in the application of a fair code of discipline within the school.
Role of the Principal
The Principal’s management skills are a crucial factor in encouraging a sense of collective responsibility among staff and a sense of commitment to the school amongst children and their parents. It is the principal’s responsibility to ensure that the school’s code of behaviour is administered in a manner which is consistent and fair to all children.
Role of Staff
Staff play a critical role in the implementation of a successful Code of Behaviour. Staff should consider themselves responsible at all times for the behaviour of children within sight and sound of them and should respond promptly, fairly and firmly to any instances of unacceptable behaviour.
Role of Children
All children are expected to behave in a responsible manner both to themselves and others, showing consideration, courtesy and respect for other children, staff and visitors at all times.
General Guidelines for Behaviour
The code of conduct covers the following areas in relation to child’s:
a) Behaviour in class
b) Playground
c) School Environment
d) Attendance at school
e) Homework
f) Social Media
Behaviour in Class
Children are encouraged to at all times respect the right of other children to learn. Any behaviour that interferes with this right, e.g. constant disruption of the class or persistent distraction of others is considered unacceptable behaviour. Courtesy and respect are basic to classroom behaviour. Disrespectful behaviour towards other children or towards a teacher, e.g. defiance, cheek, bullying, insolence, is not tolerated in the positive classroom environment that we endeavour to create.
Children should be encouraged to help one another to learn. In order that children benefit from the work in class, full co-operation is required from children at all times. Children must co-operate with any instruction given by the teacher.
Behaviour in Playground
Children should treat others as they would like to be treated themselves. Any behaviour which interferes with others at play is not permitted. Games or activities considered to be dangerous shall be prohibited. Rough behaviour, e.g. fighting, kicking, spitting, pushing, shoving etc. is forbidden. Children may not leave their playground for any reason during break without the permission of the supervising teachers. This includes re-entering the school building.
Behaviour in the School Environment
Respect and sensitivity to others are basic rules. Any kind of verbal or physical abuse is strictly forbidden. Bullying or intimidation of others will not be tolerated and is always regarded as a serious offence. Children must show respect for school property of others at all times. For reasons of safety and to minimise accidents, children should move about the school in an orderly manner.
Attendance
Children are required to be regular in their attendance at school. The Education Welfare Act 2000 obliges our school to report any pupil absent in excess of 20 days, within any school year, to the Child and Family Agency, Tusla. After a child has been absent, a note from the parents must always be brought to the class teacher upon the child’s return to school. When a child has to leave school early a note from the parents must be brought to the class teacher. Children must be signed out at the office. All children must be collected by parent or guardian. Children must be in time for school each day. School opens to receive children at 9.20.
Homework
It is the policy of the school to assign homework on a regular basis. All homework must be done promptly and completely. Parents should sign the homework notebook or copy to confirm all homework has been completed. This may include reading, learning, written assignments, or other tasks. If for some reason, homework (or part of it) cannot be completed, parents are asked to note this in the homework notebook.
Graffiti on textbooks, copybooks or schoolbags is not allowed.
Social Media
Social Media is a phenomenon of recent years that has impinged on school life. While in many ways completely outside a school’s control, its negative effects can have a serious impact on pupils in class. It is important that parents are aware of the various social media outlets, if any, that their children are engaging with such as mobile phones, Facebook, internet computer games etc. We would recommend that they do engage in such social sites until they have left primary school.
If any misbehaviour comes to the attention of staff with regard to comments made on social media towards another pupil, it may be dealt with under the school’s anti – bullying policy.
No mobile phones are allowed in the school. If a phone is located, it will be confiscated and parents will be contacted to pick it up from the office.
Standard Procedure
The procedure here is followed when dealing with persistent minor behaviour and serious misbehaviour by children (it may be necessary to deal with cases of gross misbehaviour with immediate suspension). The particular step invoked will depend on the seriousness of the misbehaviour. If the difficulty has not been resolved, the next step comes into play.
- The teacher speaks with the child requesting the child to stop. If the misbehaviour continues then….
- The teacher discusses the offending behaviour with the child. If the misbehaviour continues then…
- A sanction may then be imposed by the class teacher (refer to sanctions below)
- Parents will be informed by phone or written note of misbehaviour. If misbehaviour continues then….
- Parents will be asked to meet with the Principal and the class teacher and/or the children.
- Suspension, which we would hope never to have to invoke(see Sanctions)
Sanctions
Encouraging high standards of behaviour among children and creating and maintaining an orderly atmosphere for learning in the school will involve the use of praise and rewards for good behaviour, sound relationships between teachers and children and effective teaching learning. It will also involve in some instances, the application of sanctions to register disapproval of unacceptable behaviour. When sanctions are invoked children should understand that what they have done is not acceptable and that it is the misbehaviour that is rejected not the child.
To promote positive behaviour, we endeavour to encourage and praise children as much as possible. It is recognised that “catching pupils being good” is a crucial part of a positive school environment. Staff are encouraged to have various reward systems in their class. We pay particular attention to those pupils who improve with their behaviour.
To discourage unacceptable behaviour, sanctions will be imposed. These sanctions may include:
- A reprimand from the teacher
- Extra work or repetition of unsatisfactory work
- A note is sent to or a phone call is made to parents
- Having play curtailed
- Referral to Principal
- Letter to Parents
- Loss of privilege or where practical, a task, which is deemed appropriate may be assigned by the teacher with a view to correction or redressing an unacceptable deed on the part of the child.
- Temporary separation within classroom
- Discuss what is not allowed.
- Sent to teacher/principal.
- Omission from Golden Time
- Use of “Behaviour copy”.
Suspensions (Exclusion) of Child
These will be in accordance with Rules of The Department of Education and Science in operation at the time. The current ruling under the terms of circular 7/88 is as follows
“Where the Board of Management deems it necessary to make provision in the code of Discipline to deal with continuously disruptive children or with a serious breach of discipline, authorising the Chairperson or Principal to exclude a child or children from school, the maximum initial period of such exclusion shall be 3 days. A special decision of the Board of Management is for consultation with the child’s parents or guardians. In exceptional circumstances, the Board of Management may authorise a further period of exclusion in order to enable the matter to be reviewed”
Parental Co-operation
To maintain good standards of behaviour, the school must rely on the support and co-operation of the parents. The primary responsibility for the behaviour of the children when they come to school lies with their parents. We would therefore earnestly ask parents to:
- Familiarise themselves with the school’s policy document in relation to discipline
- Co-operate with the school with regard to the implementation of its policy on discipline
- Communicate regularly with the children about factors likely to affect the behaviour of their children in school
This Policy will be reviewed, at least annually, by the Board of Management.
I/We hereby agree to the Schools Code of Discipline.
Signed: __________________________________________
Pupils Name: ______________________________________
Date: _______________