Code of Behaviour

Lusk National School

Chapel Rd.,

Lusk,

Co. Dublin.

Tel/Fax: 8437734

Email: luskns.ias@eircom.net

Behaviour Policy

Introduction:

The aims of primary education can be briefly stated as follows:

  • To enable the child to live a full life in a caring and safe environment.
  • To prepare a child to further education and life long learning.

As a school committed to the realisation of these goals, our aim is to provide a happy, secure environment for our pupils in which there is a sense of order and discipline. This is achieved by having guidelines to direct behaviour for the good of all our pupils. Every effort is made to ensure that our code is implemented in a reasonable, fair and consistent manner.

A high standard of behaviour requires a strong sense of community within our school and to achieve this, we maintain a high level of co-operation among all the staff and between staff, pupils and parents.

Aims

The aims of this Code of Behaviour are:

  1. To allow the school to function in an orderly and harmonious way.
  2. To enhance the learning environment where children can make progress in all aspects of their development.
  3. To create an atmosphere of respect, tolerance and consideration for others.
  4. To promote positive behaviour and self discipline while recognising the differences between children and the need to accommodate these differences.
  5. To assist parents and pupils in understanding the systems and procedures in our code and to seek their co-operation in their application.
  6. To ensure that our systems of rules, rewards and sanctions are implemented in a fair and consistent manner.

School Rules

  1. Classes commence at 9.20 a.m. until 3.00 p.m. Junior Infants and Senior Infants until 2.00 p.m. Children are expected to be punctual. Children are not permitted, to leave school grounds during school hours, and should not be on school premises when school is not in operation.
  2. All absences must be accounted for, a note in a pupils homework notebook/letter to class teacher will suffice. Absences of 20 days or more must be reported to the Educational Welfare Officer under Rule 21 (4b) of the Educational Welfare Act 2000.
  3. Pupils must enter/leave the school grounds in an orderly fashion. Bicycles, skateboards etc., may not be used on school grounds.
  4. Pupils may not re-enter the school building during breaks without the permission of a teacher.
  5. Any instructions/directions given by the teacher/supervising adult shall be complied with.
  6. Pupils should respect themselves and their peers, and show due consideration for parents, teachers, supervising adults, authorised visitors, school property and the property of others. They are encouraged to keep the school environment clean and litter free.
  7. Assigned homework must be completed and homework notebook signed by parent/guardian.
  8. In the classroom, pupils behave in a manner conductive to a pleasant and safe learning environment where respect for the group as a whole, and the individual is paramount.
  9. The schoolyard should be a place for fun and social interaction. Play, which threatens the physical safety or emotional stability of others, will not be acceptable. Pupils may not eat in the schoolyard.
  10. Pupils line up quietly and quickly when the bell rings.
  11. Pupils wear the following dress code as agreed by all members of the school community.
    1. Grey Trousers/shirt worn with light blue polo shirt and grey jumper/cardigan.
    2. Navy school tracksuit, (displaying school crest) with light blue polo shirt.
    3. Inappropriate jewellery, which may be dangerous/offensive, may not be worn during school hours.
  12. The use of mobile phones during school hours is forbidden.

Expected Behaviour

In addition to school rules children are expected to

  • Be honest and co-operative
  • Show respect for self and other in school and while wearing the school uniform and have respect for school property, furniture, and equipment
  • Acknowledge the equality of other races and creeds
  • Reply in a mannerly fashion, correctly addressing teachers i.e. Yes, Mr./Mrs./Ms.
  • Recognise that each pupil deserves a share of the teacher's time
  • Walk in corridors
  • Remain seated, at his/her own place in the classroom, unless otherwise instructed by the teacher.
  • Be tidy in appearance.
  • Do their best in school and when doing their homework
  • Uphold the code of behaviour

Rewards Systems and Support Strategies

Promoting Positive Behaviour

  • Teacher approval i.e. a quiet word/gesture to show approval, a comment in copy a visit to another member of staff or principal for commendation.
  • Peer approval i.e. a word of praise in front of a group or class, including at assembly.
  • Visual Display of Excellence i.e. progress chart, stars, merit stickers, stamps
  • Dispensation from homework
  • Delegation of some special privilege or responsibility
  • A mention to parent - either written or verbal

Inappropriate Behaviour

Some examples of minor misbehaviour

  1. Disruption in class
  2. Talking out of turn
  3. Avoidance of homework
  4. Name-calling
  5. Lying
  6. Inappropriate language
  7. Unruliness to corridors/school yard
  8. Lack of punctuality
  9. Negative response to correction

Examples of serious misbehaviour

  1. Constant repetition of the above (1-9)
  2. Physical assault of another
  3. Verbal abuse of a staff member/pupil
  4. Vandalism
  5. Theft
  6. Constant disobedience
  7. Check/defiance of teacher
  8. Leaving school grounds without permission
  9. Bullying - physical/verbal/exclusion
  10. Indecent behaviour towards another
  11. Substance use

Sanctions

To ensure the orderly operation of school activities sanctions will be imposed where inappropriate behaviour occurs. Misbehaviour is judged having regard to age, sensibility, and/or other relevant factors e.g. emotional distress. Sanctions within the classroom are at the discretion of the classroom teacher.

Strategies used are as follows:

  1. Teacher reasoning with the pupil, making him/her aware of inappropriate behaviour and its impact on others, suggesting correct behaviour.
  2. Verbal reprimand
  3. Extra assignments
  4. Removal from situation
  5. Loss of privileges
  6. Detention for period of break time with supervision of Teacher.
  7. Referral to post holder with responsibility for behaviour
  8. Referral to Principal
  9. Communication with parent/guardian
  10. Exclusion from school tour, following consultation with Principal
  11. Log kept of child's behaviour where persistent misbehaviour occurs.

Serious misbehaviour will involve, in addition to the above):

  1. Instances of gross misbehaviour recorded and parents informed.
  2. Parents called to a meeting in the school with teacher/post holder/principal. The child may be requested to attend this meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to seek a solution to the behavioural problem, with all involved parties working together.
  3. If misbehaviour continues the Board of Management may become involved, with a view to suspension/expulsion.
  4. In situations involving more than one person, in a serious breach of discipline/bullying, the following procedures will apply.
    1. The teacher/post holder will speak to each party separately. If a group is involved, each member will be interviewed individually and then as a group. Interviews will be conducted with sensitivity and with due regard to the rights of all concerned.
    2. The teacher will keep a written account of these interviews.
    3. If it is determines that a serious breach of discipline has occurred
      1. The parents will be informed and requested to attend a meeting with the teacher /post holder/principal.
      2. The pupil /pupils involved may be requested to attend.
      3. Appropriate sanctions will be imposed. This may involve suspension from 1 -3 days.
      4. The Board of Management will be involved in the decision.
      5. A reoccurrence of serious breaches of discipline/bullying may lead to expulsion.
  5. The Principal in consultation with the Chairperson of the Board has the authority to suspend for one day with immediate effect.
  6. Expulsion may be challenged under section 29 of the Education Welfare Act, 2000 by parents/guardians.
  7. The grounds for removing a suspension imposed in relation to a pupil are as follows:
    1. The pupil and his/her parents meet with Principal.
    2. Adequate recompense be decided and agreed.
    3. The code of discipline should be signed by the pupil and parents.
    4. Assurance given by pupil that the Code of Discipline will be observed and of parent co-operation in its observance.

Roles of the Education Partners

Role of Parent

Schools need the support of parents in order to meet legitimate expectations with regard to good behaviour and discipline. Schools can more easily implement a policy on behaviour and discipline if they receive the active support of the parents. Parents can co-operate with the school by encouraging their children to abide by the school rules, by visiting the school when requested to do so by the Principal or other members of staff, by ensuring that homework is allocated due time and effort by the child, and that the child uses the correct dress code. Please communicate regularly with the school about factors likely to affect the behaviour of your child in school. Regular attendance at school is vital. Lack of attendance at school will come to the attention of the Educational Welfare Officer.

Role of Teacher

Healthy relationships by their very nature involve fun, sharing, laughter, trust and honesty. However conflict and disharmony are equally part of relationships. Through the S.P.H.E. (Social, Personal and Health Education) programme in Lusk National School, teachers will endeavour to teach children how to deal with conflict by practising different techniques that focus on identifying the problem and exploring possible solutions; for example, they can learn how to compromise, apologise, to receive an apology and to forgive. In this context, children are taught to become familiar with passive, aggressive and assertive behaviour. The Teaching Staff seeks to promote a strong sense of community within the school, which involves a high level of co-operation among staff and between staff, pupils and parents. Staff will respond promptly and firmly to any instance of unacceptable behaviour during school hours or whilst in a supervisory capacity.

Role of Principal

The overall responsibility for discipline within the school rests with the Principal. The principal will always endeavour to facilitate meetings between parents and teachers. It is the Principal's responsibility to ensure that the school's code of behaviour and discipline is administered in a manner, which is consistent and fair to all pupils. He/she will e assisted in this regard by the teaching staff, particularly those teachers with posts of responsibility regarding school behaviour.

The Role of the B.O.M.

The Board of Management is supportive of the Principal in the application of a fair code of behaviour and discipline within the school.

Review

This policy will be reviewed during or before the school year Sept 2009 - June 2010.

Signed: _______________ Chairperson, Board of Management

      _____________________ Principal.