BUSHMILLS PRIMARY SCHOOL

POLICY STATEMENT ON DISCIPLINE

One of the aims of this school is to provide the pupils with a secure, safe, happy and stable environment where they will receive an education in keeping with their needs and abilities.

In common with all institutions and places where large numbers of people come together it is necessary that there is a set of commonly understood and agreed expectations as to how people should behave.

The Education Reform(N.I.) Order 1989 (Article 124 (1)(a) also lays a duty on the Principal to determine measures (which may include the making of rules and provision for enforcing them) to be taken with a view to:-

(i) promoting, among pupils, self discipline and proper regard for authority;

(ii) encouraging good behaviour on the part of the pupils;

(iii) securing that the standard of behaviour of the pupils is acceptable; and

(iv) otherwise regulating the conduct of pupils.

To these ends set out below is the School Policy on Discipline.

Basic to all areas of discipline is self discipline and this is an area where parents can play an important role even before a child starts school;

(a) when a child starts school he/she should understand that certain types of behaviour are allowed, while others are not allowed;

(b) the child should have begun to understand that consideration should be given to other people;

(c) all children should appreciate the need to do what they are told by teachers and certain other adults in the school.

Another important aspect of discipline is respect; respect for teachers, for adults, other children, respect for property, their own and other peoples’ and perhaps most importantly self respect. Staff in this school will at all times work to inculcate the children with the values of respect.

Where children have the required level of self discipline, respect for themselves and others, the smooth running of the school will be greatly enhanced.

There will, however, be a need for a series of clearly defined rules to assist in the smooth running. The basic rules for this school are set out below:

1. children will be required to follow the instructions of teachers, school meal supervisory assistants or any other person authorised by the Principal;

2. they are required to complete, to the best of their ability, any work set by a teacher;

3. when moving around the school children should walk in single file, on the left-hand side of the corridor, with a minimum of noise;

4. children are expected to take part in all activities provided during the school day and may take part in after-school activities;

5. while there are times when it is acceptable for a level of conversation between the children, there are, however, other times when they must be quiet;

6. all children should wear the school uniform as decided from time to time;

7. there must be no bullying or fighting in the school, offenders will be dealt with most severly;

8. children should be polite at all times but especially to visitors to the school;

9. children must endeavour to be in school punctually for the start of lessons at 9.05 a.m.;

10.children should bring a note from their parent or guardian on their first day back after an absence;

11.children will be permitted to leave school early to attend doctors, dentists etc. provided that a note is sent to school.

The rules above are by no means exhaustive, clearly other rules may apply from time to time in particular circumstances but they should be seen as a framework and should give some indication of the ethos of the school and the caring attitude which is adopted by all who work in the school.

If we have rules we must also have penalties for those who break the rules. Within the school, penalties should have, as far as is possible, an educational role, helping the child to see the error of his/her ways and to appreciate how to avoid such errors in the future.

The breaking of many of the rules will require only a word from the teacher, explaining to the child what has been done wrong and seeking a commitment that it will not happen again. Other matters, of a more serious nature, may require more active measures to be taken by the teacher.

Such measures would normally take the form of withdrawal of privileges or the setting of extra work. It is assumed that in such circumstances parents will want to play their part in full, by ensuring that any extra work set is properly completed.

In more serious situations, concerning repeated bad behaviour, bullying, fighting or dishonesty a class teacher will involve the Head of Key Stage One or the Vice Principal, as appropriate. In such situations the teacher will fill in a ‘Blue Form’ or ‘Behaviour Report Form’. The senior member of staff will then take appropriate action.

Where a ‘Blue Form’ has been completed a note will be added to the Monthly Record Card, P4 - 7; Progress Record Card, Reception, P1 - 3. In this way parents will be able to seek further information and take corrective measures at the earliest opportunity.

For the information of parents set out below are the occasions when a Blue Form will normally be issued.

1. Speaking in an impudent manner to any adult in the school.

2. Repeated disobedience.

3. Repeated failure to present homework.

4. Hurting another child badly enough to leave a mark or break the skin.

5. Wilfully damaging property.

6. Using bad language.

7. Leaving the school grounds without the Principal’s permission.

8. Stealing any property, parents will be contacted immediately.

9. Bullying of another child.

10.Behaviour not normally acceptable in a school.

Where a child has been reported in the above manner a number of times (maximum of five) he/she will be referred to the Principal, who, depending on individual circumstances, will seek to involve the parents immediately. Working with parents, a strategy to deal with behaviour or discipline problems will in most cases be arrived at.

This may result in the pupil being placed on daily report. In these circumstances the pupil is graded for his/her behaviour throughout the school day on a card which is signed by the parent nightly. Experience has shown that this frequently leads to a marked improvement in behaviour.

It may be necessary, in a minority of cases, to involve outside agencies, such as the Psychology Branch of the N.E.E.L.B., the Educational Welfare Branch, the Department of Health and Social Services or the P.S.N.I.

Attacks on the person or property of any member of staff or other person connected with the school, whether during school hours or not, will be deemed a disciplinary matter and will lead to the appropriate sanctions being used.

The Board of Governors have delegated to the Principal the authority, in exceptional circumstances, to exclude or suspend pupils without prior consultation with them.

In areas of the most extreme seriousness the Board of Governors will, all other avenues having been exhausted, exercise their right to expel pupils from the school.