William Ellis School Website

 Return to Graphical View
Our School
Departments
Language College
Community/Facilities
La Swap
Contact Us
Behaviour Policy
WILLIAM ELLIS SCHOOL
Governors’ Policy on Behaviour and Discipline
OVER-RIDING PURPOSE
1. The over-riding purpose of the disciplinary policy is to promote a safe
environment for the School community, conducive to learning and the
delivery of the appropriate curriculum.
2. In the application of this policy pupils will be treated fairly and consistently,
balancing the needs of the community with those of the individual.
3. The School community (staff, parents and pupils) have mutual
expectations of civilised behaviour in accordance with the Code of
Conduct, and have a collective responsibility for promoting the over-riding
purpose.
MUTUAL EXPECTATIONS
4. The School expects that:
4.1 All parents and pupils will recognise the need for pupils to behave at all
times (whether on and off School premises) in a courteous and civilised way,
with particular emphasis on the following:
(i) Politeness;
(ii) Respect and consideration for others;
(iii) Punctuality;
(iv) Concern for the disadvantaged;
(v) Respect for the property and environment of the School.
4.2 Each pupil will abide by the Code of Conduct and other specific rules
made by the School.
4.3 Parents will:
i) support the objectives of the School as set out in the Code of Conduct
through the Home School Agreement and
ii) exercise their influence to reinforce these objectives and
iii) deal courteously with staff.
4.4 Parents will respond to general or specific initiatives from the School
relating to discipline and in particular will co-operate with the School on
matters relating to their child.
5. Parents expect that:
5.1 Staff will deal courteously with parents.
5.2 The School will have a system of rewards and sanctions that seeks to
carry into practice the objectives of the School and that this system will be
published at appropriate times.
5.3 The systems of rewards and sanctions be applied consistently and fairly
and accordance with any published policies.
5.4 The School will keep parents informed of significant breaches of discipline
involving their child.
5.5 Other parents will do their best to meet the School’s expectations and to
ensure that their children do likewise.
DISCIPLINE
6. Self-discipline is recognised to be the most effective form of discipline.
7. Good behaviour shall be recognised by the school and rewarded in
accordance with Annex 2 on positive behaviour.
8. Where sanctions are necessary to reinforce self-discipline, they must be
appropriate and proportionate to the nature of the conduct and the
surrounding circumstances.
9. In particular, the school will not tolerate the following behaviour:
Persistent bullying (as defined in the anti-bullying policy Annex 3
below) or racial or sexual harassment
Serious violence or threatened violence
Sexual abuse or indecent assault
Possession of any offensive weapon including any imitation firearm
Possession, consumption or supply of an illegal drug at school or
on the way to or from school.
Encouragement of others to do any of the above
10. Sanctions may be applied to breaches of the Code of Conduct as set out
in Annex 1 and other conduct contrary to the over-riding purpose in
paragraph 1 above that takes place off School premises.
11. The primary sanction to punish poor behaviour is detention. This will
usually take place before or after normal School hours as determined by
the individual teacher. Other sanctions include internal exclusion from the
class.
EXCLUSION
12. Behaviour of the kind outlined in paragraph 9 above will result in the
sanction of exclusion.
13. Exclusion may also be imposed for equivalent breaches of the Code of
Conduct.
14. Exclusion may be for a fixed period or be a permanent exclusion
depending on the Head Teacher’s assessment of the gravity of the
conduct, the surrounding circumstances, and the principles set out above.
15. Fixed-term exclusion is regarded as a serious disciplinary offence that
would normally require parental discussion with staff before the student is
re-admitted to the School.
16. Permanent exclusion will be appropriate where a serious breach of the
school disciplinary policy continues after one or more fixed-term
exclusions, and where there is a serious single incident of behaviour
contrary to paragraph 9 of the policy.
MONITORING
17. In order to monitor the effectiveness of the discipline policy the Governors
will:
i. Receive regular reports from the Head;
ii. Ensure that disciplinary decisions are taken in accordance
with the Governors’ statement on discipline, the School
Code of Conduct, the behaviour improvement policy, the
race relations policy and the legal obligations of the school;
iii. Review at least once each year the policies relating to
discipline and behaviour.
18. This policy was revised November 16th 2007 and is next due for review in
May 2009.
ANNEX 1
Code of Conduct
1. Introduction:
1.1 William Ellis is a richly varied School community made up of men and women,
boys and girls, representing most ethnic groups and religions.
1.2 We will only achieve our best if students help to create a learning
environment where teachers are free to teach and students able to learn.
1.3 Every member of our community should feel safe at our School.
1.4 We should treat everyone with respect whatever their abilities, race, sex,
colour, sexual preference and religion.
2. All students accept that they should:
Ø Put learning first
- listen to each other
- concentrate on work
- work with others sensibly
- never distract others or disrupt learning
- be silent when asked
- achieve their learning targets
- monitor their own progress and collect
rewards.
Ø Support each other
- be considerate to everyone
- be ready to help
- be polite (even if angry)
- understand other’s views
- praise each other’s work.
Ø Be responsible
- obey instructions from a member of staff
- wear the correct uniform
- be on time
- bring all equipment
- write down homework
- do homework and keep to deadlines
- tell the truth
- help others when they can
- speak to a teacher if they see something
wrong
- keep any electronic equipment and
mobile phones switched off at all times
when on school premises.
Ø Care for our environment
- no eating or drinking in school corridors and classrooms
- no chewing gum in school
- look after displays and decorations
- put litter in bins
- leave each classroom tidy.
Ø Be safe
- move quietly around the building
- walk on the left
- help keep the school free of drugs or weapons
- keep calm
- avoid arguments and never use violence or threats
- talk to a teacher about any problems.
Revised November 2007
ANNEX 2
POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR
1. Positive Behaviour is behaviour that:
• Promotes the aims and objectives of the school;
• Is in accordance with the Code of Conduct in Annex 1;
• Meets targets set for academic, attendance and behaviour achievements.
2. The School encourages positive behaviour because:
• It enables pupils to weigh up choices and make the correct decision;
• Pupils who behave positively benefit others and gain from positive behaviour by others;
• The School community gains by positive behaviour by pupils;
• Students who have developed positive decision making skills become good citizens and benefit the wider community.
3. The School communicates positive behaviour by:
• Signs in classrooms and premises and guidelines;
• Class teachers informing pupils, tutors, Heads of Departments and Heads of Year by referral forms;
• Displaying referral forms;
• Praising and communicating positive behaviour to others;
• Using Assemblies, particularly those by Heads of Year, Key Stage Deputies and Head Teacher, to commend and reward positive behaviour.
4. The school rewards positive behaviour by:
• Giving rewards for specific good work and good behaviour and meeting specific behaviour targets;
• Recognising consistent good behaviour throughout the term and year.
5. Rewards take the form of:
verbal praise;
written referrals;
telephone calls and letters home;
prizes tokens and trips.
6. The school aims for a ratio of 5 positive referrals to every negative one.
Adopted May 2005
Revised November 2007
ANNEX 3
ANTI-BULLYING POLICY
1. Bullying is a serious breach of the Code of Conduct and discipline policy.
2. The School community is dedicated to the prevention and eradication of bullying .
3. Bullying at William Ellis means:
i. Causing distress by hurtful or abusive language;
ii. Any form of intimidating physical contact;
iii. Demanding money or possessions;
iv. Isolating another person;
v. Threatening to do any of the above;
vi. Any other activity intended to make another afraid, uncomfortable, ashamed or angry. Use of the internet to publicise words or images that have this effect;
vii. Use of a camera phone and similar equipment to incite, record and distribute images of violence.
4. The aims in para. 2 above will be carried out by means of consistent application of :
i. the discipline policy;
ii. this anti-bullying policy;
iii. the William Ellis Anti-Bullying scheme (WEABS)
5. Each member of the School community will try give effect to this policy in the following ways:
i. Students who are being bullied or witness bullying should always report it to a teacher or other appropriate adult. A failure to report bullying condones and encourages it. Students will be listened to and consulted.
ii. Parents who believe that their child or another person has been bullied should contact the School to express their concerns.They will be consulted on the School’s responses to their concerns.
iii. Staff should be alert to the possibility of bullying; listen carefully to reports of bullying and investigate it themselves or pass it on to the appropriate person for further investigation, counselling or disciplinary action.
iv. Governors will receive reports from staff of bullying and action taken to prevent and eradicate it, each term.
Adopted November 2004
Revised November 2007