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Code of Behaviour and Discipline
Our aim at St. Laurence’s is to ensure that the individuality of each child is accommodated while acknowledging the right of each child to education in a relatively disruption free environment.
This code offers a framework within which positive techniques of motivation and encouragement are used by our teachers. Greater emphasis will be placed on rewards than on sanctions in the belief that this will in the long run, give the best results. All members of staff will make every effort to adopt a positive approach to the question of behaviour in the school.
St. Laurence’s recognises the variety of differences that exist between children and the need to accommodate these differences.
It is agreed that a high standard of behaviour requires a strong sense of community within the school and a high level of co-operation among staff and between staff, pupils and parents.
The Board of Management believes that respect for authority, concern for and courtesy towards others, constitute a high standard of behaviour for young children. Consequently specific regulations are not included in this code of discipline.
Every effort will be made to match the curriculum to the abilities, aptitudes and interest of each pupil. This should help to reduce boredom, lack of interest, lack of progress.
The overall responsibility for discipline rests with the principal. Each teacher has responsibility for the maintenance of discipline within her/his classroom, while sharing a common responsibility for good order within the school premises. A pupil will be referred to the Principal for a serious breach of discipline and for repeated incidents of minor misbehaviour.
GOOD BEHAVIOUR will be rewarded in the following ways:
Any one or a combination of the following strategies may be used to show disapproval for UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR:
Communication with parents
Report to Board of Management
Suspension.
Parents will be informed at an early stage of all instances of serious misbehaviour. Teachers will keep a written record of all such instances as well as a record of improvements in the behaviour of disruptive pupils. Before resorting to serious sanctions, for example, suspension, the normal channels of communication
between school and parents will be utilised.
In the event of repeated instances of serious misbehaviour the Chairperson of the Board of Management will be informed and the parents will be requested in writing to attend at the school to meet the Chairperson and the Principal. If the parents do not give an undertaking that the pupil will behave in an acceptable manner in the future the pupil may have to be suspended for a temporary period. Suspension will be in accordance with the terms of Rule 130 (5) of the Rules for National Schools.
In the case of gross misbehaviour the Board shall authorise the Chairperson or the Principal to sanction an immediate suspension, pending a discussion of the matter with the parents.
Expulsion may be considered in an extreme case, in accordance with Rule 130 (6).
With parental consent an emotionally disturbed child will be referred for psychological assessment without delay. Help will be sought, also, from support services within the wider community, for example from the
Community Care Services provided by the Health Board.
Before adopting this code the Board of Management held consultations with the Parents Association and with the Teaching Staff. The code is open to review at any time by parents or teachers - during the annual preparation of this manual it will be subject to review.
The Board of Management believes that to be a top class school the school must have the best possible relationship with parents. Every effort will be made by the Principal and Staff to ensure that parents are kept well informed, that the school provides a welcoming atmosphere towards parents and that parents are not only told when their children are in trouble but when they have behaved particularly well.