Behaviour and Expectation Policy
Introduction
The purpose of the policy is to encourage self-discipline and an awareness of the positive contribution that the individual can make to institution life and the wider community.
Students are expected to conduct themselves with courtesy and common sense at all times.
The institution believes that each individual has a right to live in peace within the community and the institution acknowledges its obligations under the terms of the variety of Health and Safety and Child Protection Legislation.
MEH aims to provide a moral framework for students’ personal development so that they may become courteous and tolerant members of the community.
Bullying, racist, sexist and other anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.
Students learn of these expectations through a number of communication channels individual conversations with staff, particularly Personal Tutors and through the general ethos of the institution.
The importance of self-discipline and the positive contribution that an individual can make are stressed wherever appropriate.
The highest standards of work and behaviour are expected and staff will take whatever actions are needed to ensure those high standards.
MEH Management will ensure there is no differential application of the policy on any grounds, particularly ethnic or national origin, culture, religion, gender, disability or sexuality.
MEH Management will also ensure that the concerns of students are listened to and appropriately addressed.
Parents will be expected to accept overall responsibility for the behaviour of their child both inside and outside the institution.
They will be encouraged to work in partnership with the institution to assist MEH in maintaining high standards of behaviour and will have the opportunity to raise with the institution any issues arising from the operation of the policy.
Students have a responsibility to ensure that incidents of disruption, violence, bullying and any form of harassment are reported, as stated in the institution’s Anti-Bullying Policy.
The Principal in consultation with all staff will develop the procedures arising from this policy.
This Behaviour and Discipline Policy makes it clear to students how acceptable standards of behaviour can be achieved, in addition to having a clear rationale, which is made explicit to staff, students and parents.
The procedures will be consistently and fairly applied and will promote the idea of personal responsibility and that every member of the institution has a responsibility towards the whole community.
Aims of Policy
- To make the institution’s expectations of behaviour clear to all students
- To provide positive adult role models of caring, considerate and co-operative behaviour
- To promote good behaviour and a proper regard for authority
- To encourage the development of self-discipline and a sense of responsibility for one’s own actions
- To create an orderly atmosphere conducive to learning, effective teaching and harmonious living
- To create an environment based upon mutual respect
- To ensure that all adults in the institution and boarding accommodation share a common responsibility for maintaining good discipline and promoting the institution’s guidelines on behaviour
Practice
- All teaching and boarding staff will practise consistent behavioural management
- Teachers will make every effort to motivate and encourage students by providing an appropriate curriculum
- Boarding staff will make every effort to include and motivate students by providing appropriate extra-curricular activities
- All students will be made aware of what is appropriate and inappropriate behaviour through discussion and clarification of institution rules with staff
- Teaching staff, boarding staff and members of the institution Management will enforce the expected standards around the institution generally and outside
- Good behaviour will be recognized, encouraged, praised and rewarded
- Inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour will be punished in a fair and consistent manner.
- There will be a hierarchical system of responsibility and of support for staff
- Incidents of inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour may be recorded. Parents may be informed about poor behaviour of their child, and their support enlisted and expected
- Every effort will be made to identify and support vulnerable students.
Discipline
The fundamental assumption underlying the institution’s approach to discipline is that of trust and respect between individuals.
Formal rules are therefore kept to a workable minimum through a code of conduct while conventions about conduct are, as in any good family, stressed.
Disciplinary procedures will be invoked if the relationship breaks down or if the code of conduct or conventions are flouted.
The Principal, who lays down broad principles, is responsible for the communication of institution rules and makes specific decisions on particular occasions relating to serious issues of discipline. The Principal also delegates the routine overview of day-to-day discipline to the Vice Principal and the various disciplinary codes to the teaching staff.
The Principal acts as a Court of Appeal where necessary.
Routine discipline is exercised by staff on a day-to-day basis as the need arises.
Particular rules apply to laboratories, ICT and boarding premises.
There is no fixed scale of punishment.
Sanctions are decided by the severity of the offence and by what is customary.
They are usually imposed.
at the level at which they arise, but may be referred upwards as deemed necessary.
Those who consider that they have been unjustly punished may appeal upwards through the Vice Principal.
Rewards and Sanctions
An institution ethos of encouragement is central to the promotion of good behaviour.
Students will thus achieve recognition for a positive contribution to institution life.
Such a contribution includes sound academic work and effort, good behaviour and enthusiastic participation in extra curricular or boarding activities.
As a institution, attention should not be limited to those whose behaviour is consistently poor.
Sanctions are needed to respond to inappropriate behaviour.
Students have a right to expect fair and consistently applied sanctions.
An appropriate sanction is one which is designed to put matters right and encourage better performance or behaviour in the future.
Interrelationship with other institution Policies
In order for the Behaviour and Discipline Policy to be effective, a clear relationship with other institution policies, particularly Equal Opportunities, and Anti-Bullying, has been established.
Strategies for responding to unacceptable behaviour
Teachers and members of MEH Management should use their professional judgement in deciding how to deal with a problem.
Serious offences, which may result in suspension or exclusion, include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Lying
- Unauthorised absence from lessons
- Loud & Abusive behaviour
- Rudeness directed toward another member of the institution community
- Consistent failure to submit completed/adequate homework on time
- Repeated failure to show sufficient effort in class/homework
- Disruption of the classroom working environment
- Repeated failure to wear institution uniform in the correct manner
- Repeated lateness to institution or lessons
- Bullying
- Violence toward another member of the institution community
- Wilful destruction of property
- Bringing the institution into disrepute
- Bringing prohibited items on to the institution site – including knives and other weapons
- Criminal acts – including the possession of drugs or drug related paraphernalia
- Intoxication
- Theft
Sanctions
Sanctions should ensure that students make some form of reparation for their misbehaviour.
Whatever sanction is used it should always be made clear to the student why they are being punished and how, through improved behaviour, they can avoid a recurrence.
The following might be appropriate sanctions:
- Withholding privileges such as participation in extra-curricular activities
- Being put on report
- Being internally excluded
Guidelines for imposing Sanctions
- Unacceptable behaviour should be punished.
- Punishments should be fair and consistent.
- Punishments should be in proportion to the offence, and should distinguish between minor and serious offences, and also isolated and persistent breaches of discipline.
- Punishments should never be degrading or humiliating.
- Whole groups should generally not be punished for the misbehaviour of individuals.
However, students should also realise that they have a corporate responsibility regarding behaviour and this may sometimes lead to the whole group being required to take responsibility for its behaviour. - Conversely, individuals should not be made scapegoats for the misbehaviour of a whole class.
Restraint
Corporal punishment is forbidden in all circumstances and is contrary to institution policy.
Should any use of restraint by staff be required, it will be reasonable, proportionate and lawful.
Restraint will only be used when immediately necessary and for the minimum time necessary to prevent a student from doing or continuing to do any of the following:
• committing a criminal offence
• injuring themselves or others
• causing damage to property, including their own
• engaging in any behaviour prejudicial to good order and discipline at the institution or among any of its students, whether that behaviour occurs in a classroom or elsewhere.
Where restraint is used by staff, this is recorded in writing in the student’s file.
Where a major punishment is administered, in line with the institution’s Rewards and Sanctions Policy, it will be recorded with the name of the student concerned, the reason for the punishment and the name of the person administering the punishment.
Suspension/permanent exclusions are recorded by the Senior Tutor.
A student or parents may request a Governors’ Review of the Head’s decision to exclude, or require a student to leave, permanently.
This request also applies to temporary exclusions.
Conducting searches
MEH staff can search students with their consent (the ability of a child to give consent, will be dependent on their age) for any item.
The Principal must be informed on each occasion that a search is carried out.
The Principal keeps a record of such incidences.
The Principal and staff authorised by the Principal have the power to search students or their possessions, without consent, where they suspect the student has a “prohibited item”.
The Principal must be informed on each occasion that a search is carried out, informing the Principal whether or not consent was obtained.
The Principal keeps a record of such incidences.
Prohibited items are:
- knives and weapons
- alcohol
- illegal drugs
- stolen items
- tobacco and cigarette papers
- fireworks
- pornographic images
- any article that has been or is likely to be used to commit an offence, cause personal injury or damage to property
- any item banned by the institution rules which has been identified in the rules as an item which may be searched for.
A number of separate MEH rules and policies outline our precise expectations in these matters and should be referred to.
- Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children policy.
- Anti-bullying Policy.
- Acceptable Use Policy for IT.
- Smoking & Alcohol Policy.
- Drugs and Substance misuse Policy.
- Pastoral Handbook.