Code of Behaviour
A. Preamble
Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh was founded in 1964 by the Presentation Brothers with the aim of providing a Christian Education for the boys of Bishopstown and the adjoining parishes. The Christian ethos of the school is central to its educational philosophy and thus we hope to inculcate in our students a spirit of generosity towards and acceptance of one another in an atmosphere based on mutual respect and tolerance.
The pursuit of excellence, the fostering of the work ethic and the development of talents, both academic and non-academic, are the ideals and objectives which we set before our students. To encompass these ideals and objectives, we are committed to the provision of a socio-educational ethos in which our students would mature into fully integrated and responsible young adults, capable of coping with the pressures and challenges of a rapidly changing world.
The discipline code and structures operating within the school may be seen to play a vital role in the achievement of the aims already outlined. School rules provide an important training for a world in which the acceptance of properly constituted authority-structures, and the ability to function successfully within such structures, may be regarded as the hallmarks of mature citizenship.
B. Structures
The Board of Management is responsible for the management of the school and one of its main aims is to ensure that a happy work-orientated environment is created and maintained at all times. The quality of the education provided is of paramount importance and a sound discipline policy is essential to the achievement of this goal. The Principal, together with the teaching staff, is charged with the formulation and the implementation of the code of discipline and behaviour. The Deputy Principal has the overall responsibility for the discipline of the school. Justice and fairness are the underlying principles which determine the success of any code of behaviour, and a warm and trusting interaction between staff and students is a prerequisite for the creation of a happy school atmosphere.
The Board of Management is the final arbiter in all cases involving serious breaches of discipline.
C. Parents / Guardians.
The involvement of home and school at collaborative level in promoting the values of the school, including its code of behaviour, is central to the success of an educational programme.
It is the philosophy of the school to keep all parents fully informed of their sons’ progress in the school and serious breaches of the school rules will be communicated to parents immediately, either by phone-call or letter. Parents’ co-operation in the disciplining of the recalcitrant student will be vital at this stage.
Parents are exhorted to check the School Journal, issued to each student at the beginning of the school year, for important messages from teachers and are welcome to use the Journal to communicate with teachers. “Spiorad Signals”, the occasional school magazine, is also a very useful channel of communication between school and home.
D. School Rules (General)
- Each student is entitled to benefit from his education in an atmosphere conducive to learning and he must not be inhibited in the pursuit of his educational goals by the disruptive behaviour of fellow-students.
- Students must be respectful and courteous to all members of the school staff and to one another at all times.
- The authority of all teachers extends to all students within the school and in the course of school-related activities.
- Students must uphold the good name of the school at all times.
- Students must help to create a caring and trusting atmosphere in which they are sensitive to one another’s needs.
- The school authorities of Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh see as one of their primary functions the creation and maintenance of an atmosphere free of bullying or intimidatory behaviour. In keeping with Department of Education and Science guidelines, the school has formulated a policy to ensure that the dignity of the individual student will at all times be protected. Any violation of this code will be viewed in a most serious light and students and their parents are encouraged to bring to the notice of the school authorities any occurrences of bullying or intimidatory behaviour.
- Each student brings his individual talents with him and, through generosity of spirit; he should use these talents to benefit others in the whole school community.
- Homework reinforces the work done in the classroom. It is school policy that homework is assigned regularly and that the student completes his homework in a well-presented fashion and on time.
- Transition Year is compulsory for all students. Parents of boys who would be 20 years or older on the 1st August in the year following their completion of the Leaving Certificate may however apply to the Board of Management to be allowed to proceed directly to 5th Year.
E. Functional Rules.
1. Dress and General Appearance
(a) Proper school uniform must be worn at all times except during P.E. classes.
(b) School uniform consists of school jumper and school tie, regulation white school shirt, conventional grey school trousers and school jacket.
Shoes should be conventional leather or leather-look, all black in colour. Canvas shoes, or shoes with a non-black trim, are not acceptable.
Please note that no coats, jackets, hoodies or tops other than official school jackets may be worn.
(c) Running-shoes or gym-shoes may be worn only during P.E. classes.
(d) Hairstyles must be neat, clean and conventional, being neither too long nor too short. Colouring of the hair is not permitted.
(e) Students must be clean-shaven. Facial hair (such as beards, moustaches or sideburns) is forbidden.
(f) The wearing of earrings or similar items of personal adornment is forbidden, as is the wearing of necklaces or obtrusive items of personal jewellery of any kind.
(g) Jackets or street-wear of any kind may not be worn in class except with the express permission of the teacher.
Note:
(i) Rules relating to dress and general appearance also apply to students while they are outside the school during lunch-break or on their way to and from school.
(ii) A written explanation from parent or guardian must accompany any failure to wear full school uniform.
(iii) The school authorities reserve the right to define the meaning of “conventional” in the context of the rules outlined above.
2. Absences from School
(a) No student may leave the school premises without the permission of the Principal or Deputy Principal. A student who leaves school during normal school hours for any reason is expected to sign out at the school office and sign back in on his return (if the school office is closed, he should report to the Deputy Principal’s office instead). Unless on school-related activities, students will only be allowed to leave school during school hours after contact has been made with a parent/guardian. Students who arrive after morning roll call must report their arrival to the Deputy Principal during the mid-morning break (or at 1.50 p.m. if arriving after mid-morning break). As accurate records of student numbers are critical in the event of a fire-drill or of an emergency, any failure to comply with the above will be regarded as a serious infringement of the school rules. Note: Parents/guardians who have supplied mobile telephone numbers will generally receive a text message to alert them to their sons’ absence from school.
(b) A written explanation (not a telephone call) from a parent or guardian must be provided in relation to any absence from school. Such explanations, clearly stating the reason for the student’s absence, must be entered in the appropriate space in the student’s School Journal and should be presented to the Principal or Deputy Principal during roll-call on the day on which the student returns to school. Even when a student leaves school (with the permission of the school authorities) in the care of a parent/guardian during the school day, such a student must have a note in his journal on his return. Notes should be submitted in advance where an absence is planned e.g. doctor’s appointment, attendance at a family event etc.
(c) A note from a parent or guardian seeking permission for a student to absent himself from classes for part of the school day must also be entered in the appropriate space at the back of the School Journal (see also Rule 2 (a) re. signing out).
3. Punctuality
Students must present themselves punctually for classes and for all school-related activities. Students who arrive late for school must present themselves to the school librarian or school secretary (or, if unavailable, to the Principal or Deputy Principal) and receive a “late slip” before being admitted to class. Students who arrive in school after the roll has been taken (and therefore been recorded as absent) must report to the Deputy Principal during the mid-morning break and inform him of their arrival.
4. Smoking, alcohol and drugs
Smoking within the school buildings, its grounds or in the environs of the school is forbidden. Smoking is also prohibited when in school uniform or while engaged in any school-related activities. Possession, use, distribution or sale of alcohol or drugs within the school buildings, its grounds or in the environs of the school is also forbidden. Possession, use, distribution or sale of alcohol or illegal substances is also prohibited when in school uniform or while engaged in any school-related activities. Failure to comply with the school rules on alcohol or drugs may result in sanction up to and including expulsion.
5. Respecting the School Environment
Students must show respect for the total school environment. In particular, they must not litter their classrooms or recreational areas. The use of correction-fluid (such as Tippex) and chewing gum is forbidden. Students must at all times show respect for school property and for one another’s property. Damage to school property or to the property of others must be repaired at the student’s expense. Where property has been damaged beyond repair, replacement (or the appropriate cost of replacement) will be required.
6. Movement in and around the School
Students may enter and leave the school building only through the designated doorways and gates. Students entering school on foot or on bicycles must never use the vehicle entrance. Within the school, all movement on the corridors must be on the left-hand side. At the start of the morning break, all students must vacate their classrooms. At such times, all movement on stairs must be downward. Students are not normally allowed visit their lockers during class-time. Other than at official break times, a student may only visit the toilet if he has obtained a “CorridorPass” from his teacher. A student may not visit the toilet between classes without first having secured the permission of the incoming teacher. For reasons of safety, cyclists should dismount at the school gate and refrain from cycling in the schoolyard. Students may not park their cars in the school grounds.
7. Use of Electronic Equipment
Mobile phones, radios, personal music players or other such appliances must be turned off (completely) as soon as the student enters the school building. The possession of camera phones is allowed but the use of the camera/video component of any phone is totally forbidden in any part of the school building or grounds at any time except where expressly permitted by a teacher. Even when turned off, phones must not constitute a distraction of any kind. Violation of this rule will result in the confiscation of the appliance for a period of up to three months. Where a mobile phone has been confiscated, the SIM card may (at the discretion of the Deputy Principal) be returned to the owner on receipt of a letter from the student’s parent/guardian.
8. After-School and Wednesday Detention
A student who wishes to apply for deferral of an after-school detention must apply in person to the Principal or Deputy-Principal. A student who wishes to apply for deferral of a Wednesday Detention must apply in advance to the teacher who assigned him to detention and must present a note from a parent or guardian stating the reason for wishing to have the detention deferred. Applications for deferrals may not always be granted. A student who is absent from school on the day of a Wednesday detention will automatically be assigned to the next Wednesday Detention and will not necessarily receive a written reminder of this arrangement. Students who fail to attend a Wednesday detention will normally be given a double Wednesday detention. Students who fail to attend on more than one occasion may be suspended from school.
9. School Journals
Each student will be supplied with a School Journal at the beginning of the school year. The journal remains the property of the school and must be submitted to any teacher on request. The personal details section at the front of the journal (including the signatures of parents/guardians) must be completed in full. A student must not deface or damage the journal in any way and must bring it to school with him every day. Should he lose or mislay the journal, he must replace it at the earliest opportunity and pay the appropriate cost of replacement. The defacing or destruction of another student’s journal will be regarded as a serious infringement of the school rules. Students are reminded of the importance of recording their homework assignments each day in their journal. On occasion, a student’s image (photograph) may be used on the cover of the school journal, in school magazines or for other promotional purposes. Any parents (or student aged 18 years or over) who would prefer that their son’s image not be used in this way should inform school management on enrolment.
10 Participation in Extra-Curricular Activities
The privilege of participating in extra-curricular activities, either as an active participant or as a supporter, may be withdrawn in the case of a student who has an unsatisfactory behavior record.
11 Yard Rules
(a) Students should enter and exit the school premises and yard through the appropriate gates and doorways.
(b) Students are expected to exercise due care to others while in the school yard and not to engage in activities that might compromise either their own safety or that of others.
(c) Ball-playing is permitted using the basketballs supplied by the school. Basketballs must never be kicked. Permission must be sought to use any other ball in the school yard. Generally, a maximum of three balls will be allowed. Use of hurleys, rackets, frisbees etc. is not permitted in the yard.
(d) The sports field is generally out of bounds except to students who are properly kitted out with appropriate sportswear and equipment and to those who are under the supervision of a teacher. At the discretion of the supervising teachers, casual ball games on the sports field involving restricted numbers of students may be permitted at certain times of the year during long lunch-break.
(e) Students who misbehave or who are found littering in the yard will be subject to sanction. Typical sanctions will include litter duty, after-school detention and Wednesday detention.
(f) Students will be expected to line up as instructed and in an orderly fashion prior to reentering the school. Students will not be permitted to use the toilets after the bell has sounded. Students must remove all headwear prior to entering the building.
(g) Students are not permitted to walk to or from school through the sports field or through any gaps in the fencing.
Note: The school authorities reserve the right to alter these rules or to introduce new rules during the school year. Students will be notified of such changes.
F. Sanctions.
1. Classroom sanctions (such as lines, extra homework etc.) will be left to the discretion of the individual teacher.
2. For minor breaches of school rules (including late arrival at school without a satisfactory written explanation signed by a parent/guardian) or for failure to produce satisfactory homework, students may be detained after school for up to one hour. Twenty-four hours notice of such detention will normally be given.
3. In the case of more serious instances or misbehaviour, students may be detained in school on Wednesday afternoons (see also Funtional Rule no. 8). Teachers will make the appropriate entry in the ‘Detention Register’ and parents will be informed of the reasons for the detention by letter. The standard penalty for failure to attend a Wednesday Detention is a Double Wednesday Detention i.e. detention on two successive Wednesdays. Teachers will also report more serious instances of misbehaviour or repeated instances of minor misbehaviour by filling out an Incident Report, one copy of which will be passed on to the class teacher and another copy placed in the student’s file.
4. Any infringement of the rules relating to the use of mobile phones, personal music players etc. will result in the confiscation of the appliance in question for a period to be determined by the school authorities (usually up to three months).
5. In the case of repeated misbehaviour, a student may be put ‘on report’ by the class-teacher. At the end of the class period, the subject-teacher will enter a comment on the student’s behaviour in the appropriate space on the Report Card. At the end of the week, if the student’s behaviour has not shown a marked improvement, further disciplinary action will be decided on by the school authorities.
6. In the case of serious violation of school rules, a student may be suspended or excluded (expelled). Parents will be informed in writing of the reasons for the suspension or exclusion. In the event of exclusion or suspension(s) of twenty or more days (either consecutive or cumulative) in any school year, the parents/guardian (or student, if aged 18 or above) will be advised of their right of appeal to the Board of Management of the school.