Policies
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR OAKHURST GIRLS’ PRIMARY
| BEHAVIOUR CATEGORY | LEARNER RESPONSIBILITY | PARENT RESPONSIBILITY | SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATTENDANCE | Be on school premises by 8:05.
Do not leave school premises during school hours unless permission is given by the principal. Commit yourself to the extra-mural of your choice for a full season. Be punctual for all school activities. |
Ensure that girls are punctual.
Teach children the importance of being punctual and committed to extra-murals. Avoid keeping children out of school unnecessarily. |
Give girls a late letter for continued late arrival.
Call parents to discuss no-attendance or continued late arrival. |
| APPEARANCE & UNIFORM CODE | Always wear your correct school uniform and make sure it looks neat and clean.
Wear correct sports uniform to phys ed, practices and matches. Your satchel must be navy-blue or black. No jewellery, make-up or nail varnish to be worn to school. Only one pair of plain gold or silver studs or sleepers allowed in pierced ears. If your hair is longer than shoulder-length, it has to be tied up. Hair accessories only in Oakhurst green or navy-blue. Ensure that you are properly clothed when you leave the school grounds – you should not leave school barefoot or just wearing your swimming costume. |
Make sure your child is wearing the correct uniform and always looks groomed.
Ensure that all clothing & other items are clearly marked. Check uniforms regularly for damage and cleanliness. Ensure that your daughter is appropriately dressed on “civvies days” (In other words that her clothing is not revealing). |
Encourage learners to take care of the way they look.
Expect strict adherence to uniform code. Motivate children to maintain a high standard of neatness. Alert parents by means of the uniform slip of incorrect uniform. If a learner is not appropriately dressed on “civvies days”, the principal will phone the parents and she will be sent home to dress properly. |
| COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SCHOOL & HOME | Write down your homework and have it signed daily.
Give your parents all school newsletters. Return reply slips to school within 2 days. Catch up on work that you have missed when you have missed classes for any reason. |
Schedule definite set times for homework and supervise if necessary.
Sign homework book daily. Provide letters of absence for school & extra-murals. Note the contents of newsletters regularly. Return reply slips to the school timeously. Make an appointment should you need to see a teacher. |
Check homework books at least once a week.
Ensure all learners receive school newsletters. Monitor the return of reply slips. Do not cancel extra-murals unnecessarily. |
| BEHAVIOUR CATEGORY | LEARNER RESPONSIBILITY | PARENT RESPONSIBILITY | SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY |
| CONDUCT | Show respect for all people, the school buildings & school, property, grounds, books & possessions.
Be courteous and considerate at all times. Avoid using bad language. Unsuitable music or reading material may not be brought to school. Chewing gum is not allowed. Line up neatly after break times. Always behave in a way that makes you a credit to the school. Be polite to people you meet in the building or grounds. |
Role model respect, courtesy and consideration at all times.
Impress upon your child that school is a place to learn. Instil pride her school by reminding your child that she carries the name of Oakhurst with her whenever she is in the public eye. |
Create an orderly learning environment to help learners behave & use their time sensibly.
Keep parents informed about inappropriate behaviour so that possible solutions can be sought together. |
| RESPECT | Respect staff members & all adults at school.
Greet adults politely. Listen & obey the first time a staff member speaks you. Listen to and cooperate with the house captains and monitors. |
Avoid criticizing the school & staff in front of your child.
Support the school’s decisions when disciplinary action is taken. |
Show respect for learners & parents and reinforce good behaviour. |
| SCHOOL GROUNDS & BUILDINGS | Keep the playground & cloakrooms clean and tidy.
The riding of bicycles, skate boards or roller blades on the school grounds or inside the school buildings is not allowed. Do not play or walk in the car park, the electric gates or the flower beds. Move quietly in the passages. The pool area is out of bounds unless you are supervised by an adult. No food & drink may be taken into the library, computer room, video room or pool area. Only in exceptional cases may food be taken into the hall and then only under adult supervision. Always make sure that the pedestrian gate is closed behind you. Do not open the gates for strangers. Use the dustbins for your rubbish. |
Support school staff in their efforts to keep the school clean & safe.
Make sure that the pedestrian gate is closed at all times. Always first report to the secretary’s office when visiting the school. For security reasons, do not use the side doors. |
Create a clean and attractive environment inside and outside the school building.
Provide enough rubbish bins for easy disposal of rubbish. Provide storage place for bicycles. |
| BEHAVIOUR CATEGORY | LEARNER RESPONSIBILITY | PARENT RESPONSIBILITY | SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY |
| INTERACTION WITH OTHERS | Show respect and compassion to your peers.
Avoid playing rough games at break. Avoid getting involved in nasty games and cliques which tease or exclude certain children. Never respond to a conflict situation by fighting or swearing. No article which could be a danger to others may be brought to school. |
Help children to develop a sense of respect for themselves and others.
Help children to develop alternative methods of conflict resolution. Explain to children the harm to themselves and others which they might cause. Teach children that their actions will have consequences that they are accountable for. |
Provide a school environment in which learners feel physically and emotionally safe.
Establish an atmosphere of open communication for learners to seek help from staff members. Assist girls in managing conflict. Confiscate dangerous articles. |
| POSSESSIONS & THEFT | Clearly mark all items that are brought to school.
Only use other people’s possessions with their permission. Bring money in a clearly marked, sealed envelope. Do not bring cell phones, toys & other valuable items to school. Should you have something valuable at school, give it to your class teacher for safe-keeping. Respect other peoples’ property by not scratching in their belongings. |
Ensure that all clothing and possessions are labelled. Support the idea that it is wrong to use or take something that does not belong to you. Don’t give children large amounts of money to spend at school. Don’t allow the child to bring valuable items to school. |
Investigate cases of theft, should they arise.
Include input about theft in life skills programme. |
| CELLULAR TELEPHONES | If you must have a cell phone at school it has to be handed to your teacher as soon as you enter your classroom (senior girls only).
Cellphones must be switched off during school times. They may not be taken out or used at ANY time during the school day. Your cellphone may only be used at the end of a sports practice or match once you have been dismissed by your coach. Cellphones may not be taken on outings or camps. |
Do not allow your child to bring a cellphone to school unless you are prepared to have it locked away during school hours.
Make your child aware of the responsibility that goes along with owning and using a cellphone. |
Collect and lock cellphones away safely during school hours. |
| REPEATED VIOLATIONS | Avoid breaking the rules.
Learn from your mistakes and don’t become involved in the same misdemeanor again. |
Cooperate with staff to improve your child’s behaviour (should this be necessary).
Help children to understand that continued misbehaviour is disruptive to their own education and infringes on the rights of others. |
Deal with repeated misdemeanours by conferencing with the child & their parents or guardians and offering support and guidance. |
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Possible course of action depending on circumstances, severity of misdemeanour, the number of repeat misdemeanours.
- Reprimand
- Warning
- Time out
- Detention (Gr. 4 – 7)
- Behaviour modification programme
- Interview with principal
- Interview/ contact with parents
- Suspension of privileges
- Principal’s detention
- Daily or weekly report / behaviour contract
- Restitution / reparation for damage caused.
BULLYING POLICY FOR OAKHURST GIRLS' PRIMARY
Everyone has the right to a friendly, safe and happy school as it is within this type of caring environment that children can learn. Oakhurst will not tolerate any kind of bullying. By bullying we mean any behaviour which repeatedly causes a child to be hurt or upset. Bullying behaviour could include:
- threatening behaviour, verbal or non-verbal
- isolating a child from the group
- name calling or constant teasing
- saying nasty things to others about a child or a child’s family
- discriminatory remarks to the child or about the child
- interfering with a child’s possessions
- demanding payment of any kind
- physical violence
- sending inappropriate sms messages to a child or about a child
Prevention
In order to ensure that bullying is not prevalent in our school we:
- will raise the awareness of staff, itinerant staff and parents through the distribution of this policy
- will ensure that new families to the school will be given this policy on arrival
- will make the prevention of bullying a subject which is raised regularly at assembly
- will encourage girls to care for each other and to be more observant
- will praise children for supportive, co-operative and friendly behaviour
- will deal with incidents as soon as possible
- strongly encourage parents to support co-operative behaviour in and around the home and discourage aggressive ways of resolving conflict
Action to be taken by the child who feels she is being bullied
Bullies like secrecy. A child who is being bullied must not allow it to continue. She must be encouraged to speak up and share the problem. A possible route would be:
- talking to a friend who, in turn, can encourage her to:
- tell a teacher
- tell a house captain
- visit the principal in her office at any time
Action to be taken by a parent who feels a child is being bullied
If a parent or guardian suspects, after noticing changed or unusual behaviour or actual incidents, that a child may be being bullied at school, he/she should contact the class teacher or the principal immediately.
Evidence of the bullying should be made available if possible so that an investigation of the situation may be put into action as soon as possible. Parents should not take the matter into their own hands by contacting the other child’s parents directly.
Action to be taken after identification of bullying
Depending on the seriousness of the situation, the following members of staff may be involved:
- Class teacher, Principal, Learning Support Coordinator / Counsellor
The following actions will be taken:
- The parent or guardian of the child or children involved will be contacted.
- Depending on the seriousness of the situation, the process of dealing with misdemeanours, as laid down in the Code of Conduct, will be followed.
- Counselling will take place if necessary.
- The situation will be closely monitored for repeat offences.
May, 2007