St. John’s School
Code of Behaviour
Devised:
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Ratified By B.O.M.
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Signature Chairperson B.O.M.
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Reviewed at Staff Meeting
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Review ratified by B.O.M. (Date)
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Signature Chairperson B.O.M.
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Mission Statement
St. John’s Special School is a co-educational, Catholic, Special School which strives to provide a well-ordered, happy
and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, spiritual physical, moral and cultural needs of the pupils are identified
and addressed.
As St. John’s is a school with a Catholic ethos we strive to develop a spiritual and good moral foundation, it also has
due recognition for all other religions.
St. John’s will strive to promote, both individually and collectively the professional and personal development of staff
through staff development programmes.
St. John’s will encourage the involvement of parents through home/school contacts.
St. John’s will endeavour to enhance the self esteem of everyone in the school community, to imbue in the pupils
respect for people and property and to encourage in them the idea of being responsible.
St. John’s will promote gender equality among all staff and pupils.
On leaving school our aim is that each pupil has developed as far as possible competence in literacy, numeracy, and
language skills to take their rightful place as young adults in our society.
Our aspiration is that pupils will leave St.John’s as confident, independent young adults with a knowledge and
appreciation of their social, cultural and physical environment.
September 2006
Code of Behaviour
St. John’s School
Our Motto
In a safe and caring atmosphere, St. John’s school will strive to teach the children in our
care to respect each other and to develop their personalities in order to fulfil their true
potential.
This policy was formulated in accordance with the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, section 23(3) and in
accordance with the ‘Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools’ publication issued by the
National Educational Welfare Board (N.E.W.B.) in 2008.
The Code of Behaviour is regularly refereed to at assembly by the school principal and in the classroom by
the class teacher. This code of behaviour is based on reward as well as on compliance and sanction.
Note: The Code of Behaviour should be read in conjunction with other school policies. In particular the
Enrolment Policy, the Health and Safety Statement, Homework Policy, Mobile Phone Policy , the Antibullying Policy, Attendance and Truancy Policy etc.
Aims of the Code of Behaviour
The aims of our code of behaviour are:
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To allow for the smooth and harmonious running of the school.
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To promote the safety and happiness of all children and staff in the school.
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To facilitate the development and education of all the children.
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To promote good behaviour and self discipline among the children.
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To promote equality and fairness among all.
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To increase the co-operation between home and school.
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To ensure the consistency in the application of rules and sanctions.
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To outline the structure of fair and agreed sanctions that will be available to teachers in response to
negative behaviour.
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To enhance the learning environment of the school by promoting a sense or mutual respect among all
members of the school community.
The Code of Behaviour
Rather than listing all the possible behaviours that might be unacceptable, there are instead clear definitions
of the differing roles and expectations of the people involved in the everyday life of the school
The code of behaviour applies to all areas of the school, including the school yard at play time and the dining
room at meal times. The code of behaviour also applies to school outings, tours and sports days.
Expectations of Pupils
The school expects our pupils will:
 Be punctual
 Show respect for themselves and for others
 Avoid swearing, smutty talk, fighting or name calling
 Respect all school property (chewing gum is forbidden)
 Participate in school activities
 Listen to messages given and do as requested
 Not engage in rough play, spitting, throwing stones (or other dangerous items) or using any type of
weapon.
The members of staff expect that pupils will:
 Show them courtesy and respect
 Avoid backchat and insolence
 Follow the rules drawn up by their class
 Avoid distracting behaviour
 Listen when others are talking
 Accept their authority and responsibility
Pupils expect their fellow pupils will:
 Speak to them with courtesy and respect
 Not use offensive teasing or bully them
 Listen to them and acknowledge them
 Never insult or belittle them because of differences
 Show acceptance and respect their differing personalities
 Allow them to be part of the group
Expectations of the school:
Pupils expect that the school will be:
 Safe and happy
 Encouraging and supportive of their development
 Affirming of children of all abilities
Parents/Guardians expect that there will be:
 Recognition and provision for the individual differences of pupils
 An atmosphere of support and inclusion
 Positive communication between school and home
Expectations of Parents/Guardians:
The school expects that you will:
 Take responsibility for ensuring that your child co-operates with the school’s Code of Behaviour as
well as all policies relating to curriculum, organisation and management.
 Give a contact number where you can be reached in an emergency
 Be available to discuss your child’s progress
 Work with the school’s staff to ensure all pupils are happy at school
 To inform school of reasons for pupil absences.
Sample of safety rules from Health and Safety Statement
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Pupils are never allowed to leave the school premises without permission.
Children must remain in designated supervised play areas during breaks.
Any jewellery considered to be dangerous is forbidden.
Pupils must use appropriate safety equipment during practical subjects.
Running is forbidden inside the building
Rewards, responses and sanctions available in our school
The emphasis in our school is on promoting good behaviour rather than punishing bad behaviour. The
school places particular emphasis on recognising the achievements of pupils when this is merited.
Rewards include:
 Personal praise of a pupil by a teacher
 Commendation from principal
 Special mention at school assembly
 Award of minor privileges
 Pupil of the month awards
Where inappropriate behaviour occurs in the form of a minor incident, such as not heeding a request
or being disruptive in class, phase 1 is implemented.
Phase 1: In class:

Quiet word.

Reminder of class or school rules.
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Short instruction
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Seek explanation
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Temporary isolation from group or change position in class
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Loss of minor privileges
Where the inappropriate behaviour is persistent and becomes disruptive to both the processes of teaching
and learning, a meeting will be held between classroom staff to agree and implement strategies to
discourage the unwanted behaviour. A record of the behaviour will be kept for an agreed amount of time.
Phase 2: Wider Involvement
 Longer chat with teacher\SNA to discuss behaviour
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Note in homework journal\Phone call home
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Removed from classroom, isolation from peer group
After the agreed time has passed, the strategies are reviewed and their impact evaluated. If the
intervention is ineffective, the following steps are taken.
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Referral to principal by teacher to discuss behaviour.
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Principal and relevant staff discuss behaviour with student.
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Parents/Guardians are called in to discuss problem with principal and Teacher (if appropriate)
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Principal, teacher and parents/guardians discuss behaviour with pupil.
For serious negative behaviour such as a single incident of non-compliance with the school rules
which hinders the smooth running of the school and interferes with the learning of pupils, need not
proceed through the various stages. Appropriate action can be taken by the Principal or by the Board
of Management:
Phase 3: Board of Management Involvement
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Interview between parents/guardians and School Disciplinary Committee (Principal and a Post Holder)
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If a satisfactory resolution is not reached the principal will inform the parents/guardians in writing
that the B.O.M. is being informed formally of the situation.
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The B.O.M. discuss the difficulties being experienced and notify the parents/guardians of the
outcome of those discussions. Example, the B.O.M. will continue to monitor the situation allowing
time for the school to explore with parents/guardians how best to address the student’s behaviour.
Phase 4: Suspension
The B.O.M. of St John’s School has the authority to suspend a pupil.
Suspension can form part of a plan to address the student’s behaviour. The suspension should:
 Enable the school to set behavioural goals with the student and their parents/guardians.
 Give school staff an opportunity to plan other interventions
 Impress on a student and their parents/guardians the seriousness of the behaviour.
Where a preliminary assessment of the facts confirm serious misbehaviour that could warrant suspension the
school will observe the following procedures.
1. Inform the student and their parents/guardians about the complaint.
2. Give parents/guardians and student an opportunity to respond
Immediate Suspension – A pupil may be suspended for a single incident of serious misconduct.
These serious grounds include:
 The student’s behaviour has had a seriously detrimental effect on the education of other pupils
 The student’s continued presence in the school at this time constitutes a threat to safety
 The student is responsible for serious damage to property
The B.O.M. delegates this authority to the principal up to a three day suspension. The Principal contacts and
informs the Chairperson of the B.O.M. of the suspension as soon as possible. The B.O.M. will then decide on
whatever further action needs to be taken. If a suspension longer than three days is being proposed by the
principal, the matter should be referred to the B.O.M. for consideration and approval, giving the
circumstances and the expected outcomes.
Where a meeting of the board cannot be convened in a timely fashion the B.O.M. delegates to the principal
the authority to impose a suspension of up to five days with the approval of the chairperson of the board.
Implementing the suspension
Written notification
The Principal will notify the parents/guardians and the student in writing of the decision to suspend.
The letter will confirm:
• The period of the suspension and the dates on which the suspension will begin and end
• The reasons for the suspension
• Any study programme to be followed
• The arrangements for returning to school, including any commitments to be entered into by the student and
the parents/guardians (for example, parents/guardians might be asked to re-affirm their commitment to the
code of behaviour or agree to behavioural contract)
• The provision for an appeal to the Board of Management
• The right to appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science (Education Act
1998, section 29).
Phase 5: Expulsion
The Grounds for Expulsion
The Board of Management of St. John’s School has the authority to expel a student having complied with the
provisions of section 24 of Education (Welfare) Act 2000. This authority is reserved to the Board of
Management.
Expulsion of a student is a very serious step, only taken by the Board of Management in extreme cases of
unacceptable behaviour. The school will have taken significant steps to address the misbehaviour
and to avoid expulsion of a student including, as appropriate:
• Meeting with parents/guardians and the student to try to find ways of helping the student to change their
behaviour
• Making sure that the student understands the possible consequences of their behaviour, if it should persist
• Ensuring that all other possible options have been tried
• Seeking the assistance of support agencies (e.g. National Educational Psychological Service, Health
Service Executive Community Services, the National Behavioural Support Service, Child and Adolescent
Mental Health Services, National Council for Special Education).
Expulsion 12
A proposal to expel a student requires serious grounds such as that:
• The student’s behaviour is a persistent cause of significant disruption to the learning of others or to the
teaching process
• The student’s continued presence in the school constitutes a real and significant threat to safety
• The student is responsible for serious damage to property.
The grounds for expulsion may be similar to the grounds for suspension. In addition to factors such
as the degree of seriousness and the persistence of the behaviour, a key difference is that, where
expulsion is considered, the school has tried a series of other interventions, and believe they
have exhausted all possibilities for changing the student’s behaviour.
Expulsion for a first offence
There may be exceptional circumstances where the Board of Management forms the opinion that a
student should be expelled for a first offence. The kinds of behaviour that might result in a proposal to
expel on the basis of a single breach of the code could include:
• A serious threat of violence against another student or member of staff
• Actual violence or physical assault
• Supplying illegal drugs to other pupils in the school
• Sexual assault.
Procedures in respect of expulsion
Schools are required by law to follow fair procedures as well as procedures prescribed under the
Education (Welfare) Act 2000, when proposing to expel a student. Where a preliminary assessment of the
facts confirms serious misbehaviour that could warrant expulsion, the procedural steps will include:
1. A detailed investigation carried out under the direction of the Principal.
2. A recommendation to the Board of Management by the Principal.
3. Consideration by the Board of Management of the Principal’s recommendation; and the holding of
a hearing.
4. Board of Management deliberations and actions following the hearing.
5. Consultations arranged by the Educational Welfare Officer.
6. Confirmation of the decision to expel.
The Board of Management is the decision-making body in relation to expulsion. The B.O.M. will consult the
NEWB Guidelines Chapter 12 and the Educational Welfare Officer in respect of Expulsion.
Implementing the Code of Behaviour
The success of the code of behaviour depends on having a good plan for implementing it. The
essential elements of an implementation plan are:
• communicating the code
• teaching students the behavioural and learning skills they need
• securing parental support for the code
• monitoring behaviour in the school
• reviewing the code
St John’s Plan for Implementing the Code of Behaviour
 Prior to registration parents are provided with a written copy of the Code of Behaviour.
 The Principal reads the Code of Behaviour with parents (and child if appropriate) and when
necessary.
 The Principal discusses the norms and values underpinning the code with the parents (and child
if appropriate).
 Parents are informed on enrolment that the school operates an open door policy re
communication between school and home. i.e. Parents and school contact each other whenever
necessary by Telephone, letter, text or in person.
 Pupils, parents and staff are encouraged to bring issues, concerns or complaints as soon as
possible to the principal or relevant staff member in order to find a resolution a quickly as
possible. (Pupils are taught through role play how to express their issues appropriately)
 Formal Parent/Teacher meetings are held annually, ensuring an opportunity to review their
child vis a vis the Code of Behaviour.
 The Principal regularly reviews the Code of Behaviour or particular sections at whole school
assemblies.
 Class teachers regularly review the behaviour in class as part of the S.P.H.E. programme.
 Staff meetings regularly address behaviour issues ensuring consistent rules and routines
throughout the classroom and school. The principal will then bring any recurrent issues to the
B.O.M. for clarification and decisions.
 A reminder note home to parents on particular areas of the code is sent from time to time e.g.
when trends emerge or specific areas of concern arise.
 Special Needs Assistants support particular pupils who need extra support to understand and
observe the code for example when first joining the school, in times of transition from class to
class, when experiencing personal difficulties etc.
 Reference is made to behaviour by school principal at school community mass at the Christmas
and end of year school mass when B.O.M., pupils, staff and parents are gathered together.
 Parents are informed of the school’s responsibilities vis a vis The Education (Welfare) Act 2000
on enrolment. Reminder notes are sent as necessary.
 Parents are requested to inform the school of a pupil’s absence by telephone text in person or
by letter. On the pupils return to school the pupil will give the absentee slip to the class teacher.
The parent/guardian will have completed the dates and reasons for the absence and their
signature.
 The school code of behaviour is a public document available from the school office.
T
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Records
Records are to be kept in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection
(Amendment) Act 2003. The eight rules of data protection apply to personal records kept in school:
1. Obtain and process information fairly.
2. Keep it only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purposes.
3. Use and disclose it only in ways compatible with these purposes.
4. Keep it safe and secure.
5. Keep it accurate, complete and up-to-date.
6. Ensure it is adequate, relevant and not excessive.
7. Retain it for no longer than is necessary for the purpose or purposes.
8. Give a copy of their personal data to an individual on request.
Review
The code will be reviewed annually at a staff meeting and subsequently brought to the Board of Management.
When BOM finds that the Code of Behaviour needs to be amended all parents/Guardians will be circulated
with another copy of existing Code of Behaviour and any proposed amendments.
St John’s School
Code of Behaviour
I_____________________( Parent/Guardian) have read and understood St John’s School’s Code of
Behaviour.
I agree to the Code and will support my child to comply with this code and the school to implement the Code
of Behaviour.
Signed:________________________ Parent 1
Signed:________________________ Parent 2
Signed:________________________ Guardian 1
Signed:________________________ Guardian 2
Date:____________________________