The College has a Student Code of Conduct. All students have rights and responsibilities and where these are not followed the College’s Behaviour Management Policy and Procedures and Discipline Policy and Procedures are applied.
The College’s behaviour management approach is based on the premise of “respect for others”.
Behaviour management at the College strengthens the sense of belonging and mutual respect within the College community and is necessary to:
- ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students and staff, and
- to provide a positive learning environment.
The relational dynamic between teachers and students is critical in creating and sustaining a positive and successful learning environment. To achieve this, the College has established a College-wide fundamental set of Positive Learning Behaviours for classroom management that every student is expected to follow and support.
These are our Positive Learning Behaviours:
- engage in learning,
- value the learning of others,
- respect and respond to teacher’s directions,
- manage distractions, and
- persist through challenges.
The College generally uses a restorative practices approach to behaviour management, focusing on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships. This approach fosters accountability, empathy, and a sense of community. By using restorative conversations, students are empowered to identify underlying issues, reflect on their actions, understand the impact on others, and collaboratively develop solutions, promoting long-term positive behaviour and relationships.
The majority of students will maintain positive learning behaviours and may only require redirection or reminders of behaviour expectations at some times. In most cases such redirection or correction will be done immediately by a classroom practitioner or staff member. Such measures may include verbal warnings, seating plans or individual discussions about appropriate behaviour.
More serious behaviour breaches may require support beyond immediate staff management. Students that require additional support to manage their behaviour may be referred to a member of the College Leadership team (such as Year Leaders, Year Advisors, Coordinators or Wellbeing staff).
Serious or persistent behaviour issues will be referred to College Senior Leadership (such as Directors of Wellbeing, Directors of Teaching and Learning or Heads of School) for individual intervention. Such measures may include temporary withdrawal from class or the playground.
Click here to read the College Behaviour Management Policy and Procedures.
The College Discipline Policy and Procedures provide a framework through which the College manages serious student misconduct. It also establishes the context in which the College can suspend or expel a student and the procedures observed by the College when suspending or expelling a student.
The following guiding principles are set out in the Discipline Policy and Procedures:
DISCIPLINE GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1. The safety and wellbeing of students, parents, and staff is of paramount importance to the College.
2. Behaviour management and discipline policies and procedures are necessary to provide a positive learning environment and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students, staff members, and College community.
3. The seriousness of a suspension or expulsion for a student is not underestimated by the College.
4. Equally, the College recognises that each student, staff member and member of the College community has the right to undertake activities at the College in an appropriate environment, and the behaviour of a student cannot compromise the health, safety and wellbeing of other members of the College community.
5. Therefore, where a student engages in serious misconduct the College may suspend or expel a student in accordance with the Discipline Policy.
6. Decisions regarding suspensions and expulsions require the acknowledgement and consideration of the health and safety of all members of the school community, including educational, physical and emotional needs.
7. It is important to deal with all situations on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration specific circumstances, contributing factors, the student’s background, impacts of disadvantage and any disability that the student lives with.
8. The College is committed to ensuring procedural fairness.
9. The College is committed to handling allegations of serious misconduct in a timely manner and will take reasonable steps to resolve the matter as soon as practicable.
10. The use of any corporal punishment is strictly prohibited at the College. Any staff member who breaches this rule will be subject to disciplinary proceedings, which may include dismissal.
11. The College does not support or sanction the use of corporal punishment by parents to enforce discipline.
Click here to read the full College Discipline Policy and Procedures.