Discipline Policy
Why this policy exists
Learner profile: Responsible Balanced
Objective
A safe, positive learning environment where students are taught appropriate behavior and grow into independent, responsible people.
Rationale
Good discipline is fundamental to the school's learning objective, mission and smooth running. Students follow school rules and staff directions. Conduct that causes or may cause harm, inconvenience or embarrassment to staff or students leads to disciplinary action.
Coverage of the policy
Bullying
All types of bullying • See the Bullying Policy (Annexure 4)
Discipline
- Junk food
- Toys and gadgets
- Routines and procedures*
- Uniform
- Being organized and work habits, e.g. homework (see Homework Policy)
*Applies after routines and procedures have been practiced and only 1-2 students are not following them (not the entire class).
Nature of the issue
- Minor issue: Warning, Time out, Privileges, Detention outside school hours
- Major issue: Reprimand, Detention during school hours, Stand-down
- Each issue is judged as minor or major, first attempt or repeat, and who must be informed
From incident to action
1Assess
HRT / Mentor teacher judges the severity first, whether minor or major, first attempt or repeat, past warnings, and whom to inform.
2Decide
HRT / Mentor teacher / TL picks the consequence from the Order of Consequence (Annexure 2) and follows its steps (Annexure 3).
3Inform
Email all concerned: TL, PYPC / MYPC / DPC, AGM / GM-Admin and others.
4Follow up
Decide on further action: counselor conversation, parent called in for a meeting or counseling.
Record keeping
DC / counselors keep significant issues and actions in the behavioral observation response sheet. The HRT / Mentor teacher checks it every time to see how often the student has breached the policy and what was done before.
The order of consequence
Minor
| Consequence | What happens | EY | LPY | UPY | MY/DP | Conferred by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Warning and student observation filled | Student told of the possible or impending consequence | Teacher / TL | ||||
| 2. Time out / Isolation | Timeout inside the class, in a corner of the classroom | Teacher | ||||
| 3. Taking away privilege | Entitlements given to the student are taken away | – | Teacher | |||
| 4. Detention outside school hours | Come 1 hour early or stay back 1 hour (early-in / stay-back) | NA | Team Leader |
Major
| Consequence | What happens | EY | LPY | UPY | MY/DP | Conferred by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. Reprimand before HOS / DHOS / VPSS | Warning in the presence of DC and counselors | HOS / DHOS / VPSS | ||||
| 6. Detention during school hours | Student spends a school day in the detention area | – | – | VPSS / DC | ||
| 7. Stand-down | Short-term formal removal from school: min 3 days, max 10 days across the year | – | – | SSP / DC (decided by HOS / DHOS / VPSS) |
EY = Early Years, LPY = Lower Primary, UPY = Upper Primary, MY/DP = Middle Years and Diploma. A tick means the consequence applies; NA = not applicable.
Minor consequences: how each works
1 Warning
By: Teacher / TL · Jr.KG to 12
- At least three warnings through the Student Observation form before the next consequence
- Each teacher notes the count of their own observations per student, e.g. 2nd observation for Student A from me
- Clearly convey the next consequence if the act is repeated
2 Time out / Isolation
By: Teacher · Jr.KG to 6
- Isolation comes first: student sits apart and works silently, for an age-appropriate time, not beyond a period to start; extend with frequency or severity
- If isolation is not effective, give time out
- Jr.KG and Sr.KG: time-out zone in the classroom. Gr 1-6: corridor of the grade
- Duration: 1 minute per year of age, so a 5-year-old gets 5 minutes
- Student sits idle; praise better behavior afterwards
- Convey the next consequence
Time out must not be for long periods at a time.
3 Taking away privileges
By: Teacher · Gr 1 to 12
- Examples: attending a sports game, a tournament or sports camp (final call by VPSS / HOS, with the PS team), free choice or play time, taking part in an event such as assembly
- 10-50 min detention with the teacher in Playtime, AS, PS or a free slot, with a reflection task
- Time out in class or in a buddy class, if that teacher agrees
- Meditation: 5 min if 5 min late, more if later
- Swearing, abusive language or fighting: miss 1 or 2 matches or a team event; team eviction, and parents involved if severe
- Late alone: stand quietly inside the class for a set time. Late as a group: sit without joining the activity
- Inform the concerned person: TL for a sports game, event coordinator and TL for an event
- Apologies work too: a verbal apology before the class and/or a written one to the teacher
The student's education must not be affected by removing privileges.
4 Detention outside school hours
By: Team Leader · Gr 1-6 after school, Gr 7-12 before school
- 1 hour early-in or stay-back to reflect or do extra work around the school
- Inform parents before: HRT / Mentor sends a note or letter that parents respond to, plus a phone call in the child's presence (ask the counselor for a script)
- Inform the front desk and transport. The front desk, not the teacher, decides the work
- Extra work: glass cleaning (a nominated didi), bus cleaning (transport supervisor or conductor), ground cleaning and watering plants (gardener)
- Age fit: EY can water plants or clean fewer glasses than PY / SS
- Student safety comes first
- A certificate signed by the supervisor (present, task done or not) goes to the HRT / Mentor / TL and the person who gave the consequence
- Student is marked present
Major consequences: how each works
5 Reprimand before HOS / DHOS / VPSS
By: HOS / DHOS / VPSS · Gr 1 to 12
- Teacher / TL accompanies the student to the HOS / DHOS / SSP cabin
- In extreme cases only, the HOS / DHOS / SSP may speak to a Jr.KG or Sr.KG student
- Convey the next consequence
6 Detention during school hours
By: VPSS / DC · Gr 4 to 12
- Student spends the school day reflecting. DC / PO supervises, or counselors if the DC is unavailable
- Parents informed before: note or letter from the HRT / Mentor
- Half-day or longer; parents come to school to discuss behavior, and the student may not return until they do
- HRT / Mentor provides a separate education program to cover the lost learning
- Student is marked present
- Convey the next consequence
Process of detention
- 1Empathy: Counselors stress the feelings and rights of others so the student sees the impact on the whole school community
- 2Reflect: Causes, consequences, prevention and goal setting
- 3Worksheets: Thought record sheets: cognitive thinking process, STB (Stop Think and Breathe), self evaluation, ABC belief, behavioral reflections
- 4Goal: Student writes a personal goal pointing to an alternate behavior; the counselor reinforces it
Goals
- An alternative corrective measure for disruptive students
- Understanding that behavior affects the whole school community
- Guided goal setting to improve behavior
- Respect for school routines and procedures
Reflection sheets (from psychology.tools) are used only under supervision.
7 Stand-down
By: SSP / DC (only HOS / DHOS / VPSS may stand down) · Gr 4 to 12
- Only for continual disobedience or gross misconduct, behavior that is a harmful or dangerous example, or likely to cause serious harm to the student or others
- May be flagged as a warning that repeating the act could mean formal removal from school
- Parents informed before: note or letter from the HRT / Mentor
- HRT / Mentor negotiates a behavioral contract with the student
- Student is marked absent
5 days
max per school term
10 days
max per school year
Extension
case by case, by severity
The stand-down day and non-school days are not counted.
Student observation form (Annexure 1)
Students Behaviors and Work Habits Observation form: one column per student name.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Date | Enter in DD-MMM-YYYY format |
| Category | Homework, Discipline or Bullying (dropdown) |
| Flag type | Green or Red |
| Infraction intensity | Choose the type of infraction intensity |
| Comment | Detailed description |
| Given by | Your name |
| Consequence / action taken | Warning, Detention, Stand-down, Letter to parents, Calling parents; note future actions too |
What a consequence must be
Applies to every consequence a teacher hands out.
- Not humiliating
- Not physically demanding
- Something the teacher can enforce and manage most of the time
- A graver consequence only for a severe issue, or many minor ones
Cyber bullying
- 11st instance: Teacher brings both parties together to sort it out. The one at fault apologizes to the victim.
- 22nd instance: Discipline Policy consequences (major or minor) are followed by the teacher / coordinator / HOS / DHOS / VPSS, depending on severity.
The teacher's responsibility
In loco parentis
- Latin for in the place of a parent
- Schools act in students' best interests, including disciplining as a parent would
- Civil liberties are not violated
Take responsibility
- For discipline and respect everywhere in school, including the bus
- Discipline any student misbehaving and hand out a consequence if needed
- Enter a record with the action taken: full-day detention or stand-down is based on these records
What you should do
- Plan using the common plan
- Take charge from day one; be consistent with PBLs and routines, not lenient
- Consult A/TLs, counselors, coordinators on which consequence to use
- You may be counseled if an issue could have been handled differently
Higher authority and support
- Clarification or three-way meetings only when pressing, to restore the teacher-student dynamic
- Teachers are not questioned for consequences from the list, or close to it (be creative within the criteria)
- Support: small detention, handle it yourself in PS / AS / playtime. Supervised or lengthy tasks: counselors / POs help
What can students do?
- 1Serve the consequence if the teacher insists, even if unhappy
- 2Appeal only through a form read by the counselors, who may speak to the teacher and get back to the student
- 3Consequences are rescinded in very rare cases
- 4If a student refuses, the teacher insists, then escalates
Liberty and freedom versus indiscipline and disrespect
Freedom in education is not the same as disrespect or indiscipline.
Freedom is
- Asking questions relevant to the topic being discussed
- Questioning rules and policies in the right tone
- Questioning rules and policies to the right person
Freedom is not
- Making silly comments
- Disrespect or indiscipline
- Skipping routines and procedures, which must be in place at all times
Annexure 4: anti-bullying policy
Bullying is covered by its own policy; refer to it for all types of bullying. Cyber bullying consequences are shown above.
Respect comes first and cannot be compromised: routines, procedures and discipline stay in place at all times.