Code of Behaviour.
The Code of Behaviour of St. Thomas’ Junior National Schoolwas first formulated in 1990 by the Principal in consultation with the Board of Management and the whole school community. The Code of Behaviourcentres round ourwhole school approach to develop self-esteem,promote positive behaviour andestablish effective discipline.
In devising the Code of Behaviour, consideration has been given to the particular needs and circumstances of this school by accommodating the individuality of each child while at the same time acknowledging the right of each child to education in a relatively disruption free environment.
The Code of Behaviour wasreviewedin accordance with the guidelines publishedby the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and in consultation with the whole school community.
Aims of Code of Behaviour
The aims of theCode of Behaviourare as follows:
- to create and maintain a harmonious atmosphere in which the school can function effectively
- to create and maintain a healthy learning environment where pupils can develop and grow and reach their true potential
- to create and maintain an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance whereby every member of the school community feels valued and affirmed
- to promote positive behaviour and self-discipline recognising the differences between pupils and the need to accommodate these differences
- to assist all members of the school community in understanding the systems and procedures that form part of the Code of Behaviour and to seek their co-operation in the application of these
- to ensure that the system of rules, rewards and sanctions are implemented in a fair and consistent manner
Ethos of St. Thomas Junior National School
The Principal, the Board of Management and the whole school community have worked together over the years to create and maintain a positive, caring and supportive ethos throughout this school.This positive ethos is based on the quality of relationshipsin the school, both the professional relationships between the staff as a whole and the way in which the staff members treat the pupils and Parents/Guardians and how thepupils and Parents/Guardians, in turn, treat the staff members. This atmosphere permeates all teaching and learning activities as well as staff relations and contributes to the formation of strong and healthy relationships throughout the whole school community.
It is within this ethos that self-esteem is fostered, positive behaviour is promoted and effective discipline is established.
Self-Esteem
We, the partners in this school, acknowledge and respect the uniqueness of each individual. We recognise that good self-esteem is essential for the effectiveness and well being of our school. By promoting self-esteem among all members of the school community, we ensure each person is valued and affirmed both by himself/herself and by others.
Positive Behaviour
We, the partners in this school, aim to focus on and to encourage positive behaviour where appropriate, and to overlook / discourage / ignore negative behaviour whenever possible. We believe that drawing attention to a pupil’s good conduct affirms the positive behaviour of that pupil and encourages similar behaviour in others.
Effective Discipline
We, the partners in this school, believe that effective discipline is essential in order to provide a safe and secure learning environment in which all partners can work together for the benefit of all our pupils. We believe effective discipline can be established and maintained by implementing school policies consistently and by promoting and adhering to all school rules and routines.
Contents of Code of Behaviour Policy
The wholeschool policy to develop self-esteem, promote positive behaviour, and establish effective discipline centres roundThe GoldenRulesthat were drawn up in consultation with all the partners in this school. There aresix Golden Rulesand each one makes both a positive and a negative statement. All aspects of the pupils’ daily lives in school are referred to within the Golden Rules. The 6 Golden Rules are in line with Section 6.2 of the NEWB Developing a code ofBehaviour : Guidelines for schools that states:
School and classroom rules work best when they are:
- kept to a minimum
- written in clear simple language
- stated positively, telling students what to do ,as well as what not to do
- based on a clear rationale that is explained, understood and agreed
- developed through consultation with students,parents and staff
- communicated and referred to regularly
The Golden Rules
- I will be gentle and kind - I will not hurt anybody
- I will do my work well - I will not waste time
- I will take care of my school - I will not spoil it
- I will walk quietly in the school - I will not run
- I will listen well in school / I will not shout out
- I will tell the truth - I will not tell lies
The first Golden Rule- I willbe gentle and kind / I will not hurt otherspromotes good relationships withother people and discourages pupils from doing anything that could hurt or offend another person. This could be physical abuse such as pushing, pulling, fighting, kicking etc., or verbal abuse / offensive remarks such as name-calling, jeering, racist remarks etc.
The second Golden Rule -I will do my work well / I will not waste time
refers to the work being carried out by the pupils in the classroom e.g. oral work, written work, activities etc. Pupils are encouraged to complete all tasks that are required of them and not to interfere with another pupil who is working.
The third Golden Rule- I will take care of my school / I will not spoil it
encouragespupils to take pride in their school by taking good care of it. Keeping classrooms clean and tidy, using toilets properly, looking after school equipment etc. is encouraged. Throwing litter, scribbling on walls, writing on tables, abusing equipment or furniture is therefore not allowed.
The fourth Golden Rule -I will walk quietly in the school / I will not run
requires pupils, for safety reasons, to walk throughout the school at all times. Running and shouting inside the school building are, therefore, not allowed.
The fifth Golden Rule -I will listen well in school / I will not shout out -
promotes active listening within the classroom as well as in other school situations. Pupils are encouraged to put up their hands and wait for a turn to speak instead of shouting out or interrupting. If a teacher, a special needs assistant, another adult or another pupil is speaking to somebody, pupils are taught to wait for his/her turn. Interrupting another person’s conversation is therefore discouraged, within reason.
The sixth Golden Rule– I will tell the truth / I will not tell lies- promotes honesty and encourages pupils to be truthful at all times, even if they are in the wrong.
The success of the Code of Behaviour dependsto a large extenton the consistency with which the Golden Rules are implemented.
The successful implementation of the Golden Rulesdepends, in turn, on consistency in the following areas:
- Promotion of Golden Rules
- Incentives for keeping the Golden Rules
- Prevention strategies
to assist certain pupils to adhere to the Golden Rules
to minimise the opportunities for certain pupils to break the Golden Rules.
to empower all pupils to keep Golden Rules
- Rewards for adherence to Golden Rules
- Sanctions for breaking the Golden Rules
Promotion of Golden Rules
All pupils learn the Golden Rules when they start in Junior Infants and they revise them consistently throughout their remaining years. A copy of the Golden Rules isgiven to each child’s Parents / Guardians at Registration and they, in turn, are expected to talk to their children about the Golden Rules and to encourage them to keep them.
While the pupils are encouraged to keep all the Golden Rules all the time, one particular Golden Rule is highlighted each week for extra special attention. This Golden Rule for the Week is given particular attention during Circle Time and throughout other related activities during the week.
The Golden Rules are promoted by means of the following:
- Parental Information Booklet
- Principal’s Weekly Memo
- P.A. Announcements
- Notice boards in Reception, G.P. Hall, Parents’ Room
- Newsletters
- Assembly
- Circle Time
Parental Information Booklet.
In accordance with Section 23 (4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 all Parent /Guardians are provided with a copy of the schools Code of Behaviour before Registration.
In line with Section 9.1 of the NEWB Developing a Code of Behaviour : Guidelines for Schools Parent /Guardians are asked at Registration to confirm in writing that the Code of Behaviour is acceptable to them and that they will make all reasonable effort to ensure compliance with the code by the child.
Principal’s Weekly Memo.
Every week the Principal sends out a Memo to all staff to inform them about school news and current events. The Golden Rule for the weekis always the first item on the Memo. This serves as a reminder to teachers to highlight that particular Golden Rule for the week.
P.A. Announcements.
At the start of each week the Principal announcesthe names of the Gold Medal winners over the P.A. system and also reminds everyone of the Golden Rule for the week. Pupils are encouraged to discuss this rule in class and to abide by it themselves as well as encouraging their peers to do likewise.
Notice Boards
The Golden Rules are displayed on various notice boards throughout the school e.g. Reception, G.P. Hall, Parents’ Room and in all classrooms.
Newsletter
A Newsletter is sent home regularly to inform Parents/Guardians of events taking place in the school. It gives up to date information on school news and is a reminder of events to come. It mentions the Golden Rules being highlighted at that particular time and asks Parents to reinforce these with their children.
Assembly
Assembly has evolved as a very positive aspect of the school week. It now forms a valuable part of our whole school approach to developing self-esteem, promoting positive behaviour and establishing effective discipline. Assembly provides the opportunity to affirm the good work being done by each class and also by individual pupils. It is a positive experience for all those involved, there are no negative messages and it is not a time for fault- finding or punishment.
During Assembly each class teacher affirms the good work of all pupils and then awards a Gold Medalto the pupil who has tried the hardest to keep the Golden Rules for that week. This pupil becomes the Golden Boy or Golden Girl for the week and has the opportunity to wear the Gold Medal during class time. A certificate congratulating the Gold Medal winner on his/her success is presented to this pupil to bring home, as the medal itself is not taken out of the school. For safety reasons the Gold Medal is not allowed out in the yard.
Assembly Time is also used to recite poems and to sing songs and/or hymns. One Golden Rule is highlighted each week throughout the school and Assembly Time is used to explain this Golden Rule and all that it involves. All the Golden Rules are recited and the Golden Rule for the following week is explained and discussed. Specific school routines are also highlighted and explained at Assembly e.g. lining up properly at the end of yard time, walking properly to and from the yard etc.
Assembly takes place at an agreed time every Friday for 2ndclasses,Monday for 1stclasses and Wednesday for Senior Infants throughout the year.
Junior Infants do not have an official Assembly Time, but each Infant group arranges its own group Assembly. During this time the Infant pupils have the opportunity to sing songs, recite poems / nursery rhymes in unison.
There is a Gold Medal in each of the Infant classrooms and this medal is awarded on a daily basis in the Infant classes as opposed to a weekly basis in 1st and 2nd. As the Gold Medal is not allowed out of the school under any circumstances, the Infant pupil to whom it is awarded gets a Gold Medal Certificate to take home.
Incentives and Rewards for Keeping the Golden Rules.
The following list of incentives and rewards was drawn up in consultation with all members of the school community. Teachers are free to pick and choose as to what incentives they wish to use as often some classes and / or individual pupils respond differently to different incentives.
- Affirmation
When a teacher observes a pupil working well, a positive comment from the teacher can be very effective in affirming the child there and then. It also has the spin off effect of encouraging similar behaviour in other pupils.
- Praise
When a pupil is making a special effort to behave well and to abide by the Golden Rules our school policy encourages teachers and staff to praise that pupil. By doing so it affirms his/her good behaviour and promotes a sense of well being in the pupil.
- Focus on good behaviour
If a pupil is behaving in an inappropriate manner or is engaged in attention seeking behaviour, our school policy encourages teachers to praise a pupil nearby who is behaving well. This draws attention to the good behaviour of that pupil and very often results in the pupil who is not behaving properly immediately correcting his/her behaviour so that s/he too may gain attention. It is essential to instantly acknowledge and affirm the pupil should s/he correct his behaviour.
- Stickers, Stars, Smiley Faces
These colourful items are useful to acknowledge and affirm good behaviour as well as good work. They can be stuck on to Class Charts and displayed in the classrooms or they can be
stuck on individual copies and workbook pages. They can also be worn by the pupil on certain occasions if s/he so chooses.
- A Sweet
Although our school has a policy to encourage healthy eating habits thereby avoiding sweets, we feel it is very useful and appropriate at times to reward a pupil with a sweet if s/he has made a real effort to improve his/her school work, social skills or behaviour. Pupils invariably respond to this incentive.
- Golden Time
Golden Time is the main incentive to encourage pupils to keep the Golden Rules. This is a special time when the pupils can enjoy games, toys and activities that are not permitted to them at any other time. It is timetabled to take place every Friday afternoon and it lasts half an hour. It should be the highlight of the week and a time that pupils look forward to with delight and anticipation.
- Gold Medal
The Gold Medal is awarded during Assembly every Friday to the pupil who has tried the hardest to keep the Golden Rules for the week. This pupil becomes the Golden Boy or Golden Girl for the week and has the privilege of wearing the Gold Medal during class time. It is good practice to keep a record of pupils who have received the Gold Medal so that it can be rotated as much as possible.
- Photograph
In First and Second classes a photographof the Gold Medal winner is put on display in a Gold Photo Frame in the classroom to affirm the pupil who has been awarded and to set a good example for the other pupils.
- Jobs
Pupils love the responsibility of doing jobs for the teacher and this is a useful incentive to use in the classroom. It is good practice to keep a record of pupils who do jobs in order that it is shared around.
- Class of the Week Trophy
Class of the Week is a corridor competition and the trophy is awarded tothe Class on the corridor who are the best at walking in and out to the yard and at lining up. The trophy is awarded at Assembly and is kept by the winning class for one week.
There is also a Tidy Classroom trophy and the class on the corridor who are judged to be the best at keeping their classroom tidy are awarded this trophy at Assembly.
Corridor competitions are useful to encourage pupils to keep the Golden Rules by behaving well as a whole class group. They are very effective in so far as they set all classes in a group in competition against each other. This has the added value of bonding the pupils in a particular class as they have to work together with and for each other in order to gain the award. This enhances a sense of Class Spirit and a sense of belonging. Class competitions are more suitable for First and Second classes.
- Plaque for Group Competitions within a Class
Within the classroom group competitions can also be used and are an effective way of getting pupils to keep the Golden Rules by behaving in a particular way as a group e.g. putting up their hands, answering questions, finishing activities, lining up properly, keeping their tables nice and tidy. The Best Group in the Class are then rewarded with a Plaque which they display on their table.