Parent’s Code of Conduct
Parent’s Code of Conduct
at Sacred Heart Primary School
The fundamental point that we should all remember is that this is our school and it is a Christian community. We should act with consideration towards others at all times.
All school staff, parents/carers and visitors to our school have the right to be treated with consideration, dignity and respect. Violence, including verbal abuse, will not be tolerated.
As well as following the guidance set out in our Home School Agreement, we expect parents, carers and visitors to:
Respect and model the caring ethos of our school whenever on school premises or when communicating directly with school.
Understand that school staff and parents need to work together for the benefit of all.
Demonstrate that all members of the school community should be treated with tolerance and respect and therefore set a good example in their own speech, conduct and behaviour.
Seek to clarify a child’s version of events with the school’s view in order to bring about a peaceful solution to any issue. Correct own child’s behaviour especially in public where it could otherwise lead to conflict, aggressive behaviour or unsafe behaviour.
Approach the right member of school staff to help resolve any issues or concerns.
In order to support a peaceful and safe school environment the school cannot tolerate parents, carers and visitors exhibiting the following:
Disturbing school staff and trying to speak to them whilst they are supervising children.
Breaching school security procedures, e.g. entering school gates without using the intercom system when another parent/visitor is leaving or entering. Attempts to gain entry to any part of the school in disregard of procedure or without permission and appropriate supervision.
Disruptive behaviour which interferes or threatens to interfere with the operation of a classroom, an employee’s office, office area or any other area of the school grounds.
Using loud/or offensive language, swearing or displaying temper.
Threatening to do actual bodily harm to a member of school staff, Governor, visitor, fellow parent/carer or pupil regardless of whether or not the behaviour constitutes a criminal offence.
Damaging or destroying school property.
Abusive, persistent or threatening e-mails or text/voicemail/phone messages or other written communication.
Defamatory, offensive or derogatory comments regarding the school or any of the pupils/parent/staff, at the school on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or other social sites. Any concerns you may have about the school must be made through the appropriate channels by speaking to the class teacher, the Headteacher or the Chair of Governors, so they can be dealt with fairly, appropriately and effectively for all concerned.
The use of physical aggression towards another adult or child. This includes physical punishment against your own child on school premises.
Approaching someone else’s child in order to discuss or chastise them because of the actions of this child towards their own child. (Such an approach to a child may be seen to be an assault on that child and may have legal consequences).
Smoking and consumption of alcohol or other drugs whilst on school property.
What happens if someone ignores or breaks the code?
In the event of any parent/carer or visitor of the school breaking this code then proportionate actions will be taken as follows: In cases where the unacceptable behaviour is considered to be a serious and potentially criminal matter, the concerns will in the first instance be referred to the Police. This will include any or all cases of threats or violence and actual violence to any child, staff or governor in the school. This will also include anything that could be seen as a sign of harassment of any member of the school community, such as any form of insulting social media post or any form of social media cyberbullying.
In cases where evidence suggests that behaviour would be tantamount to libel or slander, then the school will refer the matter to the Liverpool City Council’s Legal Team for further action.
In cases where the code of conduct has been broken but the breach was not libellous, slanderous or criminal matter, then the school will send out a formal letter to the parent/carer with an invite to a meeting. If the parent/carer refuses to attend the meeting, then the school will write to the parent/carer and ask them to stop the behaviour causing the concern and warn that if they do not they may be banned from the school premises. If after this behaviour continues, the parent/carer will again be written to and informed that a ban is now in place.
Note:
A ban from the school can be introduced without having to go through all the steps offered above in more serious cases.
Site bans will normally be limited in the first instance.
Inappropriate use of Social Media
Social media websites are being used increasingly to fuel campaigns and complaints against schools or to share inappropriate information, e.g. naming children involved in incidences, sharing confidential information regarding an aspect of school life, making allegations or accusations or sharing false news. Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School considers the use of social media websites or Apps in this way as unacceptable and not in the best interests of the children or the whole school community. Any concerns you may have must be made through the appropriate channels by speaking to the class teacher, the leadership team or the Head teacher, so they can be dealt with fairly, appropriately and effectively for all concerned.
In the event that any pupil or parent/carer of a child/ren being educated in the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is found to be posting libellous or defamatory comments on Facebook or other social network sites or apps, they will be reported to the appropriate ‘report abuse’ section of the network site. All social network sites have clear rules about the content which can be posted on the site and they provide robust mechanisms to report contact or activity which breaches this. The school will also expect that any parent/carer or pupil removes such comments immediately.
In serious cases the school will also consider its legal options to deal with any such misuse of social networking and other sites. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly is the issue of cyber bullying and the use by one child or a parent to publicly humiliate another by inappropriate social network entry. We will take and deal with this as a serious incident of school bullying. Thankfully such incidents are extremely rare. We would expect that parents would make all persons responsible for collecting children aware of this policy. Thank you for abiding by this code in our school. Together we create a positive and uplifting environment not only for the children but also all who work and visit our school. It is important for parents and carers to make sure any persons collecting their children are aware of this policy. Thank you for the continuing support of our school.
If parents/carers have any concerns about their child in relation to the school as we have stated above, they should:
Initially contact the class teacher
If the concern remains, they should contact the Headteacher
If still unresolved, contact the Chair of Governors through the complaints procedure Parents/Carers should not use social media as a medium to air any concerns or grievances.