DISCIPLINE POLICY



-15240019050-685800-323850 Brackenhurst Primary Cor Begonia & Jasmine St P.O. Box 145091 Brackenhurst Bracken Gardens 1452 1449 Tel: 900-1000 brackenprim.co.za Fax: 900-3203 admin@brackenprim.co.zaDISCIPLINE POLICY AND MEASURES00 Brackenhurst Primary Cor Begonia & Jasmine St P.O. Box 145091 Brackenhurst Bracken Gardens 1452 1449 Tel: 900-1000 brackenprim.co.za Fax: 900-3203 admin@brackenprim.co.zaDISCIPLINE POLICY AND MEASURESTITLE OF THE POLICY: DISCLIPLINE POLICY INCORPORATING CODE OF CONDUCT FOR LEARNERS IN THE INTERSEN PHASE.EFFECTIVE DATE : 01 January 2008REVIEWED: 10 JANUARY 2020DATE OF NEXT REVIEW: 30 November 2020REVISION HISTORYAs amended on: November 2009November 2010November 2011November 2012November 2013November 2014November 2018January 2020LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK:Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996)South African Schools Act 84 of 1996National Education Policy Act, 1996 (Act No. 27 of 1996), as amended.Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000).Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000 (Act No. 3 of 2000).The Gauteng Schools Education Act, 1995 (Act No.6 of 1995).Regulations for Misconduct of Learners at Public Schools and Disciplinary Proceedings, 2001 (General Notice 2591 of 2001).Regulations for Safety Measures at Public Schools Government Notice No. 1040, October 2001, as amended.Guidelines for the Consideration of Governing Bodies in Adopting a Code of Conduct for Learners, General Notice 776 of 1998.Circular 74/2007 – Management of Suspension and Expulsion of Learners in Public an Ordinary SchoolsGeneral Notice 6903 of 2000 as amended by General Notice 2591 0f 2001 (pg 72 of 9 May 2001) – Misconduct of Learners at Public Schools and Disciplinary Proceedings.Department of Education – Republic of South Africa. Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Sexual Violence and Harassment in Public Schools. May 2008Government Gazette 19 September 20008 Devices to be used for Drug Testing and the Procedures to be followedCellphone Policy (internal)e-Learning tablets and handheld devices policy (internal)PREAMBLEThe discipline policy of Brackenhurst Primary School is aligned to the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 which has as its basis a non-discriminatory education system, where learners will be nurtured and encouraged to take up their rightful position in our society, according to their individual talents. Any good discipline system should support this education system, and encourage proper behaviour rather than punitively punish it.PURPOSEThe purpose of this document is to ensure that each child’s rights are protected, and that they feel safe at all times in the school environment. Learners also need to be made aware of the fact that with rights come responsibilities. This discipline system is not designed to be punitive by nature, but aims to try and remediate inappropriate behaviour, to that which is socially acceptable. OVERVIEW OF THE DISCIPLINE SYSTEMThe discipline system is revised at the end of every year. Where changes are deemed necessary, they are effected. Within the first two weeks of school the amended discipline system, is sent to every parent in the parent information brochure. ADHERENCE TO DISCIPLINE SYSTEMSince all stakeholders have input into the revision of the discipline policy on an annual basis, the expectation is that it is strictly adhered to. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT:Brackenhurst Primary School in accordance with the South African School’s Act 84 of 1996, distances itself from all forms of corporal punishment. Corporal punishment can be defined as any physical act of aggression towards a child, in short the striking of a child on any body part when such an action is deemed to be of an aggressive nature. Should any educator be found to be administering any form of corporal punishment, such an educator, in the case of those who are employed by the State, will be referred to the Gauteng Department of Education, as a Section 17.1 (d) offence, which is an automatically dismissible offence in accordance with the Employment of Educators Act 76 of 1998. In the case of educators employed by the School Governing Body such an educator will be referred by the Principal to the Human Resources portfolio of the Governing Body. The Governing Body may then decide, after a disciplinary hearing on a suitable sanction which may include dismissal.DISCIPLINE LEVELSLevel 1 Offences:At all times we as educators must bear in mind that our role is to correct improper behaviour in a nurturing manner, and as such these offences, which are considered to be relatively minor in nature, are always given a number of warnings before a detention is metered out. The Roses and Thorns Dojo system is used for these offences.Level 2 Offences:These offences are more serious by nature and in many instances breaching these rules could lead to a child being hurt, as such only one warning is given before a discipline measure is metered out. Where children do not show remorse, and continue to offend on this level steps will be taken to call parents in and meet with them.Level 3 Offences: These offences are considered in an extremely serious light, and as such no warnings are given prior to the discipline measures being metered out. In most cases here the punishment is directly linked to the offence.Level 4 Offences:These offences are extremely serious by nature and as such are referred to the School Governing Body disciplinary committee immediately for a disciplinary hearing.DEFINITION OF TERMS:DetentionA detention is conducted during first or/and second break. This may be given on any day of the week at the educator’s discretion. The learner will be supervised by the educator who issued the detention, and the learner will be given constructive work to complete in accordance with the misdemeanour. e.g. If the detention was given for homework not being done then similar activities should be given during detentions. The learner will be allowed to have lunch and toilet break for 5 minutes before the end of break.Daily ReportThis is used to monitor the behaviour of learners who are badly behaved in class, uncooperative with educators and fellow learners, or for learner’s whose parents complain that their child does not write down and complete their homework. These learners often infringe on the other learners’ rights to a quality education. A form is issued to the learner, with the parent’s knowledge, every Monday morning after assembly by the Deputy Principal. (See Annexure C). Eacheducator must sign at the end of every period of each day. The educator must also make a short note concerning the learner’s behaviour during that period as well as making a note of any homework that needs to be completed. At the end of each day the learner is to report to the Deputy Principal or another SMT member with the completed form. The learner is then required to take the form home for their parents to sign on a daily basis.Disciplinary HearingThis is conducted for any Level 4 offence in accordance with General Notice 6903 of 2000 as amended by General Notice 2591 0f 2001 (pg 72 of 9 May 2001) – Misconduct of Learners at Public Schools and Disciplinary Proceedings. The parents of the offending learner are notified telephonically or through Dojo of the misdemeanour. Thereafter, they are given a letter (Annexure D) informing them of the time and date of the hearing. They are requested to attend such a hearing, together with their child, who must be dressed in full school uniform. The committee who conducts the hearing comprises, the chairperson of the disciplinary committee who must be a parent member of the School Governing Body as well as one other parent member of the Governing Body (preferably the Chairperson) as well as the secretary, who takes the minutes. The parents and the child are advised of how the proceedings are to commence. The school is asked to put forward their case, and once this has been completed the parents or the child or both (depending on the age of the child), may respond, as well as make their own statement of events. The Chairperson disciplinary committee then reserves the right to call an end to the meeting to give himself time to consider the evidence at hand. A follow up meeting is then scheduled where the chairperson of the disciplinary committee states his findings, and an appropriate and suitable discipline measure is put in place.Exclusion from class:This is only implemented as a last resort in certain offences. Exclusion means exclusion from class, and not exclusion from school. The learner is removed from the classroom situation and his or her peers for the day, but work is sent to them which must be completed during the course of the day. Parents are made aware in a letter at the beginning of every year that this does not mean that they must keep their child at home if they have been excluded from class. No educator may make the unilateral decision to exclude a learner from class. This decision may only be made after consultation with the Deputy Principal, and once due process has been followed.SuspensionThis would only ever be considered for repeated offences with no corrective behaviours implemented and for level 3 and 4 offences, and then only at the discretion of the Deputy Principal and/or the Disciplinary committee of the Governing Body in accordance with General Notice 6903 of 2000 as amended by General Notice 2591 0f 2001 (pg 72 of 9 May 2001) – Misconduct of Learners at Public Schools and Disciplinary Proceedings. Suspension means the learner may not attend school at all for a period of between one and five days. Please note that not all offences warrant suspension.ExpulsionThis would only ever be recommended to the Gauteng Department of Education in extremely severe Level 4 discipline transgressions, and only for a repeat offender where all other disciplinary measures of a remediative nature had been proven to have failed. The Head of Department of the Gauteng Department of Education has the final say in cases where expulsion from Brackenhurst Primary School has been recommended by the disciplinary committee of the School Governing Body.Annexure ADISCIPLINE SYSTEM LEVEL 1:INFRINGEMENT:Class disturbanceBreak disturbanceStationery incomplete or left at homeIncorrect uniform Incorrect P.E. uniformright158750EXCLUSION FROM OUTINGS AND FUN ACTIVITES AND MERIT ACTIVITIESLevel 1 – 30 mentionsLevel 2 – 5 mention (x2)Level 3 – 2 mentions (x3)Level 4 – 1 mention (x4)Or a combination of the above at management discretion00EXCLUSION FROM OUTINGS AND FUN ACTIVITES AND MERIT ACTIVITIESLevel 1 – 30 mentionsLevel 2 – 5 mention (x2)Level 3 – 2 mentions (x3)Level 4 – 1 mention (x4)Or a combination of the above at management discretionIncorrect hair cut or colourMinor damage to property (including own property)Late arrival at classCopying of workDisrespect towards Learner RepsChewing gum Eating in class without permissionAssessments not signedReturn slips / statements not returned to schoolBooks deliberately damagedBooks / projects / tablets left at homeTablet not charged without a valid reasonNo hard fitted tablet cover or screen guardPlaying with or touching someone else’s tablet without their permissionLeaving class without permissionLoitering on corridors or around the school without permissionPlaying games on tablets without permissionTransgression of school rulesDISCIPLINE MEASURE FOR ALL LEVEL 1 OFFENCES:1 - 5:Warning by teacher6 - 10:Teacher interviews or phones parents. If phone call is made keep written record of date, time and brief discussion11 - 14:Warning by teacher15:Grade Controller interviews or phones parents. If phone call is made keep written record of date, time and brief discussion. Inform SMT member in charge.16 – 19:Warning by teacher20:SMT interviews or phones parents. If phone call is made keep written record of date, time and brief discussion. Yellow slip issued.21 – 25:SMT interview with parents and child. Second yellow slip issued. Exclusion from class for 1 day.26 – 30: SMT interviews parents. Orange slip issued. Exclusion from class for 2 days. Exclusion from fun activities or outing for the year or any merit/honour’s activities.31 – 39:Warning by SMT. Suspension from school for 1 day.40:Deputy interviews or phones parents. Suspension from school for 2 x days and extra murals x 10 weeks. Receive a red slip.LEVEL 2:INFRINGEMENT:Foul languageMinor Fighting / aggressionName callingLyingSubject truancy Inappropriate physical contactVictimisation including bullying, cyber bullying and teasingCheeking or back-chatting teacherLeaving school without permissionVerbal threatsCell phone usage without permissionHacking any IT systemsAware of hacking any IT system and fails to discloseDeliberate minor injuries to fellow learnersCaught in out of bounds areaTransgression of other school rulesDISCIPLINE MEASURE:1:Warning by teacher. Keep record in discipline book2:Grade Controller interviews or phones parents. If phone call is made keep written record of date, time and brief discussion3:SMT interviews or phones parents. Receive a yellow slip. Exclusion from class for 1 day. 4:Teacher interviews or phones parents. If phone call is made keep written record of date, time and brief discussion. Inform SMT to issue Orange slip. Exclusion from school x 1 day.5:SMT interviews parents. Receive a red slip – exclusion from Fun activities and outings for the year. Exclusion from school x 2 days.6 - 8: Deputy interviews parents. 9:Deputy interviews parents. Exclusion from school x 3 days. Excluded from extra murals for 10 weeks10:SGB Disciplinary hearing.LEVEL 3:INFRINGEMENT:TruancyVandalismSerious fighting / aggressionCopying of examsDisrespect toward teacherInappropriate sexual remarksPlaying dangerous gamesDeliberate major injuries to fellow learnersBringing dangerous weapons to schoolHate speech Aware of pornography or nude pictures on any device and fails to discloseShowing, downloading or distributing of nude pictures and inappropriate materialsTransgression of other school rulesDISCIPLINE MEASURE:1:SMT contacts parents. Exclusion from class for 2 days. Following occurs:VandalismMajor injuriesExamsDevicesFighting / AggressionOther Orange slip.Liable for damage or medical billsOrange slip.Instant rewrite in time availableOrange slip. Formatting of deviceOrange slip.Learners sent home immediately.Orange slip.2:SMT interviews parents. Exclusion from school x 3 days.All privileges removed x 10 weeks. Notify Sports Department. Red slip. Exclusion from fun activities and outings for the year as well as merit activities.3:Refer to SGB and / or GDE. Punishment decided at disciplinaryhearing.LEVEL 4:INFRINGEMENT:TheftAggression towards teacherInappropriate sexual behaviorDownloading, distributing or showing any form of pornography and/or any inappropriate materials.Use and distribution of and/ or knowing of liquor on school premisesUse and distribution of Smoking / Vaping and associated materialsDrugsUse of dangerous weaponsTransgression of other school rulesDISCIPLINE MEASURE:1:Refer to SGB and /or GDE. Disciplinary hearing with learner andparents present. Punishment decided at disciplinary hearing. Exclusion from all school tours and outings as well as merit activities.EXCLUSION CLAUSE: BRACKENHURST PRIMARY SCHOOL STAFF CANNOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY TRANSGRESSIONS OF THE ABOVE WHICH OCCUR OFF THE SCHOOL PREMISES AND/OR OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS. ................
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