Pentecost Genius School strives to promote and establish close co-operation amongst all stakeholders based on;
- Professionalism
- Respect
- Tolerance
- Solidarity for the benefit of the learners, parents and school community in general.
INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION
This code of conduct is an agreed set of behaviours that are acceptable within our school. The code of conduct includes the levels of misconduct and disciplinary actions that apply. It also includes the rules that govern the conduct and relations between learners, educators, parents and the community.
AIM
The aim of the code of conduct is to maintain the disciplined and purposeful school environment that exists at Pentecost Genius School. It is dedicated to create an atmosphere that is conducive to practising a culture of high quality teaching and learning.
THE RIGHTS OF LEARNERS
The constitution of the Republic of South Africa states that all learners have the right to education. This includes the right;
- To learn and be taught in a safe school environment
- To attend regularly all classes, free from interference whether of a verbal or physical nature by any other person.
- To receive regular feedback reflecting academic progress
- To make responsible use of all school facilities subject to availability and limitations imposed thereon by school rules and general school organization.
- To receive appropriate counselling for personal and/or educational problems.
- To have privacy in their personal possessions unless the principal or his/her designee has reasonable cause to believe that illegal or harmful material possessed by the learner are being used to disrupt the educational process.
- To attend a school free of drugs, weapons, drunkenness, bullying and intimidation.
- To attend a school free of sexual harassment or criminal behaviour.
DISCIPLINING LEARNERS
• Discipline and punishment;
The main goal of this code of conduct and discipline procedures for learners is to ensure that the education of learners at school happens in a safe and orderly environment. Learners are encouraged to develop self-discipline. Discipline must be fair, corrective and educative, rather than punishment orientated.
• Misconduct
It is defined as “wrong behaviour” or “misbehaviour”. The code usually includes school rules. The school community will negotiate what steps and processes will be taken if learners break the code of rules.
LEVELS OF MISCONDUCT
All the community members will be in a position of knowing that misconduct is understood in terms of levels of seriousness.
Level 1: misconduct inside the classroom
Level 2: misconduct by breaking school rules
Level 3: “serious” misconduct
Level 4: “very serious” misconduct
Level 1 misconduct
These are regarded as minor and include:
- Failure to be in class on time
- Bunking class
- Failing to finish homework
- Failing to respond to reasonable instructions
- Being dishonest with minor consequences
Disciplinary actions
- None of these actions can be condoned. Action will be taken by the educator.
- Verbal warning
- Extra work, providing the work is constructive
- Tidying the classroom
Level 2 misconduct
These are regarded as somewhat more serious and include:
- Frequently repeated Level 1 misconduct
- Smoking or carrying tobacco
- Leaving school without permission
- Using abusive language
- Interrupting education in the classroom
- Showing disrespect for another person
- Engaging in minor vandalism, like graffiti
- Being dishonest with more serious consequences
Disciplinary actions
- Disciplinary talk with the learner
- Talks with parents of the learner
- Written warning
- Behavioural contracts (whereby learner promises to improve)
- Daily report (taken around by learner)
- Duties that can contribute to the improvement of the school e.g. cleaning, gardening, administrative tasks.
Level 3 misconduct
These are regarded as serious and include:
- frequently repeating Level 2 misconduct where action taken by school authorities is considered ineffective
- Inflicting minor injury on another person
- Gambling
- Being severely disruptive of classes
- Forging documents or signatures with minor consequences
- Racist, sexist or other discriminatory behaviour
- Possessing or distributing pornographic, racist or sexist materials
- Possessing dangerous weapons
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Cheating during examinations
Disciplinary actions
- Any of level 2 punishment
- Suspension from some school related activities e.g. sport
- Written final warning that out of school suspension may be implemented
- Referral to psychologist / counsellor / social worker.
Level 4 misconduct
These are regarded as very serious and include:
- Repetition of level 3 misconduct
- Threatening another person with a dangerous weapon
- Causing intentional limited injury to another person
- Verbally threatening the safety of another person
- Engaging in sexual activity
- Selling drugs
- Possessing or using alcohol or narcotics
- Disrupting the entire school (eg boycotting or picketing without consent)
- Forging documents or signatures with serious consequences
Disciplinary actions
- Any of the above level 3 punishment
- Referral to relevant outside agencies
Please note that warnings are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
CELL PHONE POLICY
Since cell phones are no longer used for phone calls only and since Pentecost Genius Primary School is not prepared to tolerate the misuse of the phone by some learners at the expense of the moral values we uphold, the following policy has been implemented:
- If learners bring their cell phones to school, they must be switched off (not on silent) during school hours, i.e. from 7am to 3 pm (including break times). Neither may the phone be activated during sports sessions
- If a learner is caught breaking this rule, teachers and/ or prefects have the right and duty to confiscate the cell phone and take it to the office
- The sim card and memory card may not be removed or exchanged before handing it over to a teacher
- The confiscated cell phone can only be collected after two weeks
- Under no circumstance will the confiscated cell phone be exchanged for another cellphone
- The school in any case may not take responsibility for a lost or stolen cellphone
This policy also applies to earphones and other electronic equipment (such as i-pods, MP3 players, tablets, ipads, handheld gaming devices, etc)
TEST POLICY (GRADE 4-7)
- At least 1 week’s notice must be given to the learners
- No more than 1 test may be written per day and no more than 3 per week (excluding dictation, spelling and mental maths tests)
- Formal test time tables are provided by the HOD
- There must be absolute silence during tests
- Bags to be left at the front of the classroom
- Teachers are free to do random checks of pencil cases and calculators
- Calculators may not have their covers on
- Learners may not have any notes/ books/ incriminating evidence in their possession
- Doctor’s letter must be provided if a test is missed
- It is the learners responsibility to see the teacher early in the morning on the day he or she returns to the school to arrange to write the test
- The test will be written on the day the learner returns to school
- Corrections will be done verbally by the teacher and learners must record the correct answers in pencil
- Learners are required to have tests signed
- The following procedures will be followed when cheating is suspected:
- i) the test will be taken from the learner and time recorded
- ii) the learner must start again (either from the beginning or continue where they left off)
iii) no additional time is given
- The HOD will investigate matter
WORK NOT HANDED IN ON TIME
If the learner fails to submit work on time (for reasons other than absenteeism), marks will be deducted. I day late: 5% is deducted, more than 1 day : 10% is deducted, 3 days late: no marks are awarded
APPEARANCE OF LEARNERS
The appearance of learners must be in line with the guidelines set out in the school uniform policy. The reserves the right to contact parents in the event of any infringements.
Girls:
Hair should be clean and neatly styled out of her eyes. Only brown, black or white round bobbles, hair ties and clips may be worn. No fancy clips may be worn. No gel or false hair pieces are permitted. Once a girls hair touches the bottom edge of her collar, it must be tied up. No ornaments may be braided into the hair. Long elaborate braids or extravagantly ornamental hairstyles are not permitted. Natural dreads must be neat and tied up. Hair may not be bleached , coloured or highlighted.
- Nails may not be visible from the inside of the palm. Nails must be clean at all times
- No make up may be worn
- Eyelashes and eyebrows may not be tinted. False eyelashes and false nails are not permitted
- The only earrings permitted are either a small silver or gold stud or small gold or silver sleeper. They must be worn in the lowest hole in the ear. Only one earring per ear. No diamante, pearls or colourd stones.
- No rings are permitted
- Toe nails may not be painted with coloured polish
Boys:
Hair must be neat, short and tidy. No tracks may be shaved into the hair. No steps in hair. Hair must be the same length all over the head. Sides may not touch the ears, backs may not touch the collars. The fringe must be at least one finger above the eyebrow. Hair may not be bleached, coloured or highlighted. Gel may not be used. No ‘mohawks’ allowed. No dreads are allowed.
- NO rings or earrings are permitted
- Nails must be short and clean
CIVVIES DAYS
Girls
- Girls with long hairs must tie them up
- Clothing must be tasteful and not revealing
- Underwear may not show
- Jewellery may be won
- Make-up is not permitted
- Not tops with thin straps (shoulders should be covered)
- Necklines may not be too low (cleavage may not show)
- Very short skirts and very short shorts are not permitted
- No high heels
Boys
- Clothing must be tasteful
- Hair gel may not be worn
- Earrings are NOT permitted
- Underwear may not stick out above the pants
