Dear Parent / Carer                                                            4th May 2006

A New Pupil Discipline Policy

Most pupils behave well most of the time.  As we also all know, some pupils misbehave on occasions.  When this happens in class, it has a detrimental effect on teaching and learning.  Since learning is very important to the majority of our pupils, teachers are going to make an even greater effort to improve our pupils’ chances of success.  We will do this through a new approach to pupil discipline.  On 11th May, we will introduce a new system that will make Garnock Academy a better place in which to learn.  It is the teachers’ job to share their knowledge with pupils to help them reach their full potential, to become responsible citizens and pass exams to improve their job prospects.  While doing so, we have to give instructions to pupils.  Pupils are required to follow these instructions – first time, every time.  Teachers should not have to make the same requests time after time.

Reprimand, Warning, Consequence

The theme of the new arrangement is ‘Reprimand, Warning, Consequence’.  Pupils should behave properly in school.  If they do not, they will receive:

          1  a Reprimand to remind them to behave properly

          2  a Warning of a consequence if they continue to misbehave

• a Consequence, such as an Improving Behaviour Exercise, which must be taken home for a parent/carer’s signature.

Parent/Carers

Parent/carers are required to sign the Improving Behaviour Exercise since we are keen to involve them in their child’s education.  Another way in which we will do this is by contacting parents when required by letter or telephone. We are also exploring ways of informing parents when an exercise has been issued by using the Groupcall text messaging system, similar to that used to notify absence. Our experience is that parent/carers share our desire that pupils work well and behave properly and are very keen to support pupils in getting a good start in life.

Improving Behaviour Exercise

It was mentioned above that pupils may receive an exercise if they misbehave.  There is a standard exercise called an Improving Behaviour Exercise. It contains details of what pupils did wrong and text to help them to avoid getting into trouble again. Pupils are required to write this text and, most importantly, get a parent/carer’s signature.  This is because we wish to keep parents aware of how pupils behave in school

If a pupil hands in the exercise the next day as instructed, that will normally be the end of the matter. If he/she does not submit it, the Principal Teacher in the Department will give the pupil another Improving Behaviour Exercise that is twice as long.  If the pupil does not submit this exercise, the Principal Teacher will contact the pupil’s parent/carers. Further failure to submit will

result in referral to the Head of the pupil’s year group.

The Head of Year will give the pupil a twenty-minute lunchtime detention and a warning to submit the exercise.  If it is still not handed in, the Head of Year will also contact the pupil’s parent/carers. 

Further non-submission will result in exclusion from school.

Supervision Room

You may be aware that we use a “Supervision Room” in school.  Its purpose is to accommodate pupils whose poor behaviour prevents proper learning from taking place.  The Supervision Room will continue but a new facility will be introduced.  It will be called a ‘Virtual Supervision Room’.  In simple terms, if a pupil requires to be removed from class to allow others to learn, he/she will usually be sent to another teacher’s class in the first instance.  If a pupil misbehaves there, he/she will go to the ‘real’ Supervision Room.  Further misbehaviour in the Supervision Room will normally result in exclusion.

Rewards for Good Behaviour

At the beginning of this letter, I said that we want to make Garnock Academy a better place in which to learn.  We have asked pupils to support our efforts by behaving properly.  If they do, they will be rewarded.  Examples of rewards include a leisure period instead of work, a merit slip sent home or a chance to go on a trip or excursion.  The most valuable reward that we can give pupils, however, is a good education to prepare them for what we hope is a successful career and happy life.

I hope that you will be able to support the school in this new system.

Yours sincerely

Brian McNaught

Rector