Order marks are issued for instances of misconduct.
Heads of House will monitor the order marks carefully. More serious or persistent breaches of discipline will be referred to the Head of House. When necessary, the matter will go to the Rector who has overall responsibility for discipline in the School. Where detention of a pupil is deemed to be the appropriate sanction, it will take place after School.
Suspension is a serious sanction used only rarely. It is for serious breaches of School discipline or persistent misbehaviour.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
The Junior School uses a staged system of sanctions. Lesser examples of misbehaviour attract lesser punishments; more serious instances are dealt with at a higher stage. Repeated or persistent misbehaviour is dealt with at an increasingly higher level.
Class teachers exercise authority over pupils in the conduct of classes and in the maintenance of good order and safety around the School generally. Minor or isolated cases of misbehaviour will be dealt with by teachers without parents necessarily being informed. This typically involves a verbal reprimand or a punishment exercise.
More serious or persistent breaches of discipline will be referred to the Depute Head. Where necessary, the matter will go to the Head of Junior School who has overall responsibility for discipline in the School. Such breaches are likely to involve parents.
Suspension
Suspension is a serious sanction used only rarely. It is for serious breaches of School discipline or persistent misbehaviour which undermines good order and learning.
Suspension serves a number of purposes including:
- "a "cooling-off" period when all concerned (pupil, parents, teachers, senior staff) can consider the situation and the best way forward"
- "signalling the Schools serious disquiet with and disapproval of a childs behaviour"
- "the sanctioning of a pupil which may be linked to another more directly onerous punishment"
If a pupil is suspended, the parents will be contacted immediately. If it was not possible to do so on the day the pupil was suspended, a letter will then be sent setting out in more detail the reasons for the suspension and the arrangements for an interview.
Pupils who have been suspended may not return to School, or attend any School function or games fixture, until they and their parents have attended an interview with the Head of Junior School.
At this interview, the circumstances leading to the suspension will be discussed and the pupil and parents will be given the opportunity to comment. The Head of Junior School will set out clear expectations for future behaviour and attitude, and indicate any punishment that must be served.
In exceptional circumstances, and as a last resort, parents may be asked to remove their child from the School permanently.