Community Expectations

All schools need rules to run efficiently and effectively. At St Richard’s we have in place a Code of Conduct. This enables us to safeguard the right of every child to learn without hindrance.  It also ensures our pupils learn self-discipline and the need to take responsibility for themselves and their actions. These are lessons that will serve them well through life. The basic principle of the Code of Conduct is ‘respect for the person and respect for a person’s property’. Pupils must:

• Show respect and kindness to staff and their peers at all times.
• Act in such a manner that ensures all who come to St Richard’s are able to flourish and grow together in friendship and in faith.
• Take responsibility for themselves in terms of learning, conduct, homework, uniform and organisation.
• Respect and not interfere with another person’s property or their right to learn.
• Exercise respect for one another’s differences.
• Be committed to working together to make positive differences to our community and to the society in which we live.
• Work together to uphold our school motto of Comitas, Scientia, Caritas (Community, Knowledge, Charity)

High standards of behaviour and discipline need to be maintained to ensure a good working atmosphere for all staff and pupils at St Richard’s. We strive to be consistent while allowing a certain flexibility to respond to particular cases in our care for the individual’s social, spiritual, moral and academic needs. By creating a climate within which appropriate teaching and learning can take place, we can achieve our aims and prepare our young people to contribute to the wellbeing of a just and caring society.

As we are a Catholic school we expect pupils to abide by Christian principles and to show respect and concern for the wider community.

Pupils must treat each other with respect and kindness at all times.  We have a clear Friendship and Anti-Bullying Policy that recognises different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, prejudice- based and discriminatory bullying.

It is a whole community responsibility to recognise bullying and to take appropriate action. All staff, both teaching and non-teaching, are committed to the creation of conditions which discourage bullying through: consequences that are applied fairly, consistently, proportionally and reasonably; vigilant supervision of areas such as toilets, corridors, staircases, the changing rooms, the playground and the back area of the school. The full range of interventions, support and consequences attached to incidents of bullying can be found in the Friendship and Anti Bullying Policy. The school sets out an approach of education and strong moral values that puts at its heart the dignity of every young person and each person’s role in ensuring the wellbeing of others.

Pupils are encouraged to report any negative behaviour, even if they are not sure whether it is bullying. They can do this through:

• Speaking to their teacher/TA or any member of support staff
• Speaking to a parent/other adult who then may contact the school in any of the ways listed.
• Speaking to their School Council Rep or a Student Listener.
• Passing on information via a confidential e-mail address or web based reporting system which is checked daily. Pupils can access the e-mail address via their pupil e-mail account by typing ‘issues box’ in the To: section of a new email. If they are not using their pupil email account they should address it to issuesbox@strichardscc.com They are able to access the new Whisper anonymous reporting tool on their home page and the school website.

This can take place in school, out of school and online.  It covers a range of concerns including sexual harassment and assault. The school follows the East Sussex protocol for managing Peer on Peer Harmful Sexual Behaviour in Schools, September 2020.

The school adopts an ‘It can happen here’ approach to safeguarding and bullying and seeks to ensure environment in which young people are able to access support from staff.  Staff are regularly trained in a range of safeguarding procedures and topics and will never accept hurtful, hate (sexual comments) as banter or part of growing up.  From September 2021, a new confidential reporting system is in place so that young people always have a way to share concerns anonymously.  It is called Whisper and pupils can access it on their home page and via the school website.

• Uniform must be worn in its entirety, as per the uniform list at all times, including the journey to and from school. Jumpers may be removed in the summer term, following the Principal’s directive.
• Tights and socks must not be worn together. Plain black or white ankle socks for girls and black socks only for boys (no sports/trainer socks, frilly socks, knee-length socks or inner shoe ‘sockettes’).
• Coats must be worn in colder weather. There should be no denim, fur, suede or leather jackets or hooded sweatshirts/tracksuit tops/sports jackets.
• Coats must not be worn inside school.
• Jumpers must not be tucked in to skirts or trousers.
• T-shirts may not be worn under white shirts.
• Skirts must be of regulation colour and knee length.
• Trousers must be tailored fit (not ‘skinny’ fit or chino jeans style) and are optional for girls.
• All pupils must wear black school shoes (no heels, boots, canvas or backless shoes).
• Hairstyles must be of a conventional nature. Girls’ hair should be neatly tied back. Boys must have short hairstyles (minimum grade 3). Regardless of gender: tram-lines, wedges, undercuts or shaved hair are not permitted. Styling products are not permitted. Highlighting and colouring of hair is not permitted and neither are hair extensions. It is acknowledged that textured hair is an important part of a pupil’s racial, ethnic and cultural identity and requires specific styling for hair health and maintenance and therefore in such circumstances braids and corn rows can be worn. Braiding must be an appropriate length and match natural hair colour. Beading is not permitted. Boys must be clean shaven.
• Girls may wear one pair of plain stud earrings in the earlobes and all pupils may wear a wrist watch, but not a smart watch. No other jewellery is allowed.
• Make-up must not be worn and nail polish is not allowed. Nails should be kept short and not pointed. No permanent make-up procedures (e.g. eyebrow or eye lash dying or extensions) are allowed. Fake tan must not be used.
• Uniform must be worn for official school events e.g. Prize Evening, Open Evening, Parents’ Evenings, Concerts, Parish Masses. School rules apply at all evening events e.g. no mobile phones to be used.

Bags/Lockers

• Bags must be of a suitable size and appearance to carry all books/ equipment required for school. They must be able to carry A4 folders and be able to be closed securely.
• Pupils using the dining area must place their bag in the allocated year box in the hall.
• Apart from form time, access to lockers is restricted to the beginning and end of each break period.
• Lockers should be used wisely and respected and be free of stickers/drawings etc.
• If locker keys are lost, they must be replaced and paid for. We suggest parents/carers make a copy of their child’s locker key.

• Smoking/vaping/smoking e-cigarettes is not allowed on school premises or while travelling to and from school.
• No cigarettes, e-cigarettes, lighters or matches can be brought to school.
• No intoxicating substances or illegal substances can be brought into school.
• There must be no aerosols in school.
• There must be no chewing gum in school.
• Canned drinks, including energy drinks, must not be brought into school or consumed on the way to or from school.
• There must be no items such as knives or weapons brought into school.
• There must be no items brought into school that could endanger others or damage property.

Please see Appendix 1 in our Pastoral Care and Behaviour Management Policy on the website for our policy statement regarding searching for prohibited items in school.

• Mobile telephones are not allowed in school, except with the permission of the Principal, following a written request, when they should be handed in to Reception first thing in the morning/at the start of each day for safe-keeping and only used for the purpose the parents/carers have requested (e.g. safeguarding reasons). If a telephone is confiscated, a parent/carer will be expected to collect it. It is important to note that the school is not responsible for any pupil’s phone for any reason.
• Smart watches, such as Apple watches, that allow access to making calls or the internet, are not allowed in school.
• Electronic devices, speakers, cameras and computer games must not be brought into school or they will be confiscated. Parents/carers will be expected to collect them.
• All items should now be paid for via ParentPay, so large sums of money should not be brought into school.

• On corridors and stairs, throughout, movement should be in single file, to the right.
• Pupils must walk sensibly around the building. There should be no boisterous behaviour.
• Pupils must observe entry/exit signs.

• All pupils must go outside for the duration of morning break and lunch-time, with access to lockers at the beginning and end only, unless attending a Club, using the library, using the dining area or hall.
• In the case of wet breaks, forms based in the Linkway, ‘B’ and ‘A’ Blocks may remain in classrooms. Forms from the Science and Technology Block and the Art Block must go to the hall.
• Pupils are allowed to change into trainers to play sports in the playground, but must change back into school shoes when returning to the building.
• All pupils must respect and follow the instructions of prefects who patrol the corridors at break and lunch-time.
• Hot food should only be eaten in the Dining Area. Snacks may be taken out of the Dining Area into the playground, but no food is to be eaten in the corridors or classrooms unless it is wet break.

Use of Play Areas

• No one may play in the car parks.
• Each year group should use its allocated area in winter.
• In summer, when the field is in use, the boundary is a line across from the shed and year groups must use their allocated space. The only pupils allowed beyond this are those practising sports under supervision. All banks are out of bounds. Pupils are not allowed behind the sports hall.
• At all times, the staff car park and the area around the bungalow are out of bounds.
• Any pupil seeking to retrieve a ball from the road must have permission from a member of the duty staff.
• Pupils are not permitted to use the outdoor gym without permission.

Toilets

• Pupils must only use the toilets allocated to their year group at break time, except in emergency; during lessons, they should use the nearest toilets.
• Pupils are not allowed out of class to use the toilets unless given permission.
• Pupils must always leave the toilets in the same state they would wish to find them out of respect for themselves, others and our cleaning staff. There will be consequences if this is not the case.
• Only two pupils at a time in the toilets.

• This is expected for all classes as well as for arrival at school. Pupils must arrive by 8.35am for a prompt start at 8.40am.
• If late to school, Community Service will be issued. If persistently late, pupils will go on a punctuality report and receive a pastoral detention.
• School cannot be accessed earlier than 7.45am.
• Pupils arriving in school before 8.15am should only enter the building through the main pupil doors. Once they are in, they must either attend a revision class, sit in B7 or sit in the dining area. This is to ensure all pupils can be accounted for in the event of an emergency.

• Pupils should remain seated on buses and trains throughout the journey.
• Pupils should never put their heads out of bus/train windows.
• Pupils must stand well back, behind the bump strip, as the train approaches the platform. At the end of the school day, Year 7 must line up behind Year 11 (and in term 6 behind Year 10).
• Bags must not be left in train corridors.
• Pupils may not cycle on train platforms.
• Pupils must only be at the station if they are catching a train.
• Pupils must catch the earliest available train.
• Train/bus prefects are to be obeyed and respected.
• Priority and respect should be shown to the general public at all times. For example, pupils should give way to other pavement users. They should allow other passengers to get on and off the train before they do. They should be mindful of noise and represent their home and school to the highest standards.
• Pupils are not allowed to use local shops/takeaways or the beach when travelling to or from school. They must return home and change out of uniform before conducting social activities.

• Pupils must have a cycle pass obtained from their Pastoral Leader before being allowed to cycle to and from school.
• Pupils must cycle to and from school in an appropriate manner, respectful of all other road and pavement users.
• Cycles must be equipped with reflectors, brakes and adequate lights.
• Cycle helmets must be worn.
• Cycles must be locked in the bicycle storage shelter.
• Pupils deemed unsafe to cycle will have their permits removed (or will be asked to take a Cycling Proficiency course).

When expectations are met and our Code of Conduct adhered to, praise and encouragement should be expressed to give positive reinforcement. Our current rewards system includes:

• Verbal praise, either personal or public.
• House Points.
• Telephone/letter/postcard home.
• Certificates for achieving above expectations in a number of subjects.
• Certificates noting achievements, service, good conduct, attendance.
• Extra-curricular certificates.
• Book tokens, vouchers or other tangible “thank yous.”
• Prefect status.
• The CREST (bronze, silver and gold awards).
• Positive references.

In all years, the award of House Points is possible for the following reasons:

• Outstanding work.
• Community service involving an element of sacrifice.
• “Extra” help or service.
• Consistently high standards of work, behaviour or attendance.

The successful use of this House point system depends on the contribution and participation under the Be St Richard’s banner of all staff. There are clear stages of rewards which are shared with pupils, parents/carers and staff. Copies of these are up in all classrooms.

St Richard’s operates a discipline procedure based on the Christian values of dignity, love and reconciliation. Where a pupil’s conduct is unacceptable or disruptive in any way, or where a pupil fails to meet required standards in work or discipline, corrective action must be taken. Staff are expected to address small infringements of courtesy, behaviour and uniform immediately so that the minor misdemeanours do not grow into more challenging behaviour from pupils. It is essential that misdemeanours are quickly discovered and dealt with firmly, without undermining the integrity of the individual personality. In every case, the consequence should be appropriate to the offence and the child.  A list of common offences with consequences has been drawn up for the use of all staff (see Appendix 11). It is recognised that pupils may, at times, require sensitive handling, without undermining the principles of fairness and justice. The school takes a therapeutic thinking approach to support pupils who may require a supported approach to modifying behaviours. Consequences currently imposed at departmental and pastoral levels include the following:

Departmental

• Detentions at break or lunchtime.
• Detentions after school, with 24-hour notice in writing via email/EduLink to parents/carers.
• Department report/monitoring.
• Transfer to another class or temporary withdrawal.
• Letters/emails home to parents/carers.
• Interview with parents/carers.
• Referral to Form Tutor/Pastoral Leader/Subject teacher.
• Our policy with regard to detentions is in line with the latest Guidance from the DFE (Behaviour in Schools July 2022).

Pastoral

• Support and advice.
• Staff/pupil mentoring.
• Range of services in the school to help support a pupil – refer to the MHEW document that lists them on the school website: Parents/Pupil Wellbeing.
• Behaviour Points.
• Pastoral detention (held on a Friday).
• Withdrawal of privileges.
• Detentions before school, at break, lunchtime, after school, Saturday morning, INSET days.
• Litter duty.
• Community Service.
• Daily report- a variety of these are available in order to tailor it to the child.
• Close supervision – used as a last resort – Saturday detentions are better to ensure pupils do not miss out on learning.
• Strategy meetings to complete the plan, ‘can, do, review’ sections of an Additional Needs plan.
• Interview with parents.
• Exclusion from extra-curricular activities when appropriate.
• Use of after-school intervention room.

In addition, use can be made of support from other agencies such as the Counsellor, the Educational Psychologist or the Education Behaviour and Attendance Service.

Whatever consequences are imposed, it is essential that parents are kept fully informed and that reconciliation and support always have a role. The responsibility for this lies with individual teachers as well as Subject and Pastoral Leaders. The successful management of pupil behaviour relies on the close partnership between home and school which has a high priority in our community. Good communication should ensure that misdemeanours or concerns are dealt with appropriately, through a staged system of referral, according to the seriousness or frequency of the offence.

The principles of equal opportunities and social inclusion underpin our management of pupil behaviour. Measures counteracting disaffection are put in place as necessary through BfL targets and strategies, with early intervention and suitable use of pastoral support programmes for those at risk of permanent exclusion. However, for serious offences, such as abuse of staff, theft, substance misuse or persistent or aggressive behaviour, the Principal may decide that a pupil should be suspended from school. In such a case, the Principal will follow the procedure laid down by the East Sussex County Council.