Regional Seminar

NEWB Guidelines for Developing A Code of Behaviour

Incorporating NEWB and SDPI materials

School Development Planning Initiative

Purpose of this sessionPurpose of this session

Highlight key features of the Guidelines as a context for Audit and Review of a school’s Code of Behaviour

Share good practice in relation to key issues identified by Guidelines and Audit instrument

Outline a planning process

Education (Welfare) Act 2000

Section 23 (2) : A code of behaviour shall specify

(a) the standards of behaviour that shall be observed by each student attending the school

(b) the measures that may be taken when a student fails or refuses to observe those standards

(c) the procedures to be followed before a student may be suspended or expelled from the school concerned

Why Now?Why Now?

Change: society, culture & school practice Inclusion agenda…national policy Partnership….parents & students Research re promotion of good behaviour Fair procedures Whole school ethos…adult leadership Effective Planning Process

NEWB GuidelinesNEWB Guidelines contain contain

Legal Obligations

Good practice guidance

ApproachApproach

Preventive Inclusive Whole child approach Whole school approach Assist and support existing school work Professional judgement and responsibility

Structure of NEWB GuidelinesStructure of NEWB GuidelinesChapter

1 Introduction

2 Auditing and reviewing existing code

3, 4 Foundations of an effective code

5–9 Developing a code that will enable a school to manage behaviour

effectively:

setting standards,

responding to inappropriate behaviour,

promoting positive behaviour.

10-12 Suspensions and expulsions

Basic principlesBasic principles

In groups:

What are the basic principles underpinning an effective code of behaviour?

Foundations of an Effective Code Foundations of an Effective Code Ch. 3: Ch. 3: Basic PrinciplesBasic Principles

Providing clarity Affirming that everyone’s behaviour matters Focusing on promoting good behaviour Balancing needs Recognising that relationships are crucial Focusing on personal responsibility Ensuring fairness and equity Promoting equality Recognising educational vulnerability Attending to the welfare of students Attending to the welfare of staff Promoting safety and freedom from threat

p. 22, NEWB Guidelines

Foundations of an effective codeFoundations of an effective code

Ch.

4. Learning, relationships and behaviour are linked

Ch.

5. A whole-school approach to behaviour

Ch. 6: Setting standards of behaviourCh. 6: Setting standards of behaviour

Developing a set of standards for behaviour in the school

Involving the school community in discussions about standards

Involving the students in developing school and classroom rules

Modelling the standards Teaching students about the standards and how to

live up to them Having ways of ensuring that students with special

needs understand what is expected of them

pp.36-39, NEWB Guidelines

Ch. 7: Promoting good behaviourCh. 7: Promoting good behaviour A whole school approach

Strategies for strengthening student and parental involvement

Having ways to communicate high expectations for students

Having ways to review the quality of relationships between students and staff

p. 44, NEWB Guidelines

Ch. 8: Responding to inappropriate behaviourCh. 8: Responding to inappropriate behaviour

Developing a policy on how sanctions will be used to help students change inappropriate behaviour

Having an agreed set of strategies for intervening positively to help students to change inappropriate behaviour

Having clearly defined roles and responsibilities for members of staff in relation to behaviour and communicating these roles widely

Agreeing a standardised way of recording matters to do with students’ behaviour

p.55, NEWB Guidelines

Ch. 9: Implementing the Code of BehaviourCh. 9: Implementing the Code of Behaviour

Template for a Code of Behaviour p.59

Teaching the Code

Records

Dealing with concerns and complaints

pp. 57–64, NEWB Guidelines

Ch. 10: Suspensions and ExpulsionsCh. 10: Suspensions and Expulsions

Ensuring the school policy and procedures on suspension and expulsion that are in line with the NEWB Guidelines and approved by the Board and the Patron

Ensuring the policy in widely communicated Developing and documenting good practice Having fair procedures for investigation and decision

making Having procedures informing parents and students

about their right to appeal Having a system for regular review by the Board of the

use of suspensions / expulsionspp. 66 – 87, NEWB Guidelines

Fair ProceduresFair Proceduresfor Serious Sanctionsfor Serious Sanctions

The way in which fair procedures are applied will take account of the The way in which fair procedures are applied will take account of the seriousnessseriousness of the alleged misbehaviour and what is of the alleged misbehaviour and what is reasonablereasonable in the context of the school in the context of the school

The right to be heard – parents and pupil fully informed and given an opportunity to respond before the decision is made

Absence of bias in the decision maker – e.g. parent rep on Board not present when deciding on sanction for their child

Impartiality in decision making – where possible staff member investigates and reports, Principal then free to take impartial decision

Auditing and Reviewing Auditing and Reviewing the the

Code of BehaviourCode of Behaviour

Auditing an existing code of behaviour: “As a first step in implementing these guidelines, Boards of Management are required to arrange for an audit of the existing code of behaviour. The audit will enable the school to identify how well its current code reflects good practice and meets relevant legal obligations.”

Reviewing an existing code of behaviour: “When the audit identifies aspects of the code that need to be reviewed, the Board of Management, together with the Principal, should prioritise areas for review.”

2. Auditing and reviewing the code of behaviour2. Auditing and reviewing the code of behaviour

Auditing your CodeAuditing your Code

An audit is an examination of every area of the content and operation of the code of behaviour to check for completeness and compliance with legal requirements and good practice as set out in the Guidelines.

Follow up REVIEW of specific aspects Follow up REVIEW of specific aspects of the code identified in the Auditof the code identified in the Audit

Describe current practice

Evaluate its effectiveness

List options for improvement

Devise action plans for improvement and implementation

Workshop Workshop

Examine the ‘Audit Checklist’:

Setting Standards of Behaviour (second page) or

Implementing the School Code of Behaviour (third page)

Identify the responses which most schools might be likely to give to each question

- ‘Yes’ - ‘Maybe’ - ‘No’

In the case of any one area, share school experiences:

What is working well in your own school?

What might be the focus of your follow up review?

What next steps might a school take in revising the Code and its implementation?

Sample of Questions from the AuditSample of Questions from the AuditSetting Standards of BehaviourSetting Standards of Behaviour

Does the school have clear standards of behaviour for everyone?

Does the school have a range of ways of communicating these standards to students, staff and parents?

Were students involved in developing the school rules?

Sample QuestionsSample QuestionsSetting Standards of BehaviourSetting Standards of Behaviour

Are students involved in developing classroom rules?

Does the school have ways of ensuring that students with special needs understand what is expected of them?

Sample of Questions from the AuditSample of Questions from the AuditImplementing the School Code of Implementing the School Code of

BehaviourBehaviour

Does the school have a range of ways of communicating the Code of Behaviour to staff, students and parents?

Does the school have a written Code? Apart from giving parents the written code,

does the school do anything else to help parents to understand and support the code?

Are there lesson plans and programmes to help students to learn the skills and knowledge they need in order to behave well?

Sample of Questions from the AuditSample of Questions from the Audit Implementing the School Code of Implementing the School Code of

BehaviourBehaviour

Does the school monitor patterns of behaviour in the school?

Is there a standard system in the school for keeping records about behaviour?

Are there recognised ways for staff, students and parents to raise concerns about behaviour or to make complaints?

Has the school advised parents about how they should notify a child’s absence from school?

ReviewReviewSample IssuesSample Issues

Does the school have a range of ways of communicating these standards to students, staff and parents?

Are students involved in developing the school rules?

Are there recognised ways for staff, students and parents to raise concerns about behaviour and raise complaints?

Review - DiscussionReview - Discussion

How would you proceed to review?

Use a sample issue from the checklist:

‘Are students involved in developing the school rules?’

CoB Task GroupCoB Task GroupEstablish Current PracticeEstablish Current Practice

Consult staff:Are there ways in which staff members consult /

discuss rules with students?

Has the school any practice of consulting students about issues?

Have students given any feedback about rules?

Are these practices effective? How do you know?Consider the rationale for consultation (next slide)

CoB Task GroupCoB Task GroupRationale for actionRationale for action

What might consultation of students about school rules achieve?

What concerns might arise about doing so?

Are there safeguards that would ensure that it is was a positive exercise?

CoB Task GroupCoB Task GroupProposals for ActionProposals for Action

How might the students be consulted?

Should a variety of ways be employed?

How will representativeness be ensured?

Who will manage consultation?

What questions would focus the exercise?

CoB Task GroupCoB Task GroupAction Plan – Approved by BoMAction Plan – Approved by BoM

What How Who When Aims – success criteria Monitoring of implementation Evaluation of results Evaluation of consultation

(See SDPI website for sample templates)

Suggested Next Steps Suggested Next Steps

1. Board of Management decision to initiate Audit

2. Establish an ‘Audit Team’ – Principal, staff members, Parents’ Association, Student Council….? Involve and engage partners throughout audit process

3. Staff briefing on key issues in Guidelines, use Audit Checklist to focus on selected areas, generate ideas for follow up.

4. Similar appropriate briefing for Parents’ Association, Student Council

5. Audit Team prepares report on Staff, Parent, Pupil consultations

6. Audit Team conducts thorough audit to examine whether the current code complies with legislation and good practice as specified in Guidelines

7. Identify the changes needed

8. Where necessary conduct specific review of areas identified

9. Develop draft Action Plan in relation to proposed changes

10. Seek Board approval for Action Plan and proposed changes to Code

11. Communicate changes to school community and implement revised Code

12. Evaluate effectiveness of revised Code

ConclusionConclusion

Has your Board delegated to the principal the authority to suspend in accordance with NEWB Guidelines?

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