Code of Conduct

The Islamia College community commits itself to the advancement of learning, personal development and responsible citizenship; a commitment characterised by:

• being courteous and demonstrating mutual respect for the rights, honour and property of others;
• demonstrating social awareness coupled with personal and social responsibility;
• service to others;
• using resources carefully and wisely;
• participating fully in a wide range of school activities;
• discovering and developing personal potential;
• supporting and encouraging others positively;
• embracing a lifestyle which promotes good health and well-being;
• adopting practices which will help to secure a safe and healthy environment for all;
• honest accountability and personal integrity

Expected Behaviour

• Respect everyone at School at all times and be courteous in dealing with others. Greeting is one of the first signs of courtesy.
• Respect your property, the property of others and the facilities availed to you. Do not damage or deface anything on campus.
• Arrive at School on time, be in the class on time and hand in completed work and assignments on time.
• Dress in accordance with School regulations.
• Live up to the Core Ethical Values.

SANCTIONS (and Expectations) pertaining to LEARNERS flowing from the CODE OF CONDUCT

Whilst the majority of students display a fair degree of obedience to school rules and acceptable behaviour, some learners deviate from the expected behaviour or refuse to adhere to school rules. This is a summary of some of the issues relating to the School’s Code of Conduct that we would like to emphasise pertaining to non-compliance by learners

Bullying Defined

Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim.

Bullying can be:

• Emotional: being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding books, threatening gestures)
• Physical: gestures, pushing, kicking, hitting or any use of violence
• Racist: racial taunts, cultural or religious slurs
• Sexual: unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments or derogatory remarks pertaining to the issue of a person’s sexuality
• Verbal: name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing
• Cyber: All areas of internet, such as email & internet chat room misuse. Mobile threats by text messaging & calls and Misuse of associated technology, i.e. camera & video facilities

Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying?

Bullying hurts. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying.  Everybody has the right to be treated with respect.  Pupils who are bullying need to learn different ways of behaving. Schools have a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.

Objectives of Bullying Policy

All managers, teaching and non-teaching staff, students and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is; know what the school policy is on bullying, and must follow it when bullying is reported; just as all pupils and parents should know what the school policy is on bullying, and what they should do if bullying arises. As a School we take bullying seriously. Students and parents should be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported.

Bullying will not be tolerated and bullies will be dealt with.

Procedure to Report Bullying

• Report bullying incidents to staff
• In cases of serious bullying, the incidents will be recorded by staff
• In serious cases parents should be informed and will be asked to come in to a meeting to discuss the problem
• If necessary and appropriate, police will be consulted
• The bullying behaviour or threats of bullying must be investigated and the bullying stopped quickly
• Attempts will be made to help the bully (bullies) change their behaviour

Outcomes

• The bully (bullies) may be asked to genuinely apologise. Other consequences may take place
• In serious cases, suspension or even expulsion will be considered
• If possible, the pupils will be reconciled
• After the incident(s) have been investigated and dealt with, each case will be monitored to ensure repeated bullying does not take place.

Basic Code of Conduct for Parents and Guardians

The Islamia College community commits itself to the advancement of learning, personal development and responsible citizenship; a commitment characterised by:

• being courteous and demonstrating mutual respect for the rights, honour and property of others;
• demonstrating social awareness coupled with personal and social responsibility;
• service to others;
• using resources carefully and wisely;
• participating fully in a wide range of school activities;
• discovering and developing personal potential;
• supporting and encouraging others positively;
• embracing a lifestyle which promotes good health and well-being;
• adopting practices which help to secure a safe and healthy environment for all
• honest accountability and personal integrity

Expected Behaviour

• Respect everyone at School at all times and be courteous in dealing with others. Greeting is one of the first signs of courtesy.
• Respect your property, the property of others and the facilities availed to you. Never damage or deface anything on campus.
• Arrive at School on time, be in the class on time and hand in completed work and assignments on time.
• Dress in accordance with School regulations.
• Live up to the core ethical values of respect, tolerance and compassion.

Responsibility

Parents and guardians should:

• support and further the interests and welfare of the learner and the School
• promote a symbiotic commitment to establish and maintain an effective, respectful and purposeful working relationship between the school and home
• ensure that the mode of dress and communication on the Islamia premises is in keeping with the ethos of the institution
• assist in promoting positive behaviour and synthesizing Islamic values at home and School
• avail themselves to a variety of volunteering opportunities that support our vision of success for all students thereby assisting the Islamia team to reach its destination
• formulate suggestions and contribute towards decisions relating to the holistic development of their children as well as to respond to any such suggestions when required.

Expectation

We expect parents, guardians, carers and visitors to:

• Understand that both educators and parents need to work together for the benefit of the learners.
• Demonstrate that all members of the school community should be treated with respect and therefore set a good example in their own speech and behaviour.
• Seek to clarify a child’s version of events with the school’s view in order to bring about a peaceful solution to any issue.
• Correct own child’s behaviour especially in public where it could otherwise lead to conflict, aggressive behaviour or unsafe behaviour.
• Approach the school to help resolve any issues of concern.
• Avoid using staff as threats to admonish children’s behaviour.
• Respect the universal ethos of our school and not to expect preferential treatment.
• Manifest a behavioural ethic that is non-invasive and non-threatening

Zero Tolerance of the Intolerable

In order to support a peaceful and safe school environment the School cannot tolerate parents, guardians, carers and visitors exhibiting the following:

• Disruptive behaviour which interferes or threatens to interfere with the operation of a classroom, an employee’s office, office area or any other area of the school grounds including team matches.
• Using loud/or offensive language, swearing, cursing, using profane language or displaying temper.
• Threatening to do actual bodily harm to a member of school staff, Governor, visitor, fellow parent/carer or pupil regardless of whether or not the behaviour constitutes a criminal offence.
• Damaging or destroying school property.
• Abusive or threatening emails or text/voicemail/phone messages or other written communication
• Defamatory, offensive or derogatory comments regarding the school or any of the pupils/parent/staff, at the school on any social media platforms. Any concerns you may have about the school must be made through the appropriate channels by speaking to the class teacher, the Head teacher or the Chair of Governors, so they can be dealt with fairly, appropriately and effectively for all concerned.
• The use of physical aggression towards another adult or child. This includes physical punishment against your own child on school premises.
• Approaching someone else’s child in order to discuss or chastise them because of the actions of this child towards their own child. (Such an approach to a child may be seen to be an assault on that child and may have legal consequences).
• Smoking and consumption of alcohol or other drugs whilst on school property.
• Dogs being brought on to school premises.

Should any of the above behaviour occur on school premises the school may feel it is necessary to contact the appropriate authorities and if necessary, even ban the offending adult from entering the school grounds.

We trust that parents and carers will assist our school with the implementation of this policy and we thank you for your continuing support of the school.

Rules of Suspension and Expulsion pertaining to misbehaving students

In the event where a student is alleged to have transgressed and the punitive measure warrants suspension or expulsion, the following procedures will apply:

• The student will be called to the principal’s office where an initial meeting will determine if the student is aware of his/her transgression.
• The principal will call the parent and set up a meeting to discuss the related issue.
• The student will be given a fair and equitable opportunity to relay events and give his/her side of the story.
• Under no circumstances will a student be interrogated or intimidated in the absence of a parent or delegated representative of the student.
• Should the student be found guilty of the action that was reported the principal and/or Disciplinary Officer will exact the appropriate corrective measure on the student.

Suspension:

In the event of the student being suspended the following should be observed:

• The student will be placed into the custody of the parent for a period of up to 5 schooldays.
• The parent would be responsible for the child’s safety and supervision whilst at home.
• The parent must ensure that the child does not perceive the suspension as a holiday and must put into place measures that would be punitive and introspective.
• Whatever academic work has been missed due to the suspension, the responsibility will rest with the student to see that the work is recovered.

The rules for suspension and expulsion are the same with the exception that an expelled student will not be allowed to return to this particular school.

In both incidences of suspension and expulsion the student and parent will jointly have the right to challenge the decision of the school and will be at liberty to procure legal representation throughout the process.

By virtue of the above the school reserves the right to make informed decisions regarding any act committed by the learner and has the responsibility to see to the safety of the broader school community.

EXPECTATIONS and SANCTIONS pertaining to LEARNERS flowing from ISLAMIA CODE OF CONDUCT

Whilst the majority of students display a fair degree of obedience to school rules and acceptable behaviour, some learners deviate from the expected behavioural norm or refuse to adhere to school rules. This is a summary of some of the issues and consequences relating to the School’s Code of Conduct that we would like to emphasise pertaining to non-compliance by learners

Sanctions