Requirements and Behaviour Expectations
Children are required to:
- be independent with basic tasks such as responsibility for personal items, homework, toilet use, changing and eating
- listen and follow the teacher or teaching assistant’s guidance and instructions
- interact safely and in a caring way with their peers and the staff
- comply with class and school rules
- return all borrowed items on time
- complete set tasks in an appropriate time and manner
- settle into their new school environment within an acceptable time frame
- be age appropriate independent learners in a mainstream school
- attend and fully participate in all aspects of the programme
- achieve academic requirements
- behave in an age appropriate manner
- attend school on time, regularly and in good health
- wear the official school uniforms
Our Primary Behaviour Management Policy is proactive towards student behaviour. Our Behaviour Management Policy is designed for the context of a school which is vastly different from the home environment and conditions. Serious issues such as bullying and specific issues such as uniform are dealt with as part of this greater policy. This also includes special attention to the process of when students join and/or leave us, which is very much a part of day to day life here but is still of significance to the individual involved and his or her friends. Each stage of our Behaviour Management procedures include support and/or sanctions and each case is considered within its context. At all times any staff member, teaching or support staff, will involve themselves immediately when issues occur. We are committed to paying close attention to our students’ well being.
On the whole, our students are very happy and well behaved. Most incidents requiring Behaviour Management generally consist of minor reports from students involving their friends. If students are a recipient of inappropriate behaviour from another child then firstly they are to say, “Please stop” or state what they do not like. We teach students that they must listen to others and respect reasonable requests. Then, if anyone involved does not feel that the situation is resolved, they are taught to ask for assistance from a teacher or teaching assistant. The simple and effective problem solving steps are: STOP, TALK, HELP. If we pay close and careful attention to basic manners and courtesies then we can proactively avoid many more serious issues. However, we take all issues brought to our attention very seriously and deal with them in the best way that helps all involved.
The Primary School is a place where students learn many individual and group social skills. It is a place and time for them to learn what is and is not appropriate behaviour. To best help students, we always work with parents, so we will keep you informed of any concerns, expecting support and follow-up at home when serious issues are reported. In the same way we ask that parents inform us of any concerns that their child may feel more comfortable sharing at home so we are empowered to deal with their situation at school. For any other or more serious issues, on a case-by-case basis and after being given opportunities for change and improvement when appropriate, children who are unable to meet school requirements and expectations may be asked to withdraw from the school.
Primary School Homework
We have formulated a Primary School Homework Policy to better guide teachers, students and parents by providing information so that we can create a suitable atmosphere and support for successful homework.
Our fundamental belief is that homework provides a golden opportunity to augment and enhance work done at school and further fosters home-school links.
1. We also believe that homework:
- provides students with the opportunity to accept their responsibility for independent study and to develop and strengthen their personal study habits and skills
- should be worth doing and related to class teaching by being purposeful and arousing the desire to discover and learn (for example, by reading more widely and deeply in a topic), to consolidate work already introduced in class and to practise skills already learned at school
- should involve active and thoughtful work. (Even in committing facts to memory, students should be taught to work in a thoughtful way and not be required to perform repetitive tasks in an unthinking way.)
- should be given regularly and should be properly checked and discussed so that students do learn something (e.g. in the Early Years Programme this may mean that a parent signs and comments in the Blue Communication Book each night when their child reads and discusses the Home Reader)
- should be explicit and clearly defined so that students clearly understand what is required of them, however, it is the responsibility of the student to pay close attention in class so he or she is fully aware of the requirements
- should be within the students' capabilities
2. We believe that there are several responsibilities:
- it is the responsibility of the teacher to explain outcomes
- it is the responsibility of the student to hand completed homework in on time
- it is the responsibility of the parents to support their child’s achievement of the outcomes but not do it for them
3. Thus, homework may be given for one or more of the following purposes:
- reinforcement
- opportunity for parents and students to work together
- practice
- completion of work from class
- tuning-in, research or inquiry task for units
- independent work
- to begin a task to then be incorporated into classroom learning
- development of personal skills such as organizational and time management
4. Parents/teachers/students can expect:
- that regular homework activities such as reading or spelling will be clearly defined via our regular methods of communication including indicated estimated time allowance to complete work, outcomes, purpose including whether or not a piece will be assessed as it is important to note that not all work is assessed, who is it from and when it is set and due
- that the purpose for irregular homework activities such as Language, Mathematics, Single Subject or Unit of Inquiry tasks will be outlined for parents but teachers will also explain the purpose and aim of homework to the students
- that the student will seek assistance in advance of due date so teachers and parents can best help the student’s achievement of the outcomes
- that the effect of uncompleted homework can often be reflected in the students’ learning, progress and results
- that the homeroom teacher will alert the student and parent if a pattern of uncompleted homework emerges, thereafter the responsibility lies with the student and parent
Primary School Homework Schedule
To assist students in organising themselves, we have outlined the following schedule indicating when regular homework is given to students, when it is due to be returned and the overall daily time allowance (please note that irregular homework is included in the daily time allowance but further details will be provided when it is given to students).
Reading is part of the daily time allocated to homework and expected to be done every day at each year level. Please note that K2 Home Readers and exchange days only begin when the teacher considers that an individual child is ready and in accordance with our Reading Policy.
