The Dominican College Code of Conduct applies to all pupils while in school uniform or whether a pupil is on the school premises, travelling to and from school or on school trips.
This code of conduct should be read in conjunction with other school policies such as the Anti-Bullying Policy, Attendance Policy, Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy, Drugs and Substance Misuse Policy, Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, SEN Policy and Suspensions and Exclusions Policy.
1 Health and Safety
1.1 Pupils are expected to exercise responsibility for the safety of self and fellow pupils and others in school, on a school activity and when travelling to and from school.
1.2 Standards of dress must be consistent with safety and hygiene as outlined in our School Uniform Policy.
1.3 Pupils must observe all the safety rules of the school including specific classroom rules and in particular instructions given by members of staff during an emergency.
1.4 Pupils must not run inside the school buildings and when walking along corridors should keep to the left as far as is possible and adhere to one -way systems as directed.
1.5 Pupils must ascend and descend stairs carefully keeping to the left. Bags must not be left on stairs, in the foyer, on corridors, at or near any exits to the school, or in other potentially hazardous places.
1.6 Senior pupils may seek permission to bring cars to school provided they drive with due care and attention, park in the designated area and do not use the vehicle during the school day. Pupils with cars must sign and agree a school contract and submit their keys to the Sixth Form Supervisor.
1.7 Pupils driven to school should be dropped off outside the school gates unless injury, a medical or health condition renders this rule inappropriate. In this case parents should seek school consent.
1.8 Pupils must not engage in any behaviour likely to cause injury to others or to have in their possession items that may do so such as aerosols, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, fireworks, lighters or any form of weapon or dangerous item.
1.9 Smoking, vaping or taking drugs or alcohol either in school uniform or on school premises or during school activities is prohibited. This includes non- uniform days and other school events.
1.10 In Line with our Healthy Eating Policy the consumption of fizzy drinks, energy drinks and any nut products are prohibited.
2 Courtesy
2.1 Members of staff, fellow pupils, visitors to the school and members of the public should always be addressed with dignity and in an appropriate way whether in school, travelling to and from school, representing the school or when out of school on any school activity.
2.2 When waiting outside a classroom, pupils should line up, quietly, in an orderly manner and wait for the teacher.
2.3 Pupils must respect and abide by classroom rules and behave in a manner that is conducive to their own learning and to that of their peers.
2.4 Pupils may only use all school and classroom resources and equipment when instructed to do so by the teacher. Specific rules regarding the use of particular resources must always be followed.
3 Respect for each other and for property
3.1 Pupils must never engage in acts of physical violence or rough play such as hitting, pushing or spitting, whether individually or collectively, against other pupils or any member of staff.
3.2 Pupils must never interfere with another pupil’s property, by stealing, hiding, moving or damaging it.
3.3 Pupils must never use offensive names or make racist, sectarian, homophobic or other offensive remarks or gestures when addressing another pupil or commenting about another pupil or a member of that pupil’s family.
3.4 Pupils must not spread rumours about another pupil, their family or about a member of staff or their family.
3.5 Pupils must never intimidate or harass another pupil or member of staff or their family as outlined in our Anti-Bullying Policy.
3.6 If a pupil engages in an act of violence or nuisance against the person or property of a member of the school staff or their family at any time, whether inside or outside school, disciplinary action will be taken against the pupil, which may include consideration of the option to expel.
3.7 Pupils must not behave in any way which would be detrimental to the name and reputation of Dominican College.
3.8 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 apply to oral and written forms of communication including graffiti, pictorial images, use of the Internet, social media and all emergent technologies.
3.9 The school buildings and grounds, their contents and all school resources should be treated with respect.
3.10 Chewing gum and solvents are not permitted and must not be brought into school.
3.11 Pupils will be expected to pay for loss or damage to school property resulting from their actions. Removal of school property from class or its location outside class will be regarded as theft.
4 Attendance, Punctuality and Absences
The attendance policy outlines the responsibilities and procedures in respect of attendance.
4.1 Pupils should be at school every day for the full school day, (i.e. from 8.55am until 3.15pm.) and are expected to be on time for registration or assembly, for each class and for other school events.
5 Homework
The Homework Policy outlines the roles and responsibilities in respect of homework.
Pupils must complete all homework and tasks set to the best of their ability and adhere to any deadlines given.
6 Uniform, appearance and valuables
The uniform policy outlines the responsibilities and procedures in respect of appearance.
6.1 Pupils must wear the full designated school uniform as outlined in our School Uniform Policy, throughout each school day, when travelling to and from school, when representing the school and on other occasions as directed.
6.2 Pupils must be clean, neat and tidy.
6.3 Wearing of non-uniform items or make up by pupils is not permitted.
6.4 Pupils should not bring excessive amounts of money or other valuable items to school. The school cannot accept responsibility for any loss.
7 Boundaries
7.1 Pupils must not climb onto walls or the roof of any building for any reason. Pupils must stay away from the school wall and are forbidden to use the area beyond the driveway without permission.
7.2 Pupils should take their lunch in the areas designated to them.
7.3 Pupils may not enter staff areas such as the school office, the laboratory preparation rooms or stores, the photocopying room and all out of bounds areas without specific permission.
7.4 Pupils must not leave the school during the school day without permission from a member of staff. Sixth form pupils may leave school during lunchtime subject to parental consent.
8 Communication
8.1 Pupils must not use the name of the school or imply its support for any social or other function that they have arranged. The school can take no responsibility for such functions.
8.2 Correspondence, written by a pupil on behalf of the school, must be approved in specific detail by the principal.
8.3 Possession or use of mobile phones is not permitted in school. Where pupils need to be contacted by a parent the school office may be telephoned.
9 Use of the Internet
The Acceptable Use of the Internet Policy (August 2020 version) outlines the responsibilities and procedures in respect of internet usage. Pupils must be aware that Online teaching – for example, participation in Google Classroom and Collaborate Ultra activities – is an extension of the classroom and is covered by the School’s Acceptable Use Policy. All principles outlined by the Acceptable Use Policy will apply to all online teaching activity.
9.1 The responsibility of saving work either on a USB drive or the school network lies solely with the pupil.
10 Personal hygiene and safeguarding
10.1. Pupils must at all times avoid any behaviour which risks transmitting disease to other pupils or staff and they must practice all safe hygiene regulations involving hand washing, coughing and sneezing in line with school policies.
10.2 All pupils must at all times adhere to all physical protection measures recommended by Government agencies such as Public Health Agency, Health and Social Care NI and Department of Education alongside all measures put in place within Dominican College, Portstewart. Any breaches of personal hygiene and social distancing will be dealt with as outlined in the Consequences section of the Code of Conduct using the full range of school sanctions up to and including a decision by the Board of Governors to exclude from school.
10.3 Pupils must not loiter in school toilets and it is strictly forbidden for more than one pupil to occupy a cubicle at any time. Food and drink must not be consumed in school toilets.
11 School Detention
11.1 Pupils may be put into classroom detention at break time or lunch time by a classroom teacher for issues to do with homework and classroom rules.
11.2 For more serious breaches of The Code of Conduct including persistent issues with punctuality, uniform or mobile phones a form teacher or year head can place a child in Thursday after school detention from 3.15 PM to 4.00 PM.
11.3 Failure to attend a Thursday after school detention will result in an immediate phone call by a member of the SMT to parents informing them their child will be placed on Friday after school detention the following day from 3.15 PM to 4.00 PM; this will be supervised by a member of the SMT.
11.4 Failure to attend a Friday detention or repeated Friday detentions will result in suspension. (For more details see official School Detention Policy)
For more details on School Detention see page 29.
This section gives guidelines regarding consequences but it cannot cover every situation
- If you break a classroom rule, forget to do homework or disrupt teaching and learning you will receive a verbal warning from your teacher, a note written in your homework diary and a red flag on SIMS. If you persist in any of these actions, you may be given a detention by your teacher. Form teachers will closely monitor SIMS behaviour management.
- Should this course of action not result in an improvement you will be referred to your form teacher who may put you on weekly report or give you an official detention which will be noted in your file. A letter may also be sent home to your parents.
- Official detention will also be given for any of the following breaches of the code of conduct:
If you leave school without permission, if you enter any out of bounds area, if you are late twice or more in any five-day period, if you abuse school resources or if you persistently use a mobile phone.
- If you breach school uniform policy, you will receive a verbal warning from a teacher or a detention. If this happens again a letter will be sent home to your parents and a copy kept in your file. Any further breaches of the school uniform policy will result in an official detention.
- If you are given more than one official detention in a month you may be interviewed by your pastoral co-ordinator or members of the pastoral care committee.
Breaches of the Code warranting suspension or involvement of the Board of Governors
A copy of the procedures which govern suspension and expulsion is available on request from the school office.
- If you are involved in a more serious breach of the Code of Conduct such as a misuse of drugs including alcohol, smoking, vaping , bullying*, vandalism*, theft*, verbal abuse*, physical attack*, harassment*, misuse of a mobile phone, camera or the internet, disruptive behaviour, flouting of Public Health guidelines or other serious inappropriate behaviour such as damaging the name or reputation of the school, you will be interviewed by a senior member of staff and your parents may be asked to attend an interview. Your actions may result in suspension by the principal and in some cases the matter may be referred to outside agencies such as PSNI. Actions which are asterisked may have been perpetrated on another pupil or a member of staff. Records of suspension are kept on file and details are forwarded to the Education Authority North-Eastern Region.
- For repeated serious breaches of the Code of Conduct you may be interviewed by a panel from the Board of Governors who will determine, in consultation with your parents, what if any additional steps need to be taken to help you and ensure that the best interests of the school and all its pupils and staff are upheld. Your parents will be invited to such an interview but the governors reserve the right to make their determination if your parents neglect to, or refuse to take part.
- In very exceptional circumstances, which may include a serious one-off incident, breaches of the Code of Conduct may result in permanent exclusion from the school. The decision on whether or not to expel is made by the Board of Governors.