CODE OF CONDUCT

British West Indies Collegiate
Code of Conduct & School Rules

The Code of Conduct (including School Rules) is originally distributed to parents prior to their child's entry to the British West Indies Collegiate. Parents and/or guardians are encouraged to read the Code of Conduct with their child, and to discuss issues raised with them. Both parents and students are required to sign and date a return slip attached to the document.

The primary purpose of the Code of Conduct is to outline what is expected of all students and parents of the Collegiate. It is hoped that, in following the principles and rules contained therein, each pupil will find a way to make his or her own contribution to the school community, and leave well-prepared to live as a worthwhile citizen in the world outside.

PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT

The following is expected of all students:

Strict honesty and truthfulness. In the classroom, this rules out cheating, copying another student’s work, and all manner of false pretences. In the school at large, it means respect for the possessions of others, and a readiness to own up and accept the blame when you know it to be yours.
Self-control. This is the foundation of civilised behaviour, and means that you must learn not only to govern your own temper, but also to make a real effort to understand the other person’s viewpoint.
Readiness to take responsibility. Throughout your school life, opportunities will occur for you to take on duties for the benefit of your classmates, or in the school at large. You should accept these responsibilities with dignity and always do your best.
Courtesy and self-respect. Good manners and a pride in neat and clean appearance are vital. The cultivation of these qualities is important not only in individual character development, but in the image presented by the school as a whole. The Collegiate has earned a highly-valued reputation in the community, and expects its students to maintain good standards of appearance and conduct both inside and outside the school campus. Courtesy is also reflected in your use of language, which must always be appropriate and respectful, free from unwelcome remarks, discourteous or offensive words, or vulgarities.
Concern for others. Be helpful to one another both within the school and the community outside. Show concern and be ready to give assistance where it is needed to the best of your abilities.
Whole school responsibility. The school operates as a community. We all have an interest in looking after each other and the environment we share. Therefore, for the good of the whole school community, it is your responsibility to inform someone in authority if something happens that you know to be wrong, whether it directly affects you or not.

SCHOOL RULES

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY

Students are expected to be punctual. This applies to their morning arrival at school, which should be in good time to take their allotted places by 8:00 a.m., and prompt arrival at lessons throughout the school day. Latecomers must report to the office to register if they arrive after the registration period (ie. after 8:20 a.m.). Parents should call or visit the school office if the lateness is not the student’s fault; otherwise, the student will be given a litter duty. If a student is late two times in a week he/she will be given a Friday Detention (one hour on Friday afternoon - see Discipline Policy below).
No student may leave the school premises during school hours without the permission of the Principal or Vice Principal. Sixth form students may leave at lunchtime with written parental consent. They must sign out and in again at the school office.
Students who become ill during school hours should report to the school office.
All students are expected to take part in sports and physical training unless a doctor's certificate giving valid reasons for exemption is produced (see Rule 27).

ABSENCE

Excuses for absence will normally be accepted only on the grounds of illness. Permission to miss school for any other reason must be sought by application in advance to the Principal.
On the first day of a student’s absence, parents/guardians should contact the school. On the student’s return to school a note signed by a parent or guardian must be given to the Form Tutor.
In the case of illness longer than 2 days, a medical certificate should be provided by the parent or guardian stating that the child is unfit to attend school, and indicating an expected return date.
For prolonged absence, parents/guardians should contact the Form Tutor to collect work missed. A suitable deadline for completion will be given.

SCHOOL UNIFORM AND APPEARANCE

School uniform must be worn in school hours, on the journey to and from school, and on other occasions as directed by the staff.
A high standard of personal appearance is expected at all times.
All male students (other than sixth form) must wear navy blue trousers. These must be worn with a belt. They should wear a white, collared, button-front shirt or alternative blue shirt supplied by the school. The shirt must be tucked into the trousers so that the belt is visible. The school tie must be worn covering the top button of the shirt.
All female students (other than sixth form) must wear a plaid skirt purchased from the school and a white, collared and buttoned blouse with the school tie. Sleeveless blouses are not allowed. The skirt must be knee-length and the blouse tucked in. The knot of the tie must cover the top button of the blouse.
Sixth form students should wear professional-looking attire, in discreet colours. For males, such attire includes a collared and buttoned shirt and a tie, and belted trousers. For female students it includes a skirt of appropriate length with a blouse, a dress of appropriate length, or tailored trousers with a blouse.
All students should wear shoes and socks. It is permissible to wear smart trainers in white, black, blue, or grey. Sandals, flip-flops and clogs are not allowed. All shoes must be clean and undamaged.
Male students may not have hair that touches the collar, braids, or a shaved head. Female students with hair below the collar must keep it tied back. Outlandish hairstyles or ostentatious hair adornment are not allowed. Facial hair is allowed in the 6^th Form provided it is kept short and trimmed.
No cosmetics are permitted to be worn, except for colourless nail polish and protective make-up/lip balm.
Students may wear no more than one ring on each hand and one bracelet. Female students may also wear one pair of small stud earrings. Any such jewellery must not be conspicuous or tatty. No other ring, bracelet, earring, necklace, stud, piercing, tattoo or other adornment of the body or clothing shall be worn, unless the student’s parents or guardians have first obtained the express permission of the Principal on the basis of religious, cultural or family considerations, and the student keeps the adornment out of sight at all times. Any permitted jewellery or adornment that is removable shall be removed during physical education and sports.
No student will be allowed to do physical education unless they are wearing a Collegiate P.E. shirt and appropriate shorts. Students who fail to comply will be detained in the classroom and given extra assignments to complete. Students should wear a baseball cap outside during P.E. activities.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

Students must see to the safe custody of all their belongings. These must not be left on the school premises after school hours. In no circumstances should money or articles of value be left in bags or in any rooms. Parents should discourage students from bringing articles of value to school.
Articles found should be taken to the school office.
Names should be carefully written on all articles of uniform, books, sports equipment etc.

SCHOOL PROPERTY

Students are required to keep all textbooks, stationery and equipment in good condition. Textbooks remain the property of the school and should be returned as directed by the appropriate teacher.
Students are expected to keep the school and its precincts tidy and free of litter and graffiti. Any student found littering the school or the surrounding area will be assigned to clean up duty at lunchtime and/or any further appropriate discipline.
School property should be treated with great care. Any damage should be promptly reported to a member of staff or to the office. Damage caused deliberately or through carelessness will be charged to the student concerned.
The school operates an “Acceptable Use Policy” for all students in relation to the use of school networked computers, with particular focus on the provision internet access. A form accepting this policy must be signed by both the student and a parent or guardian before access to the internet is given.

MEDICATIONS

If a student needs to take medication while at school, a note signed by a parent or guardian must be provided authorising the school to hold and administer the medication.
If, for physical or medical reasons, a student is unable to take part in a PE session, a note signed by a parent or guardian must be given to the Form Tutor at registration.

HOMEWORK AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Homework will be set according to the homework timetable arranged by the school. It should be completed on time and presented in the manner indicated by the teacher.
A clear description of all homework given must be entered by the student in the homework diary provided. Parents should check and sign their student’s diary at the end of every week.
Where a student has for any valid reason failed to complete the set homework, a note of explanation, signed by the parent, must be brought to the Form Tutor who will inform the teacher concerned.
Failure to maintain required standards of classwork and homework may result in the student being placed on a progress report card. This monitors the performance of the student throughout the week in all subjects.
It must be understood that promotion to the next grade at the end of the academic year is not an automatic process. It is strictly based on academic performance and general behaviour.

GENERAL BEHAVIOUR

Students are expected, both inside and outside school, to act at all times with courtesy and consideration, and in a manner which brings credit to themselves and the school.
Students must maintain adequate grades and behaviour, or they will jeopardise their place or progression in the school.
Students are to refrain from using the bathroom during lessons, unless a note signed by a parent or guardian giving medical reasons has been provided.
Every student shall:

Promptly and fully follow all instructions of every member of staff and prefect.
Observe all safety precautions in practical work or in games.
Keep to the left on stairs and in corridors.
Eat outside in the areas provided.
Play ball games only in the prescribed areas.
Immediately report to a member of staff the presence of any uninvited or unauthorized person coming into the grounds of the school or loitering around any of the school’s entrances and exits.
Avoid fraternizing with loiterers in the grounds or environs of the school.
Not run around the school buildings.
Not ride bicycles, skateboards, mopeds or motorcycles within the school grounds.
Not remain on the school premises after 3.30 p.m. unless under the supervision of a teacher in an organised activity.
Not enter the classroom without the permission of a member of staff or a prefect, but should wait in single file outside the classroom.
Not knock on the staff-room door, except in the case of emergency. (If the student wishes to see a particular staff member, he/she should either wait until a member of staff enters or exits the staff-room or ask a staff member on duty to take a message to the person concerned.)
Not leave bags, books, water carriers and lunch boxes etc. in corridors. (They may be left in orderly fashion, in lockers or desks.)
Not eat or drink in class, assembly, or between classes with the exception of drinking water.
Not bring chewing gum to the school or chew gum.
Not bring to school or use any substance which is or purports to be intoxicating, mind-altering or is dangerous to the mind or body.
Not bring to school or use anything which is dangerous or is otherwise capable of causing physical, mental or emotional harm or damage to property.
Not bring cellular phones to school. (In emergencies students and parents/guardians should use the office telephone).
Not bring music devices or electronic games to school.
Not bring laptop computers to school (Years 6 to 11 only), unless prescribed by educational psychologist as a required learning aid.

DISCIPLINE POLICY

Good discipline is an essential feature of a well-run school. It allows all students to take advantage of the opportunity to learn effectively and to play a full part in the life of the school community. The Collegiate wishes to encourage its students to act in a responsible, caring and thoughtful manner, and to show due respect for each other, for their environment and for authority. The school, therefore, will encourage self-discipline and will try, at all times, to be consistent and fair.

It is not realistic to try and identify every possible misdemeanour, nor the probable consequence, as each incident will be dealt with on an individual basis. However, some common infractions of the rules have been outlined below, and possible punishments have been identified. The guidelines are not exhaustive and may be adapted to the circumstances of a particular situation. Ultimately, the correct approach in most cases will be at the discretion of the teacher involved.

In the first instance, the classroom teacher will administer corrective discipline, often a spoken rebuke. Classroom teachers may also give a student a lunchtime detention for missing homework or poor behaviour in the classroom, or may impose a different punishment befitting the incident. Where written punishment is given, sufficient time will be allowed for its completion and, where possible, work of a constructive nature will be set.

All incidents, however minor, will be recorded by teachers in the respective form tutor’s 'Comment Book'.

Teachers may also place a student in Friday Detention (one hour on a Friday afternoon) for persistent poor behaviour or failure to submit homework. When a student is put in Friday Detention, a note will be sent home explaining to parents the reason for the punishment and giving the date of the detention. Twenty-four hours’ notice will usually be given so that parents/guardians can make transportation arrangements.

When a student reaches his/her third School Detention in the school year he/she will move onto the next level of punishment. The student may also be placed on Conduct Report for a time determined by the Principal or Vice Principal and the Form Tutor. Conduct Reports give students the opportunity to reflect on their behaviour and demonstrate self-control.

For more serious offences, students may be placed on Conduct Report immediately.

Every Conduct Report is recorded in the student’s file.

Other forms of punishment for serious infractions may include removal of privileges, Saturday morning detention, isolation, temporary placement in a lower class, or attachment to Form Tutor for a day or days per week. For very serious offences, or for persistent bad behaviour leading to a series of detentions, a student may be suspended or even expelled.

In certain cases, and only after representation to the Board of Governors, it may be deemed appropriate to place a student on a formal Contract, the terms of which will be agreed by the signatories to the Contract; the Principal, the student and the parents/guardians of the student. Any breech of the terms of the Contract will most likely to lead to immediate expulsion.

SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION

The decision to suspend a student from attending the School will be made only by the Principal. The decision to expel a student from the School will be made only by the Board of Governors.

The Principal will promptly give written notice of any suspension and any extension thereof to the student’s parents/guardians, the Chairman of the Board of Governors, and the Director of Education. The notice will give the reasons for the suspension or the extension, and will also say whether expulsion is a possibility. The parents or guardians of a student who is suspended should communicate with the Principal or, where the student is facing expulsion, the Chairman of the Board of Governors. Any written communication will be passed on to all of the Governors.
If expulsion is not a possibility, the period of suspension will normally not exceed five school days, unless the Principal, with the prior approval of the Chairman of the Board of Governors, considers a longer period is justified or extends the initial period of suspension.
Where expulsion is a possibility, the student’s suspension will continue until a decision on the matter has been made by the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors will meet as soon as possible to consider the matter. The student and his/her parents/guardians will be asked to make written representations for consideration at the meeting. If the Board of Governors thinks fit, or if the parents/guardians of the student concerned so request, the student together with his/her parents/guardians and any spokesperson chosen by them, will appear before the Board or a committee established by the Board for the purpose. There may be more than one meeting of the Board of Governors before a decision is taken. In appropriate circumstances, the Board of Governors may permit the student to return to school pending its decision.
There can be no appeal from a decision of the Board of Governors to expel a student, but the Board will always have the power, in very rare cases where the Board considers it just to do so, to review a decision to expel, or to re-admit the student to the School at a later date. It should be clearly understood, however, that in practically every case, a decision to expel a student from the School is final, and the student will not be allowed to return to the School at any time.

The expressions “Principal” and “Chairman of the Board of Governors” include any person acting as such at the relevant time.

Listed below are examples of the types of misconduct which are likely to result in immediate suspension and possible expulsion, and which may be reported to the police or other appropriate authorities:

Any behaviour at any place at any time that causes or is likely to cause embarrassment to the school or damage to its reputation, including, without limitation, intoxication, fighting, conflict with students of another school, lewd or threatening communication with others, and any behaviour which is reported negatively in any media and in which the subject is identified as a student of the school.
Arrest by the police, other than in respect of a traffic offence not involving injury or damage to property.
Any behaviour at school which causes or is likely to cause or result in shock, fear or injury to any minor (or which is deemed to be inappropriate in the presence of a minor).
Possession, distribution or use of any intoxicating or dangerous substance or any other thing capable of causing physical or mental injury or damage to property.
Possession or distribution of any pornographic, horrific or the unsuitable text, image or other material.
Any illegal activity.
Cheating in examinations.
Theft.
Vandalism.
Bullying.
Physical violence (assault).
Fighting.
Sexual misconduct.
Disrespectful obscene, abusive or threatening language.

The above is not an exclusive list of violations that may lead to suspension or expulsion, and the Collegiate’s response to any serious violation shall be at the discretion of the Board of Governors.