5.1 Describe why schools have policies and procedures
All schools follow certain rules and procedures for the smooth and day to day running of school matters and to make sure that pupil receive quality education. Policies help define rules, regulations, procedures and protocols for schools.
Schools policies are there for several reasons.
• To establish rules and regulations for acceptable behaviours
• To ensure that the school environment is safe for pupil
• To create a productive learning environment
• To make sure that the school environment is also safe for the teachers and other staff.
Policies are oftenly created by the governing bodies of the school in order for rules and regulations to be in place and enforced. When these policies are in place, it means there are some determined procedures of how schools operations are handled and all staff and pupils know about the expectation of them and act accordingly. This saves time, prevents confusion and unifies the school.
To create a safe learning environment such policies are created which establish a safe physical and mental environment for the staff and students of the school. To achieve these, policies such as anti bullying policy, equal opportunity, fire drills and mental health guidelines etc are created.
To encourage higher learning every schools has some goals set forth by the school board. Such type of policies establishes standards and hold schools and staff accountable to the public.
Policies are important because they help a school establish rules and procedures and create standards of quality for learning and safety as well as expectations and accountability. Without these, schools would lack the structure and function necessary to provide the educational needs of students. Ultimately, policies are necessary to the success and safety of a school.
Policies and procedures
Your school should have policies and procedures in place to support staff in their management of situations that might involve violence, threatening behaviour or abuse.
The following areas should be covered: discipline and behaviour abusive, threatening or violent adult visitors dealing with offensive weapons and knives use of reasonable force.
Discipline and behaviour policies
ATL's position is that all discipline and behaviour policies should contain a statement that abuse, threatening behaviour or assaults are unacceptable and will result in appropriate punishment.
The policy must also state clearly that in cases of actual or threatened violence, permanent exclusion will be considered an appropriate sanction.
The governors of maintained schools have a legal responsibility for the conduct of the school. It is their responsibility to produce and periodically review a written statement of general principles dealing with discipline and behaviour.
By law, the school's policy should make clear: the boundaries of what is acceptable the hierarchy of sanctions the arrangements for the clear and consistent application of sanctions a linked system of rewards for good behaviour.
The policy should promote: respect for others intolerance of bullying and harassment the importance of self-discipline the difference between "right" and "wrong".
The governing body's written statement of general principles should take account of the needs of all pupils, including any with special educational needs. It should be reviewed regularly and should cover: the ethos of the school, its values and the boundaries of acceptable behaviour the school's moral code positive and constructive rules of conduct the rewards and punishments, which must be fairly and consistently applied.
The governing body has a duty to ensure that the school follows policies which promote good behaviour and discipline among pupils. It is the headteacher's responsibility to promote good behaviour and discipline in line with the governing body's statement of general principles. The headteacher must decide on the standards of
