Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

Discipline

Related Policies:

Child Protection
Exclusion or Expulsion
Legal Responsibilities and Authority
Restraint of Students
Suspension

Purpose:

This policy assists Archdiocesan Catholic schools to offer all students an education of the highest quality and to assist each student to develop fully as an individual and as a member of the Church and the wider community. The policy outlines the expectations for schools regarding the development of clear school discipline policies and procedures and behaviour management programs focusing the personal development of students.

Policy:

Schools should develop a policy of student management that reflects their spiritual values and appeals to a student's innate dignity. Teachers and students should understand and comply with the requirements of this policy.

Teachers should encourage a teaching/learning environment where there is good order and purposeful learning.

Should the behaviour of a student seriously interfere with the requirements of this policy, more serious responses may be required. Reference should be made to the policies on Suspension and Expulsion.

Behaviours warranting such consideration would be:

• behaviour disruptive to the student's own learning and/or to other student's learning;
• aggressive or dangerous behaviour;
• drug-related behaviour;
• sexual harassment of other students or teachers
• other behaviours believed to warrant action.

Definitions:

Corporal Punishment

"Corporal punishment" of a student means the application of physical force in order to punish or correct the student, but does not include the application of force only to prevent personal injury to, or damage to or the destruction of property of, any person (including the student). Education Act 1990 (NSW)-Sect 3.

Corporal punishment is NOT to be administered in any circumstance. Additionally, schools must not explicitly or implicitly sanction the administering of corporal punishment by non-school persons, including parents, to enforce discipline at the school.

Procedures:

All procedures followed in applying this policy must be based on principles of procedural fairness. These principles include:

• Provision of relevant policies and procedures to involved parties;
• Provision to these parties of the details of any allegations;
• Provision to these parties of the right to respond to allegations and, if appropriate, to appeal any decision;
• The right to an impartial decision.

References:

Nil

Forms:

Nil

Last updated on December 2, 2006