Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

Suspension of Students

Related Policies:

Discipline
Exclusion
Legal Responsibilities and Authority
Restraint of Students

Purpose:

This policy sets out the processes that need to be undertaken when determining that a student/s should be suspended from school.

Policy:

To support good order and purposeful learning, schools should develop a policy of student management that reflects their spiritual values and appeals to a student's innate dignity. This policy should be understood by teachers and students and adhered to.

Suspension of a student is a school matter but should not be used in the first instance of undesirable behaviour unless the Principal judges that such behaviour could cause grave moral and/or physical harm to other persons.

Students under statutory leaving age are legally required to attend school. Circumstances may arise where it is necessary to impose a period of suspension for the well being of the school and other students.

Students over the statutory leaving age are not compelled legally to attend school. If they are suspended, however, the procedures outlined below are to be followed where appropriate.

Definitions:

Suspension means that a student is required to leave a school for a specified period of time and that the student's return is envisaged subject to specified conditions.

Procedures:

Legislative differences between ACT and NSW mean that different practices must be adopted. The following differences should be noted:

Length of Suspension

In ACT, suspension is limited to twenty days. No limit is specified in NSW. The suggested limit in Archdiocesan schools is five days.

Reasons for Suspension

In the ACT, students may be suspended, provided the Principal is satisfied that such action is warranted, if a student:

• demonstrates consistent and willful non-compliance;
• acts violently or threatens violence;
• threatens good order;
• disrupts own learning or that of other children.

In NSW no reasons for suspension are listed, but NSW Principals should be guided by the ACT list.

Counselling

In the ACT, a suspended student must be given a reasonable opportunity for counseling after seven school days suspension (not necessarily consecutive) in a single term.

In NSW no legal requirement is in place. (Principals should seriously consider the option of counselling as part of a management program aimed at supporting students.)

Procedural fairness

In the ACT, no explicit mention is made of procedural fairness. The NSW treatment of this matter should be followed in all situations.

Procedural fairness involves:

• 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.

1. Action by the Principal in Circumstances Requiring Suspension

Step 1: Give the student a fair hearing and discuss the implications and consequences of the behaviour with the student before a decision is reached as to the course of action which will be followed.

Step 2: Notify and discuss the issue with parents or guardians. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, this may need to occur after the decision to suspend a student has been taken.

Step 3: Having been informed of their suspension, students under statutory leaving age should not leave the school until the end of the school day unless parents have arranged supervisory responsibilities which ensure the safety of the student. The suspension period begins on the following day.

Step 4: Parents or guardians of the suspended student must be made aware, orally and in writing, that the school no longer has a responsibility for a suspended student until the student returns to school.

Step 5: If appropriate, the Parish Priest or Chaplain should be informed of the suspension.

Step 6: When a student returns to the school following a period of suspension, the school is expected to provide appropriate support and developmental programs which will enable the student to re-establish his or her reputation in a positive sense and resume normal activities as a full member of the school community. In keeping with the Christian ethos, all subsequent dealing with a student should illustrate a school's commitment to reconciliation.

Step 7: Before resuming normal classes, the student should be interviewed by the Principal or designated person and the developmental program of support outlined.

Step 8: The period of suspension is normally not to exceed five (5) consecutive school days.

If a Principal suspends a student, immediate notification of this suspension must be made to the Head of Human Resources at the Catholic Education Office.

References:

ACT Education Act 2004

Registration Systems and Member Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual, section 5.7

Forms:

Student Suspension Notification Record Sheet

Last updated on December 2, 2006