Policies

BULLYING POLICY

RATIONALE
Bullying, by its very nature and the ill will and hurt it produces, is an un-Christian and cruel act and is prohibited at Hebron Christian College. The very opposite is promoted: "Love thy neighbour as thyself". All members of the school community have a right to feel safe and secure at all times.

DEFINITION
Bullying is defined as aggressive behaviour that has the intent to hurt another person or intentionally exclude them, it is often repeated, persistent, involves someone getting hurt or being excluded and the person doing the bullying gaining enjoyment from seeing the distress of another.

PURPOSE
1. To help staff identify bullying when and where it occurs.
2. To provide clear procedures to deal with bullying.
3. To teach all staff these procedures.
4. To teach students and staff how to relate to others without the need to bully.
5. To support and restore those who have experienced bullying.
6. To provide a safe and happy school environment.

GUIDELINES
* Staff and students will be taught the nature of bullying, how to recognise the signs of bullying and also the effect bullying can have on a person, particularly a child.
* Staff members will be expected to be vigilant in noticing bullying either in the classroom or the playground.
* When bullying is identified, staff must investigate every incident and follow procedures to deal with it.
* Students will be given clear guidelines on how to respond if they are the recipients of a bully's attention.
* Students who are bullied will be offered support.

ARTICULATION OF POLICY
* The Principal will present and explain this policy to staff at staff meetings and require all staff members to follow the policy.
* The Principal and elected others will explain to staff the procedure to be followed in dealing with bullying and require all staff members to follow this procedure
* The Bullying Policy will be published in the School Family Information Booklet, in the Secondary School Handbook and referred to in the weekly school newsletters from time to time.
* Students will be told in classrooms and assemblies that bullying is prohibited at Hebron Christian College and children found to be bullying will be disciplined accordingly.

PROCEDURES
When bullying is identified, a staff member will undertake the following:
1) Interview the victim(s) and the bully(ies) and learn what happened, when it happened, the frequency and extent of the bullying and any other pertinent information.
2) Offer support, teaching and encouragement to the victim, being aware of psychological damage to the victim's self esteem Provide the victim with positive reinforcement and assist them to an understanding and belief that he/she does not deserve to be bullied.
3) Discipline the bully(ies) according to the severity of the bullying (see Primary Discipline Policy). Suggestions include:
i) Acknowledgement of bullying and offer of apology and request for forgiveness
ii) Exclusion from freetime or play
iii) Lunchtime detention or alternative tasks
iv) Home detention including letter to parent
v) Check with all parties concerned that things have improved after a week or agreed upon time.
4) Follow-up incidents of bullying by recording such on the student's Cumulative Record card. A student found to have bullied on more than one occasion will be sent to the Team Leader for discipline.
5) If bullying persists, arrange a meeting with the child and his/her parents where a written warning will be issued. The consequence of a third incident of bullying could be suspension or expulsion.
Ratified by the Trust Board 17/02/03


CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Rationale
The total well-being of our children is of utmost importance to their continuing growth and development.

Purpose
A student has the right to have their needs met in a safe environment.
  • To ensure the safety and dignity of the child is paramount.
  • To provide staff with guidelines so that they can identify signs of abuse or neglect.
  • To provide procedures for dealing with cases of abuse or neglect.
  • To ensure students know guidelines so they can identify abuse or neglect and know who they can safely tell.
  • To provide guidelines to staff , volunteers and visitors on ways of acting appropriately towards children and to avoid a wrong perception of abusive behaviour
Definition:
Child Abuse means the harming (whether physically, emotionally or sexually), ill-treatment, abuse, neglect or deprivation of any child or young person. (Section 2, Children and Young Persons Amendment Act, 1994).

Sexual abuse is any act or acts that result in the sexual exploitation of a child or a young person, whether consensual or not.
Physical abuse is any act or acts that result in inflicted injury to a child or young person.
Emotional abuse is any act or omission that results in impaired psychological, social, intellectual and/or emotional functioning, injury, and/or development of a child or a young person.
Neglect is any act or omission that results in impaired physical functioning, injury, and/or development of a child or a young person.

(Refer - "Breaking the Cycle - An Interagency Guide to Child Abuse" - Children, Young Persons and their Families Service) Guidelines
  1. Members of our school community will be expected to be receptive and sensitive to children, so that the children feel listened to and believed when reporting any of the types of abuse listed above.
  2. Staff will be provided, through the Policies and Procedures manual, with information about the identification of child abuse.
  3. Disclosure and/or identification of abuse will be treated seriously and immediately investigated
  4. Staff are to be aware of reporting procedures outlined in the Policy and Procedures manual.
  5. Abuse investigation will be treated confidentially and information released to only those people/agencies that require it.
  6. Children, parents and staff adversely affected by child abuse will be offered support and counselling.
Procedures
  1. Staff suspecting abuse will inform the Team Leader of the suspected/alleged abuse and/or inform the School Nurse and Principal
  2. The Principal and/or School Nurse will liaise with outside support agencies as required.
  3. More serious cases of child abuse will be referred to the School Board
  4. Wherever possible, staff will have a witness present when listening to student's disclosure of abuse.
  5. Factual written records will be kept detailing all relevant information with dates and times. These records are confidential.
  6. The Principal, in consultation with the School Nurse, will determine whether outside support agencies (GP, School Health Nurse, Police, CYF, etc will be consulted/informed when child abuse is suspected /alleged.
  7. Any abuse involving a staff member, including violating internet policy (eg.accessing pornography), will always be referred to the School Board. The Board, in consultation with the Principal, will decide whether outside agencies need to be informed. If necessary, action will be taken in line with the relevant Employment Agreement and guidelines issued in the School's Trustees Handbook. This may include a stand down period or instant dismissal.
  8. Support will be made available to the child involved, the home, and the class teacher, using the most appropriate personnel (e.g. staff, Special Education Service, Health Nurse).
  9. Where a report is received by the school from someone outside the school, that person will be directed to contact a helping agency. If necessary the school may become involved.
  10. Guardians/Caregivers will be fully informed by the Principal in consultation with the statutory agency of alleged abuse, except when it is believed that the child could be put at risk.
  11. Any agency involved in a case will be responsible for communicating further information to the parents.
  12. Periodic training will be offered to appropriate staff on identifying and reporting abuse. Refer "Breaking the Cycle - An Interagency Guide to Child Abuse". Children, Young Person's and their Families service.

ROAD SAFETY POLICY

RATIONALE
Road safety is an aspect of the children's education, which is a shared responsibility between the school and the parents. It should ensure the safe arrival of the children to/from Schoo.

PURPOSES
  1. To ensure the safety of our children as they travel to and from the school.
  2. To encourage children to take responsibility for their own personal safety while on or near the road.
  3. to ensure there are rules and guidelines for all methods of transport children may be using while in our care at school.
  4. To encourage Police visits to reinforce safety procedures.
GUIDELINES
Walking
  • Children are encouraged to follow the safest route to and from school.
  • Children must walk on the footpath where one is available
  • Children in junior classes are given training on the correct way to walk on and cross the road, using such programmes as Stepping Out.
Cycling
  • No child to ride a bike to school under the age of 10yrs unless accompanied by an adult.
  • All children are to wear a cycle helmet correctly fitted and fastened as legally required.
  • Children in senior classes are given instruction / training on safe cycling using programmes such as 'Riding By'/ 'Out and About'.
  • Bicycles to be parked between the Main Block and the Artroom
Bus Safety
  • Buses hired for school trips must have adequate seating for the number of children being carried on the bus (Y0-3 = 3 children per seat Y4-8 = 2children per seat)
  • On school trips, at least one teacher must accompany each bus and must ensure all children are accounted for
  • Children are given instruction as required on general bus rules, emergency procedures and conduct expected when boarding or leaving the school bus.
Car Safety
  • Children will be instructed in correct procedures for travelling in a car.
  • Where private vehicles are used for a school trip the school is to have procedures to ensure that seatbelts, licences and warrants comply with the law. Drivers must be over 18 years of age.
  • Senior secondary students can travel to and from school using their own motor car or motorcycle only with the permission of the Principal. A current Learner's or Restricted licence must be held and all requirements adhered to. Student drivers are not permitted to carry passengers although sibling passengers may be permitted if a request in writing is received from the driver's parents. Vehicles must be parked in designated places

SMOKING POLICY

PREAMBLE
Smoking cigarettes, pipes, cigars, etc. is a habit that more and more people and professional medical people are regarding as not only dangerous but lethal not only to the smoker but to people living or working with a smoker. It is also seen as a waste of money. From a Christian point of view, smoking defiles the body which the Bible says is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Smoking, therefore, can only be regarded as a detestable and destructive habit which should be totally avoided by Christians of any age.

SCHOOL POLICY
  • Hebron Christian College will comply with the Smokefree Environments Act 1990 and provide a totally smoke-free environment. Students and staff (teaching and non-teaching) will not smoke tobacco or any similar products anywhere within the buildings or grounds.
  • Organisations or individuals using school facilities will be informed of the school's Smoking Policy and must agree in writing to comply with this policy as a condition of use.
  • Contractors and others working within the school property are to be advised of the school's smoke-free policy and that the policy applies to them whilst on the property.
  • Smoke-free signs will be displayed at the main entrances to the school and in the school foyer.
  • Job applicants will receive a copy of the school's smoke-free policy upon receipt of their application.
  • Parents of new enrolments are to be advised of the school's smoke-free policy when enrolling their child(ren).
  • Both staff and students will be strongly encouraged to avoid smoking outside school hours.
  • This Smoking Policy will be reviewed in consultation with staff at least every twelve months.
  • Complaints with regard to this policy should be made in writing to the Principal or the School Safety Officer.
ARTICULATION OF POLICY
This smoking policy will be published in the School prospectus, in the Secondary School handbook and referred to in the weekly school newsletters from time to time.

POLICY INFRINGEMENTS
Students found smoking during school hours or on school trips/camps, etc. will be suspended for 3 days and a school/parent conference will be organised gain agreement that no further smoking will take place. If there is a second infringement, another school/parent conference will be called and the pupil may be suspended again or expelled from the school.

SUN PROTECTION POLICY



Rationale
Hebron Christian College staff and students should be protected from skin damage caused by harmful UV radiation from the sun, which can lead to skin cancer in later life. This policy is to be implemented in Terms 1 and 4.

As part of general SunSmart strategies, our school will:
Behaviour
  • Require children to wear the school legionnaire, baseball cap or bucket hats when they are outside (e.g. interval, lunch, sport, excursions and activities) during Terms 1 and 4.
  • Provide extra hats for children to borrow if appropriate.
  • Implement a "No Hat, Play in the Shade" policy in Terms 1 & 4.
  • Work with wider school community to promote students' use of SPF 30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen.
  • Encourage children to wear clothing that protects the skin from the sun (e.g. sleeves and collars).
  • Encourage staff to role model SunSmart behaviour, particularly the use of appropriate hats, within the school grounds and during outdoor school activities.
  • Regularly publicise and reinforce the SunSmart Policy, for example, through newsletters, parent meetings, student and teacher activities.
  • Inform parents of the SunSmart Policy at enrolment, especially the use of appropriate hats , clothing, SPF 30+ sunscreen, and encourage parents to practise SunSmart behaviour themselves.

Curriculum
Incorporate SunSmart education and activities at all levels when delivering the curriculum.

Environment
  • Work towards developing and improving existing shade, particularly in areas where students congregate. Shade can be both built and natural (e.g. constructed shelter and trees).
  • Whenever possible schedule outdoor activities and sports events before 11am.
  • Organise outdoor activities to be held in areas with plenty of shade whenever possible.

Reinforcement and evaluation
  • Ensure ongoing assessment of SunSmart behaviour, shade provision, and curriculum emphasis.
  • Review of the SunSmart policy by the Board of Trustees and Principal at least every 3 years.