School Rules

The Principal intends that the Code of Conduct and the sanctions provided in this policy shall also, in appropriate circumstances, be capable of regulating the conduct of students when they are away from College premises and outside the jurisdiction of the College, for example during half term and in the holidays.  This will normally be where the conduct in question affects the welfare of a member or members of the school community or which brings the School into disrepute.

This policy can be made available in large print or other accessible formats if required.

Code of Conduct - Key Points

Ashbourne has few specific regulations with regard to student behaviour, but must establish certain ground rules in order to ensure good order and a pleasant, respectful working environment for both staff and students. The fundamental requirements which students are expected to meet with regard to their conduct while on the premises are as follows:

Respect the authority of the teaching and management staff at all times. While on the premises, all students are under the protection and authority of the College’s staff and are therefore expected to abide by their instructions at all times in order to ensure their own health and safety and the smooth operation of the College.

Respect the College’s academic expectations with regard to work completion, attendance and punctuality. All Ashbourne students are expected to attend all of their lessons punctually and to complete all assigned work to the best of their ability. If a student is unavoidably delayed or prevented from attending a lesson, he or she must contact the College by telephone and leave a message with the administration for their tutors. Equally, any failure to submit work is taken seriously by the College and students are expected to take full responsibility for completing all set work.  Unauthorised absences, repeated lateness and failure to complete work are recorded on the central database system and will result in appropriate disciplinary action and, if applicable, contact with parents or guardians.

Actively engage in lessons and be respectful of staff and other students at all times.

The following forms of behaviour are classified as being serious breaches of the College’s Behaviour Policy and could lead to expulsion:

supply/possession/use of certain drugs and solvents or their paraphernalia or substances intended to resemble them, or alcohol or tobacco (see the College's policies on drugs and alcohol)

theft, blackmail, physical violence, intimidation, racism or persistent bullying
misconduct of a sexual nature; supply or possession of pornography/obscene material
possession or use of unauthorised firearms or other weapons

vandalism or computer hacking

persistent attitudes or behaviour which are inconsistent with the College's ethos
other serious misconduct which affects the welfare of a member or members of the College community or which brings the College into disrepute (single or repeated episodes) on or off College premises.

The College will always act to protect the rights of students; therefore, any behaviour that falls into the aforementioned categories will be dealt with in an extremely serious manner. This list is not exhaustive.

Additional Rules

In addition to the key points listed above, there are several smaller, but equally pertinent, points of conduct that students are expected to adhere to while on the College premises; these are as follows:

Students are encouraged to speak English while in College to create an inclusive atmosphere.

Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the College and is strictly prohibited for students under the age of 18. Students who wish to smoke must do so in designated areas only.

Photocopiers are for staff use only.

The library, common rooms, and computer lab must be respected and used according to their designated purposes.  Mobile phones and portable music devices must be switched fully off and stowed away at all times during lessons, and may only be used (with reasonable conduct) in the College common rooms.  Students should be aware that inappropriate use of these devices will result in their confiscation.  See the Acceptable Use Policy for more details.

Personal Tutoring Sessions are a mandatory element of the College curriculum and all students are expected to attend these sessions without exception.

Eating and drinking during lesson time is prohibited except with the consent of the classroom tutor.

Students should be considerate of others and refrain from bringing any foods into the College that give off a strong or unpleasant odour.

Middle School Behaviour Regulations

Students in the Middle School should consult the Middle School Handbook for further guidelines on behaviour expectations specific to GCSE and pre GCSE students that are in addition to those stated here.

Disciplinary Procedure

Ashbourne has a graduated scale for dealing with any disciplinary concerns related to student behaviour or academic performance; all infractions of the College’s Behaviour Policy are dealt with based upon their nature and severity as outlined below:

Level One
Level 1 offences are acts of minor disruption such as low-level misbehaviour or persistent failure to adhere to the College’s strict guidelines on homework completion, attendance and punctuality.

Level Two
Level 2 offences include, but are not limited to, continuous Level 1 offences, persistent lateness and/or persistent disruptive behaviour. If a Level 2 incident takes place in class, the student may be asked to leave the lesson and report directly to the Director of Studies
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Level Three
Level 3 offences may include, but are not limited to, offensive and/or abusive language, physical aggression, intimidating behaviour, or direct defiance of a member of staff. It is also a Level 3 offence to be in possession of alcohol or any drugs and substances.  For all levels of indiscipline, the classification of an incident at Level 1, 2, or 3 is at the discretion of the attending staff; equally, the above list of examples is not meant to be exhaustive.

If it is alleged that a student has breached acceptable standards of behaviour or discipline, he or she must be informed of what he or she is alleged to have done and given an opportunity to state his or her side of the matter. 

For serious breaches where there is a formal investigation, decisions on sanctions must fully take into account any statement from the student and any relevant circumstances.  Decisions on sanctions must be made by a person other than someone who has investigated, or has a direct involvement in, the matter.

Obscene Material

The possession of obscene material in any form is strictly prohibited and possession of such material, whether in College or in College associated accommodation will be dealt with under this policy.

Sanctions for Poor Behaviour

Minor incidents will be dealt with by teachers and students are expected to correct their behaviour in accordance with the behaviour requirements set out in 2.1.1 above. For repetitive or more serious offences, students will be referred to Personal Tutors, Assistant Directors of Studies or the Director of Studies. Behavioural sanctions can include, but are not limited to, the following actions:

Student meetings

Parental contact by telephone or e-mail

Parental meetings

Detention/supervised study

Suspension from the College

Expulsion or Required Removal

The Principal may prescribe and authorise the use of such other sanctions as comply with good education practice and tend to promote observance of the Code of Conduct.

Expulsion, Removal and Review Policy

A student may be expelled, suspended or required to leave if his or her actions places the welfare of others at significant risk.  In addition, if the College judges an act to be a serious violation of its rules (principally Level 2 or 3 offences), it reserves to the right to suspend or expel or require the removal of the student in accordance with its Expulsion, Removal and Review Policy and the College terms and conditions. Periods of suspension will be at the discretion of the Director of Studies; note also that a student may be expelled immediately upon a Level 3 offence and need not have been reported for indiscipline previously. The procedure and any review process will be outlined in writing to the parent(s) of a relevant student.

A student is liable to expulsion for a grave breach of school discipline, for example, a serious criminal offence or some wilful act calculated to cause serious damage to the College, its community or any of its members.  Formal expulsion implies that a student's name will be expunged from the roll of the College and reference to the facts and circumstances will be made in response to every request for a reference.  All outstanding fees up to and including the term of expulsion shall be payable.

The Principal is required to act fairly and in accordance with the principles of natural justice and not to expel a pupil other than in grave circumstances.

For a serious breach of discipline falling short of one for which expulsion is necessary, but such that the pupil cannot expect to remain a member of the College community, the student may be required to leave permanently (Required Removal).  Subject to payment of all outstanding fees the student will be given reasonable assistance in making a fresh start at another College.  A student for whom the College has arranged accommodation may be required to leave the accommodation without necessarily being required to leave the College.

A student may be placed under suspension while a complaint is investigated or as a sanction in its own right.

Use of Restraint

Any use of restraint by staff will be reasonable, proportionate and lawful.  Restraint will be used only when immediately necessary and for the minimum time necessary to prevent a student from doing or continuing to do any of the following:

committing a criminal offence

injuring themselves or others

causing damage to property, including their own

engaging in any behaviour prejudicial to good order and discipline at the College or among any of its students, whether that behaviour occurs in a classroom or elsewhere.

Where restraint is used by staff, this is recorded in writing.

Records

Administration of major sanctions are recorded in the Student Database, with the name of the student concerned, the reason for the sanction, and the name of the person administering the sanction.

Promoting Good Behaviour and Rewards

Students who demonstrate outstanding conduct with regard to attendance, work ethic, attitude and effort throughout the year (or who demonstrate significant improvement in a particular subject area) are eligible to be considered for the College’s Faculty Awards which are administered by each Faculty Head every term and which can qualify the student for special inclusion in the Ashbourner (the termly College magazine) and/or free attendance on designated College trips.

The recipients of the Faculty Awards each half term may be considered for Annual Awards. Annual Award winners are eligible to be considered for the award of Student of the Year, to be given to a student who has made outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievements throughout the academic year.

During the first term of the academic year, the Director of Studies will, with input from the Assistant Directors of Studies and the Faculty Heads, appoint student leadership positions within the College consisting of a Head Boy and/or Head Girl; these are positions of privilege and students who are appointed are expected to undertake minor responsibilities throughout the year, including (but not necessarily limited to) participation in Parents Evenings, Open Evenings, and the Drama Department’s annual auditions.

The system for promoting good behaviour is under constant review and, at the discretion of the Director of Studies may be modified or altered at any stage without notice.

Students with disabilities

The College recognises that where challenging behaviour is related to a student's disability, use of positive discipline and reward methods may enable the College to manage the student's behaviour more effectively and improve their educational outcomes
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The College will make reasonable adjustments for managing behaviour which is related to a student's disability.  Where expulsion needs to be considered, the College will ensure that a disabled student is able to present his or her case fully, where their disability might hinder this.