Adult Behaviour Policy

Statement of principles

The leadership team of Sunny View School encourages close links with parents and the community. It believes that students benefit when the relationship between home and school is a positive one.

The vast majority of parents, carers and others visiting our school are keen to work with us and are supportive of the school. However, on the rare occasions when a negative attitude towards the school is expressed, this can result in aggression, verbal and or physical abuse towards members of school staff or members of the wider school community.

In such cases, we expect our staff to behave professionally and to attempt to defuse the situation where possible, seeking the involvement as appropriate of other colleagues. However, all members of staff have the right to work without fear of violence and abuse. We always expect parents and other visitors to behave in a reasonable way towards members of school staff.

Inappropriate behaviour

Types of behaviour that are considered serious and unacceptable and will not be tolerated:

• shouting at members of the school staff, either in person or over the telephone;

• physically intimidating a member of staff, e.g., standing very close to her/him;

• the use of aggressive hand gestures;

• threatening behaviour;

• shaking or holding a fist towards another person;

• swearing;

• pushing; hitting, e.g., slapping, punching and kicking;

• spitting.

This is not an exhaustive list but seeks to provide illustrations of unacceptable behaviour.

Procedure to be followed

If a parent/carer behaves in an unacceptable way towards a member of the school community, the Headteacher or another member of the school leadership team will seek to resolve the situation through discussion and mediation.

Staff have the right to end a conversation or meeting where they feel the behaviour being displayed towards them is unacceptable. In such cases, they should suggest that the conversation/meeting is reconvened at a later date.

Where all procedures have been exhausted, and aggression or intimidation continue, or where there is an extreme act of aggression, a parent or carer may be asked to leave or, in extreme cases, be banned from the school premises for a period of time.