Parent code of conduct

1. Purpose and scope

At The Edith Borthwick School, we believe it’s important to:

  • Work in partnership with parents/carers to support their child’s learning

  • Create a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for learners, staff and parents

  • Model appropriate behaviour for our pupils at all times

  • Work together to get the best outcomes for our learners.

  • Communicate openly and respectfully if and when there are challenges or problems.

To help us do this, we set clear expectations and guidelines on behaviour for all members of our community. This includes staff (through the staff code of conduct) and learners (through our behaviour policy).

This code of conduct aims to help the school work together with parents by setting guidelines on appropriate behaviour.

We use the term ‘parents’ to refer to:

  • Anyone with parental responsibility for a pupil

  • Anyone caring for a child (such as grandparents or child-minders)

 

2. Our expectations of parents and carers

We expect parents, carers and other visitors to:

  • Respect the ethos, vision and values of our school

  • Work together with staff in the best interests of our pupils

  • Treat all members of the school community with respect – setting a good example with speech and behaviour

  • Seek a peaceful solution to all issues

  • Approach the right member of school staff to help resolve any issues of concern

 

3. Whilst we are confident that all parents will work in respectful partnership with us, it is important to be clear that certain behaviours will not be tolerated. These include:

  • Disrupting, or threatening to disrupt, school operations (including events on the school grounds)

  • Swearing, or using offensive language

  • Displaying a temper, or shouting at members of staff, pupils or other parents

  • Threatening another member of the school community

  • Sending abusive messages to another member of the school community, including via text, email or social media

  • Posting defamatory, offensive or derogatory comments about the school, its staff or any member of its community, on social media platforms

  • Use of physical punishment against your child while on school premises

  • Any aggressive behaviour (including verbally or in writing) towards another child or adult

  • Disciplining another person’s child – please bring any behaviour incidents to a member of staff’s attention

  • Smoking or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs on the school premises (unless alcohol has been allowed at a specific event)

 

4. Breaching the code of conduct

If the school suspects, or becomes aware, that a parent has breached the code of conduct, the school will gather information from those involved and speak to the parent about the incident.

Depending on the nature of the incident, the school may then:

  • Discuss the situation with the parent

  • Invite the parent into school to meet with a senior member of staff or the headteacher

  • Send a warning letter to the parent

  • Contact the appropriate authorities (in cases of criminal behaviour)

  • Seek advice from the local authority’s legal team regarding further action (in cases of conduct that may be libellous or slanderous)

  • Ban the parent from the school site

Our aim is always to find a peaceful and acceptable solution to all issues and disagreements.

The school will always respond to an incident in a proportional way.

The final decision for how to respond to breaches of the code of conduct rests with the Headteacher.

The Headteacher will consult the chair of governors before banning a parent from the school site.