DE VRIJE ZEE PRIMARY SCHOOL
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR LEARNERS
INTRODUCTION
De Vrije Zee Primary School strives to maintain a high standard of education. Therefore, this Code of Conduct has been drawn up according to the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996). This Code of Conduct should be accepted by the learners, educators and the parent community.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Code: A set of rules to prevent inconsistency.
Behaviour: How you conduct yourself and react towards others.
Code of General code of conduct for learners as stipulated in the
Conduct: S.A. Schools Act of 1996, Section 8.
Learner: Any person who receives education in terms of the S.A.
Schools Act of 1996.
Educator: The person who educates as defined in the Educators
Employment Act of 1994.
Parent: As defined in the S.A. Schools Act of 1996.
Suspension: The temporary ending of a learner=s right to attend a
particular school.
Expulsion: The permanent ending of a learner=s right to attend a
particular school.
1. MISSION
To promote the spiritual, intellectual, social, cultural, moral and physical
development of each learner according to his / her potential by means
of accountable education and school management and to equip them
with the skills needed to take their place in society as responsible
citizens.
This mission will be realised through the following aims:
2. AIMS
2.1 To provide learners with professional tuition in two of the country=s
official languages, namely English and Afrikaans.
2.2 To instil in learners the principles of acceptance and respect for each
other in both cultural and religious fields.
2.3 To afford learners a safe environment in which they can develop their
full potential.
2.4 To provide learners with the opportunity to develop culturally and in the field of sport and to instill good sportsmanship.
2.5 To expose learners to a healthy disciplinary system which will enable them to decide between right and wrong.
2.5 To cultivate a set of values which will lead to pride and respect towards the learners= own belongings and that of others.
2.7 To promote a healthy, active parent / educator partnership.
2.8 To promote a policy which is based on Christian principles.
3. PARTNERSHIPS
Curricular
• Register classes
• Grade co-ordinators
• Learning Area Co-ordinators (School)
• Learning Area Co-ordinators (Grade)
• Student leaders
Co-curricultural:
• Sport: Co-ordinators and coaches
• Culture: Co-ordinators and coaches
4. EMPOWERMENT OF EDUCATORS
Each educator is empowered to discipline learners who act in a disruptive and objectionable manner, both inside and outside the classroom, according to the Code of Conduct.
5. School and Classroom Rules
Every learner undertakes to conduct himself/ herself as follows:
Learners are issued with a colour coded card to run different
errands for eductors. A learner transgresses if caught without a
card and is put on immediate detention.
5.1 Educational
5.1.1 To abide by the school rules.
5.1.2 To comply with the academic requirements of the school.
5.1.3 To take part in the sporting and cultural activities offered at school.
5.1.4 To display courtesy and respect towards educators and fellow
learners.
5.1.5 To keep the school grounds and buildings clean.
5.1.6 To respect the property of other people.
5.1.7 To respect and acknowledge meaningful authority.
5.1.8 To develop and demonstrate pride in his/her school.
5.2 Clothing and appearance:
5.2.1 School uniform:
Summer: (October to April)
BOYS GIRLS
Long / Short grey pants Grey skirt and grey panties
White shirt with school badge White shirt with school badge
on pocket on pocket
No tie No tie
Long grey socks Short white socks
Black lace-up school shoes Black school shoes
V-Neck maroon jersey V-Neck maroon jersey
Winter: (May to September)
BOYS GIRLS
Long grey pants Grey skirt or grey long pants
White shirt with school badge White shirt with school badge
on pocket on pocket
School tie School tie
Long grey socks Long grey socks
Black lace-up school shoes Black school shoes
V-Neck maroon jersey V-Neck maroon jersey
Maroon windbreaker (optional) Maroon windbreaker (optional)
5.2.2 P.T. / Sport uniform:
BOYS GIRLS
White P.T. shorts White P.T. shorts or maroon
skirt
Prescribed white golf T-shirt. Prescribed white golf T-shirt
School track suit (optional) School track suit (optional)
Rugby jerseys for matches will be
provided at a nominal hiring fee.
School track suit: (only available at school)
• School track suit may be worn instead of the school uniform by learners on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the winter months.
• Learners who play matches on Wednesdays may wear their track suit to school on Wednesdays as well.
• Predominantly white tackies and a white T-shirt (or prescribed white golf T-shirt should be worn with the track suit.
• School track suit may also be worn to all sport functions.
5.2.3 General appearance
Boys:
• Any acceptable, neat hairstyle. ( No wet look hairstyles )
• Hair may under no circumstances be dyed.
• No earrings, rings or necklaces (chains) may be worn.
• Acceptable accessories: watches; Medic-Alert bracelet or Medic-alert chain.
Girls:
• Hair should be neat and clean.
• Hair may not hang in the eyes. Hair should be tied back if it is long
enough to touch the collar.
• Long hair should be fastened with ribbons; elastics or any acceptable
hairclip, but they must be in the official school colours: maroon,
white
or black. Alice-bands may also be worn. (school colours)
• Hair should be above the eyebrows and may not hang in the eyes as this
could weaken eyesight.
• Loose strands of hair should be pinned back.
• Girls who have long hair should always have their hair tied back when
they are in their school uniform.
• Hair may not be coloured or bleached.
• No colourful ribbons / bows may be worn in the hair.
• No Aski-pants@ should be worn under the skirt.
• Grey school panties should be worn – no other colours.
• No jewellery or chains, with the exception of watches or
• Medic-Alert bands or chains may be worn. Only gold or silver sleepers or studs may be worn.
• Only one earring in each lobe.
• Nails should be kept short and clean.
• No nail varnish is permitted.
5.3 Neatness inspection:
• Educators should ensure that learners are dressed in full school uniform every day.
• Neatness inspections: educators should inspect learners in the rows or in the classrooms.
• Transgressions: Prescribed letter will be sent to parents.
• Exceptional cases will be treated according to merit.
5.4 School grounds:
• No learner may leave the school grounds during school hours
• Play in designated areas.
• No littering.
• No rough games.
• Do not vandalize school property.
• Smoking and the use of alcohol or drugs is strictly forbidden.
• Learners may not be in possession of pornographic material.
• Learners should stay away from the fences. Learners may not climb
over the fences.
• Visitors may not enter the school grounds without permission.
• No learner may ride a bicycle on the school grounds.
5.4.1 Inside the school building:
• No learner may enter the school building before school or during
breaks unless there is responsible supervision.
• No learner may make use of the main entrance or the administrative
block.
• All learners should make use of the hall quad route when they need to
go to the office.
• The P.T. cloakrooms are out of bounds during P.T. periods.
On rainy days:
• Learners are restricted to their respective classrooms and
orderly visits to the cloakrooms and the tuck shop.
Before school:
• If the school grounds are wet, but it is not raining,
learners will be permitted to place their suitcases in the passage and
then go outside again.
• When it is raining, learners should sit quietly in
their classrooms until the bell goes for the beginning of the school
day.
5.4.2 Changing of classes:
• Learners should move to their next class when the bell rings and should be accompanied by an educator.
• Girls walk in front, followed by the boys. Walk in a single file, hands
behind the back, suitcases away from the wall and keep left.
• Learners should be accompanied by their educator when they go for any practical lessons.
• No learner may leave the classroom before the last bell of the day has rung.
5.4.3 The tuck shop
• Learners should leave the school building via the main entrance at the
flagpole when visiting the tuck shop.
• Learners should make use of the northern entrance when visiting the tuck shop or the cloakrooms.
• Learners will not be served unless they line up in four neat rows.
• As soon as learners have completed their purchases, they should move
to the playground.
5.4.4 Use of the public telephone:
• The public telephone may not be used during class times.
• The public telephone may only be used during breaks for urgent calls.
5.4.5 Cellphones:
• Cell phones must be switched off during school hours. It can be handed in at the secretary for safe keeping. Learners who transgress will have their cell phones confiscated by the educator. It will only be returned at the end of the term. Learners will sign and receive a receipt of acknowledgement that their cell phones are kept in the safe.
5.4.6 Cloakrooms:
• Misuse of visits to the toilets will not be tolerated.
• Learners may only use the cloakrooms during class time with the
permission of the class educator.
• Visits to the cloakrooms by learners during class time will be left to the discretion of the educator.
• Cloakrooms should be kept neat and tidy at all times.
• Only one learner per class will be permitted to visit the cloakroom at
a time.
• The cloakrooms on the first floor may only be used by grade 4 and 5
learners as well as the ELSEN learners. ( During class time as well as
during breaks.)
• The cloakrooms on the ground floor may only be used by learners in
grades 6 and 7.
• At break learners should leave the school building first and then make
use of the northern entrance to visit the cloakrooms.
• Members of the Council of Learners who are on duty should report an
irregularities to the liaison educator.
• The staff room is out of bounds for learners.
• Learners make use of the cloakrooms near the gallery during functions.
5.4.6 Sport days:
• Learners should change into the sports uniform after school and not
during second break.
• The following rules apply:
• Boys: all teams make use of the hall.
• Girls: U/10 and U/11 in the cloakrooms on the first floor.
U/12 and U/13 in P.T. cloakrooms.
• Learners should be supervised by the respective coaches.
• Suitcases should, where possible, be sent home. Boys will be permitted to leave their cases in the hall when playing matches at other schools.
• Girls may leave their cases in the entrance foyer.
• The boys should exit the hall via the side doors on the northern side of the hall.
• Girls should meet in front of the main entrance of the school.
• No learner may make use of the main entrance of the school.
• Buses will be parked in Merriman Road.
• A sports day timetable will be followed on these days.
5.4.7 Sick bay:
• Learners should report to the secretary if they are not feeling well.
• Only learners who have been given a sick bay pass will be allowed
in the sick bay.
• When learners leave sick bay they are to return their pass to the
secretary.
5.4.8 Media centre:
• Visits to the media centre:
• Second break – every day.
• After school – Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
• The media centre will be closed during second break on rainy days.
• No suitcases are allowed in the media centre.
• No food may be taken into the media centre.
• Learners are not allowed to run in the media centre.
• Learners should be quiet in the media centre at all times.
• Only two books may be taken out at a time.
• Books may be borrowed for two weeks, but may be renewed for a further two weeks.
6. Organisational rules:
6.1 Before school:
• Suitcases should be placed outside in neat rows.
• Members of the Council of Learners may place their suitcases in the
• passages.
6.2 Rainy days:
Learners may place their suitcases in the passages.
6.3 Rows:
• Learners should move to their respective classes immediately once
the first bell has rung.
• Learners should line up in neat rows.
• Learners will be taken to their classes by their educators.
• Educators should accompany the learners to their respective
classrooms before school and after breaks.
6.4 Learners who arrive at school late should enter the school via the
main entrance and report to the secretary before they move to their classes.
6.5 Before break:
Bells should be strictly ( Announcements )
adhered to: Eating time
Dismiss for break
Educators do point duty.
6.6 After break:
• Bells should be strictly adhered to
6.7 During announcements:
All announcements are made at first break or second break and at
14:02.
• Learners sit silently with folded arms during announcements.
• Announcements regarding cultural and sporting activities will be made
at the end 14:02
• No learner is permitted to leave the classroom during announcements.
7. General:
• No circular, notice, pamphlet or poster may be circulated or displayed on the school grounds without the permission of the principal.
• School and sports facilities may not be used after hours without the
permission of the principal.
• No loitering on pavements before and after school will be permitted.
• Any learner found guilty of damaging school property will be held
financially liable for replacing or repairing such property.
• A learner who has been absent shall hand in a note from his/her parents stating the reason for the absence to the class educator.
• Parents and other visitors to the school must report to the office and state the reason for their visit. A visitor’s card will then be issued.
• No learner shall in any manner bring the name of De Vrije Zee Primary
School into disrepute.
8. TRANSGRESSIONS: GRADING AND PUNITIVE MEASURES
8.1 CATEGORY 1 OFFENCES:
• Homework / tasks not completed
• Neglecting to have homework, tests, tasks or letters signed
• Unruly behaviour in class
• Disruption of class routine
• Late for school / classes / sporting and cultural events
• Forgetting books / P.T. clothes at home
• Defacing or losing text books or library books
• Wearing improper school uniform / untidy appearance
• Bad behaviour in rows / passages
• Entering prohibited areas inside and outside the school buildings
• Littering
• Rough games on the school grounds
• Swearing / using foul language
• Dishonesty
• Arrogance / rudeness / ill-manneredness
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES for category 1 offences
All offences are to be noted by the educator. After the third offence a bad news letter, which has been signed by the principal, as well as a detention letter will be sent to the parents. Parents should sign both letters and return them to school. Detention for category 1 offences will last for two hours.
If a learner receives 3 detention letters in one term, it will be treated as a category 3 offence. Parents will be summoned to school to see the principal.
8.2 CATEGORY 2 OFFENCES
• Rudeness and disrespectfulness towards adults
• Undermining authority
• Unacceptable behaviour during outings / visits to other schools
• Absence from school or from sporting and cultural activities without permission
• Leaving school grounds during school hours without permission
• Fighting on school grounds
• Intimidation / extortion of fellow learners
• Falsification of signature of parent / guardian / educator
• Bad behaviour during assembly
• Vandalising property of other learners
• Dishonesty during tests / examinations
• Regular repetition of category 1 offences
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES for category 2 offences
Immediate detention: two hours.
Detention letter as well as bad news letter to be signed by the principal and sent to parents. Parents must sign both letters and return them to school.
After three category 2 offences it will be treated as a category 3 offence.
8.3 CATEGORY 3 OFFENCES
• Smoking on school grounds or when in school uniform
• Being in possession of alcohol or drugs on school grounds
• Being in possession of dangerous objects / weapons on school grounds
• Possession or exhibition of pornographic material
• Serious disruption of school routine
• Absence without permission
• Theft
• Vandalism / destruction of school property
• Bomb threats / false alarms
• Gang-related activities
• Violation of human rights / rascism / sexism
• Sexual harassment by word or deed
• Immoral behaviour or blasphemy
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES for category 3 offences
Immediate detention: two hours.
Detention letter as well as bad news letter will be signed by the principal and the chairman of the governing body and be sent to the parents. Parents will be summoned for an interview with the principal.
8.4 CATEGORY 4 OFFENCES / TRANSGRESSIONS
Serious and repeated transgressions of category 3 offences.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES for category 4 offences
Fair hearing by the disciplinary committee in the presence of the parents.
DISCIPLINARY POLICY
DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE ( TRIBUNAL )
This committee comprises of the Chairman of the Governing Body, Principal, Vice-Principal, a member of the Governing Body and an educator or it comprises of a committee ( tribunal ) designated by the Governing Body.
The TRIBUNAL for 2006 is :
Chairman of the Governing Body : Mr D Schroeder
Principal : Mr H vd Spuy
Vice-Principal : Mrs M da Conceicao
Member of the Governing Body : Mrs V Langenhoven
Educator : Mrs A Hamman
This committee meets for matters of:
• Serious misconduct which may lead to suspension ( 7days ) or expulsion ( permanent ). Refer page 2b-18 to 2b27 – SA School’s Act 86 of 1994.
A designated committee ( tribunal ) must report back to the Governing Body where decisions will be ratified.
The tribunal must ensure that the correct procedures are followed eg.
• Learner is entitled to a legal representative
• Parents must be informed and be present
• Learner must fully understand the charges
• Learner must be fairly treated
• The outcome must always be in the best interest of the child, but bearing in mind that the rights of the majority in a class must also be respected as well as the rights of the educator.
DISSIPLINEROOSTER
DE VRIJE ZEE PRIMARY SCHOOL – 2006
Mrs M DA CONCEICAO, Mrs L TEIXEIRA, Miss S V DYK
Mrs A HAMMAN EN MR A BURGER
1 2 3 4 5 6
B
R
E
A
K 7 8 9
B
R
E
A
K 10 11 12 13
8:00 8:26 8:52 9:18 9:44 10:10 11:06 11:32 11:58 12:40 13:06 13:32 13:58
M AD
REF KAT 3
DACON KAT 1
HAM KAT 2
BURG
8:00 8:22 8:44 9:06 9:28 9:50 10:42 11:04 11:26 11:48 12:03 12:25 12:47
T AD
REF KAT 2
TEIX KAT 2
TEIX
W AD
REF KAT 1
VDYK KAT 3
DACO KAT 2
BURG
T AD
REF KAT 2
TEIX KAT 1
ROG
F AD
REF KAT 3
DACO KAT 2
BURG
KATEGORIE EEN OORTREDINGS NA : SENIOR OPVOEDERS
MEV. A HAMMAN, ROGOTTA
ONDERWYS SPESIALIS ( BEHEERLIGGAAM )
MEJ. S V DYK
KATEGORIE TWEE OORTREDINGS NA : ONDERWYS SPESIALIS
MEV. L TEIXEIRA , MNR. A BURGER
KATEGORIE DRIE OORTREDINGS NA : ADJUNKHOOF
MEV. M DA CONCEICAO
UITSETTING : SKOOLHOOF
H VD SPUY
DISSIPLINêRE VERHOOR EN TYDELIKE UITSETTING
DISSIPLINE KOMITEE
BEHEERLIGGAAM
SKORSING : OBOS NOORD
SKOOLHOOF MEJ F KOTZE
H VD SPUY WKOD
9. SERIOUS MISCONDUCT
9.1 Subject to the provisions of the Western Cape Provincial School
Education Act, 1997 (Act 12 of 1997), a learner at a school shall be
guilty of serious misconduct if he or she:
9.1.1 has been convicted by a court of a criminal offence and sentenced to
imprisonment without the option of a fine; or
9.1.2 is under the influence of intoxication liquor or drugs during a school
activity or while he/she is on the school grounds; or
9.1.3 is guilty of assault, theft or immoral conduct; or
9.1.4 has been repeatedly absent without leave from school and/or classes; or
9.1.5 conducts himself/herself, in the opinion of the governing body, in a
disgraceful, improper or unbecoming manner.
9.2 A learner at a school may thus be suspended by the governing body
of the school or prohibited by the Head of the WCED from attending
school (expelled) if, after a fair hearing, he/she is found guilty of
serious misconduct in terms of subparagraph 9.1
The procedures to be followed for the suspension and expulsion of
learners are prescribed in the appropriate regulations promulgated in
terms of section 9(3) of the South African Schools Act, 1996
(Act 84 of 1996).
10. POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
Educators commit themselves to the positive motivation of learners
and therefore emphasis is placed on reinforcing exemplary behaviour. Good behaviour is rewarded by means of a diploma.
It is the policy of the school that punitive measures are applied to be
correctional and to the benefit of the transgressor and other
learners and should not be seen to be in retribution. Co-operation
between parent and educator is of the utmost importance.
Accepted by the Governing Body on 24 August 1999 and as amended from
time to time as the official Code of Conduct of De Vrije Zee Primary School.
HENNIE VD SPUY
14 SEPTEMBER 2006
