Municipal regulations on school order and student conduct at Ås School

The regulations are designed to meet Ås School’s aims to achieve a working and learning environment characterised by calm, order, respect, academic concentration and inclusion. Schools also set their own rules of order and codes of conduct. These are a supplement to the municipal regulations and are adapted locally to the school concerned.

Municipal regulations on school order and student conduct at Ås School

Adopted by the Committee for Childhood and Culture on 21 January 2015 with statutory basis in the Act of 17 July 1998 no. 61 relating to Primary and Secondary Education and [..] Sections 2-9 of the Norwegian Education Act.

Section 1 Aims

The regulations are designed to meet Ås School’s aims to achieve a working and learning environment

characterised by calm, order, respect, academic concentration and inclusion.

Section 2 Scope

The regulations apply to primary schools in the Municipality of Ås.

The regulations apply in the period when schools are responsible for the pupils. This means in all types

of classroom, common room and outdoor area as well as activities taking place outside

the boundaries of the school, e.g. camps and school trips.

The regulations further apply en route to and from school, including school transport. Transport to and from school is normally the responsibility of parents, but the school is entitled to sanction unacceptable conduct.

Bullying and other violations that occur outside school hours and are based on the school situation or affect it are covered by the regulations. This also applies to bullying online.

In addition to these regulations, each school is entitled to add its own rules of order and conduct. The municipal regulations provide the general framework for each school’s own rules of order and conduct.

Section 3 Assessment of pupil order and conduct (behaviour)

Assessments of order and conduct should be based on the rules of school order and student conduct contained in these regulations and the school’s own local rules. Pupil order and conduct cannot be assessed on the basis of any other rules or regulations.

Applicable only to secondary school

Pupils will usually be marked down for school order and student conduct in the event of repeated breaches of one or more rules. Marks may also be reduced on the basis of one-off events if such an event represents an especially serious breach of the rules.

Section 4 Rules on which assessment of school order and student conduct are based

School order

Pupils must

• arrive on time
• be prepared for their lessons
• bring the required equipment
• do their work on time and meet deadlines
• keep order
• handle school property with care

Breach of these rules may lead to reduced school order marks in the secondary school.

Student conduct

Pupils must conduct themselves well and must

• attend classes
• participate actively in class
• treat with respect all pupils, employees and others with whom the pupils come into contact during the school day
• contribute to a good learning environment
• abide by instructions from school staff
• observe netiquette and follow school rules for the use of mobile phones, computer equipment and other digital equipment
• follow school rules for the use of aids and specialist equipment

Unacceptable conduct

• abusive behaviour
• bullying, also applies to social media and ‘digital bullying’ Also applies to bullying and other violations that occur outside school hours and are based on the school situation or affect it
• taking/publishing/disseminating images without consent
• exercising or threatening physical violence
• cheating or attempting to cheat
• carrying, using or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as well as using tobacco, snuff and e-cigarettes
• carrying weapons and/or other dangerous objects/weapon-like objects
• using garments that completely or partially cover the face

Violation of these rules may lead to a reduced conduct mark in secondary school.

Note:

Cheating or attempts at cheating during an examination will result in suspension of the examination. The pupil will lose his/her mark in the subject, cf. Section 3-37 of the Norwegian Education Act. This will not affect the pupil’s order or conduct marks.

Section 5 Measures taken against breaches of school rules – sanctions

Ås School will apply the following sanctions in the event of breach of school rules:

      a.  reprimand

      b.  verbal warning to pupil

      c.  written notification to parents/guardians

      d.  confiscation of objects that are not permitted or hazardous or used in violation of school rules. The parents/guardians are contacted and must pick up the confiscated items

      e.  in the event of cheating or attempted cheating at examinations, the examination will be suspended and the pupil may lose the subject mark

      f.   attending school before classes/staying late after school

      g.  pupils are only permitted in certain areas on school grounds (outdoors/indoors)

      h.  additional monitoring of pupil

      i.   suspension from particular lessons or for the rest of the day (Sections 2-20 of the Norwegian Education Act)

      j.   suspension from class for a period longer than the rest of the school day
           - up to three days in years 8-10 (Section 2.10 of the Norwegian Education Act)

      k.  temporary or permanent substitution of class/group

      l.   temporary or permanent transfer to different school (Section 8-1 of the Norwegian Education Act)

      m. reduced mark for order and conduct may be applied after serious breaches of the rules

Physical disciplinary action and collective punishment are not permitted.

The pupil is under obligation to observe applied sanctions. Failure to observe applied sanctions may lead to further sanctions against the pupil.

Section 6 Criminal offences

The school is under obligation to contact the police in the event of criminal offences.

Section 7 Liability for damages

In the event of damage or vandalism to school property or equipment, the pupil or the pupil’s

parents/guardians may be held liable, cf. Section 1-2 of the Norwegian Compensatory Damages Act.  The same applies to loss of teaching materials.

Section 8 Application of sanctions

In the application of sanctions, the following procedure must be followed:

        - The school must ensure that sanctions are applied on a justifiable basis.

        - The pupil must be given the opportunity to explain him/herself verbally to the person making the decision to apply sanctions.

        - A reason must be given for the decision to apply sanctions (if a decision is particularly significant, the reason must be stated in writing)

        - Before a decision of suspension is made, the school must have made an assessment of whether it is possible to apply other responses or provide assistance.

        - Parents/guardians must be notified when sanctions are applied.

        - Parents/guardians of pupils in years 1-7 must be notified before a pupil can be suspended for the rest of the day.

Sanctions under Section 5, points f, g, h, i, j, k, l and m, should be regarded as decisions made on an individual basis and must additionally follow procedures for decisions made on an individual basis contained in the Norwegian Public Administration Act.

Section 9 Commencement

These regulations become effective on 21 January 2015.