School Rules
School Rules
The School Rules are intended to ensure the safety, welfare, good order and reputation of the school, whose members are expected to maintain a high standard of civilised and unselfish behaviour at all times.
The Rules apply to pupils on the way to and from school and to those on field classes and expeditions away from school, whether during the term or in the holidays.
ATTENDANCE
Boys must remain on school premises from registration to the end of the last afternoon lesson unless they have the permission of the Headmaster, with the exception of Sixth Formers who may be out at break or during the lunch period and who, with their Tutor’s permission, may leave after Period 7 (Lower Sixth) or Period 6 (Upper Sixth). This privilege can be withdrawn from Sixth Formers at the discretion of the Head of Sixth Form. After 3.45 in the afternoon boys below the Sixth Form may only remain on site if taking part in a supervised activity. This includes studying in the Library.
If a parent wishes a pupil to be absent from school during term time for a day or longer, approval must be sought in writing from the Headmaster. Permission will not normally be granted for late return from, or leaving early for, holiday. Permission for absences from school for part of a day must be sought from the Form Tutor in the first instance.
If a boy has to be absent due to illness or some other cause, his parents or guardian should telephone the School Office by 9.30am (or e-mail absence@trinity.croydon.sch.uk) and leave a message of explanation for the Form Tutor. When a boy returns to the school he should bring a note of explanation signed by his parent.
Inter-school and other fixtures take place on Saturdays and Sundays: boys are required to play if selected to represent the school - two weeks’ notice is required if a boy knows he may be unavailable. Attendance at practices after school is also compulsory.
PERSONAL TRANSPORT
Boys below the Fourth Year who wish to cycle to school must have passed
the Cyclists’ Proficiency Test and must have the written consent of parents
and the Head of Lower School. All pupils cycling must wear safety helmets.
Boys wishing to drive a car, motorcycle or moped onto the school premises must apply for permission from the Head of Sixth Form. Vehicles may not be used between 8.30 am and 3.45 pm except for returning home after the pupil's last lesson. Whether or not he parks on school premises, no pupil may give a lift to another pupil without the permission of both sets of parents.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND PLAY AREAS
Laboratories, studios and workshops may only be entered with permission. The following areas are strictly out of bounds except with the specific permission of a member of staff: all offices, swimming pool, fitness room, sports halls, assault course, music control room, all lighting boxes, all kitchens, the Staff Common Room. Boys should use only designated play areas. Games liable to cause damage to people or property should be avoided.
EATING AND DRINKING
Packed lunches may be eaten in the restaurant, or outside the buildings, or in Form Rooms with the Form Tutor’s permission, but never in a corridor. Food may not be taken out of the restaurant. Eating or drinking is not allowed while moving from one place to another. Transparent water bottles may be brought into school, and boys are permitted to drink from them between lessons.
PROPERTY
Damage to school property must be reported to the Deputy Headmaster and is liable to be made good at the offender’s expense. All personal property must be clearly marked with the owner’s name. Valuables must not be left in any changing room. Buying and selling of property is not permitted except with the Form Tutor’s permission. Permission will not normally be given to buy or sell any item for a sum in excess of £10.
IPods/MP3 players, mobile phones and other valuables must be kept in lockers during assemblies, lessons (including PE and Games) and school activities. Boys in years J to 3 must keep their mobile phones in lockers during the school day and may only use them with the permission of a member of staff. Boys in the Lower School may not bring iPods and MP3 players to school, although exceptions to this may be allowed by teachers in charge of trips away from school, such as sports fixtures. For boys in the Fourth Year and above iPods and MP3 players may be used during morning and lunch breaks, but only in form rooms or the Sixth Form area. Personal stereos, iPods, MP3 players etc. must not be worn whilst moving about the school and its grounds. This is to ensure both your safety and that of others. Books and bags must be kept in the designated areas. Bags must not be left on floors as this constitutes a trip hazard.
Pupils must not take photographs or video footage (on the school site, or off site during school trips) of other members of the school community (including staff and parents) without the express permission of both the individuals concerned and the Deputy Headmaster. Still images and video which allow members of the school to be identified as such must never be posted on the Internet or otherwise broadcast.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The following items are forbidden: alcohol, tobacco, any illegal drug, firearms, imitation firearms, ammunition, knives, fireworks, laser pens, lighters, matches or any offensive weapon. Neither bottled Tippex nor chewing gum may be brought into any school building.
Boys should walk and not run inside school buildings, and should keep to the right in corridors and on stairs. Boys must never sit on window ledges anywhere in the school. Boys may not cross over the dual carriageway on the Shirley Road and should only cross the Addiscombe Road at the pedestrian crossing.
A CCTV system is in place around the school site to help ensure the safety of all members of the school.
WORK
A boy returning from a school fixture or activity after 8pm may be excused such parts of his homework as his Form Tutor or parent considers reasonable. A note signed by either must be given to the teachers concerned. Boys in the Sixth Form must take Private Study periods in the Library or other approved areas.
Sanctions System
Praise and encouragement should always outweigh sanctions at Trinity; at the same time, all pupils should be aware that the school operates a sanctions system to assist with the maintenance of a proper environment for learning.
Pupils should expect to incur disciplinary sanctions if, in the judgement of the school’s staff, they:
· disrupt the learning of others
· wilfully defy the school’s stated regulations
· cause harm or distress to others through thoughtlessness
· show contempt for people or property
· bring the school community into disrepute when clearly identifiable as a member of the school community (this includes being on-line and identifiable as a member of the school community
· produce work which is late or clearly inadequate given that pupil’s abilities and the standards required
Relatively minor infractions of rules (such as late work or littering) can result in sanctions such as a ‘Signing’ (for Lower School boys, in their Term Planner) or a break/lunchtime detention.
Persistent infringement of the rules (such as constant lateness, untidy appearance, repeated late or inadequate work) or involvement in one-off incidents of reasonable seriousness can be met with a School detention, a Saturday detention (supervised by Senior Staff) or an internal suspension. In the Lower School, a lunchtime detention is held on a Friday. In the Fourth and Fifth Years, poor work or behaviour can result in a Friday afternoon detention. In the Sixth Form, unexplained late work and/or inadequate effort results in an Academic Detention held on Friday evenings. This takes precedence over any other School Activities. After three such detentions in the Fourth and Fifth Year and Sixth Form there is an automatic Saturday detention.
More serious misconduct (such as physical aggression towards others, a breach of the rules which results in harm to others, or deliberate discourtesy towards staff) can be met with a suspension from school.
If a pupil commits a second suspension-level offence within a year of the first or, after repeated warnings, does not improve his conduct/effort, the Headmaster and his Deputy will review that pupil’s continued membership of the school. A pupil reaching this stage may, at the Headmaster’s discretion, be offered a Behavioural Contract specifying targets he is to meet in order to remain at the school.
Gross misconduct (such as theft or the use of illegal substances whilst at school) or failure to abide by the terms of a Contract, will lead to the Headmaster permanently excluding the pupil.
All pupils should be aware that disruption of learning and teaching is not tolerated by staff at Trinity, where the highest value is placed on providing an appropriate environment in which boys can learn. Boys who deliberately disrupt lessons will be removed from class and, in the first instance, will be given a Saturday detention. A second incident of this kind within a year will produce an external suspension; a third will result in the Headmaster reviewing that pupil’s continued membership of the school.
The Headmaster and his Deputy reserve the right in their absolute discretion to exclude from the school any pupil whose behaviour, attendance or academic progress is unsatisfactory.
Updated: December 2010
