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Code of Conduct for Parents, Carers and Visitors

Code of Conduct for Parents, Carers and Visitors 

At Eastbury Farm Primary School, we are very proud and fortunate to have a very dedicated and supportive school community.  Staff, Governors, Parents and Carers all recognise that the education of our children is a partnership between us.  Our school should be an orderly, safe place, where relationships between staff and visitors, especially parents and carers is one of mutual respect and recognition of a shared responsibility for the children’s welfare and educational progress. 

The purpose of this code of conduct is to outline the expectations for all parents, carers and visitors connected to our school. We expect our school community to respect our school ethos, respect the staff, respect the school premises and property and set a good example of their own behaviour both on school premises and when accompanying classes on school visits.  All members of the school community have a right to expect that their school is a safe place in which to work and learn and this is our expectation of all parents. 

 

In addition we also expect our parents, carers and visitors to keep our children safe by adhering to the school’s requests, including parking appropriately and safely outside the school gates during morning and afternoon collections and only accessing the site through the correct gates and doors. 

  

We are committed to resolving difficulties in a constructive manner, through an open and positive dialogue. Where issues arise or misconceptions take place, please contact your child’s Class Teacher, who will be happy to meet with you and resolve the situation. Where issues remain unresolved, please speak to the Key Stage Leader.  For matters still unresolved, please contact our Deputy Headteacher and then the Headteacher.  If the Headteacher is unable to resolve the matter, then we recommend you follow the school’s complaints procedure, which is available on the school website. 

  

This code aims to clarify the types of behaviour that will not be tolerated on the school premises and the actions the school may take should breaches occur. 

  

Behaviour that will not be tolerated:  

 

  • Disruptive behaviour, which interferes or threatens to interfere with the normal operation of the school anywhere on the school premises; 

  • Using loud or offensive language or displaying temper; 

  • Threatening in any way, a member of staff, visitor, governor, fellow parent/carer or child; 

  • Damaging or destroying school property; 

  • Sending abusive or threatening emails or text/voicemail/phone messages or other written or verbal communications (including social media) to anyone within the school community; 

  • Defamatory, offensive or derogatory comments regarding the school or any of the pupils/parents/staff/governors at the school on social media or any other form of communication, for example WhatsApp; 

  • The use of physical, verbal or written aggression towards another adult or child; 

  • Approaching someone else’s child in order to discuss or chastise them because of the actions of this child; 

  • Smoking, vaping, taking illegal or legal non-medicinal drugs or the consumption of alcohol on school premises (alcohol may only be consumed during authorised events); 

  • Any inappropriate behaviour on the school premises; 

 

 

Should any of the above occur on school premises or in connection with school, the school will take action by contacting the appropriate authorities or consider banning the offending adult from entering the school premises. Any visitor will be required to leave the premises and not re-enter without question when required to do so by a Senior Leader.  

 

It is important for parents and carers to make sure any persons collecting their children are aware of this code of conduct.  

 

What happens if someone ignores or breaks the code? 

 

In the event of any parent, carer or visitor to the school breaking this code, proportionate actions will be taken as follows: 

 

If a member of staff feels that a conversation is becoming unreasonable, threatening, intimidating or abusive, they have the right to end the conversation immediately.  In this case, it is then likely that a meeting will be set up to discuss the issue further with a member of the Senior Leadership Team present. 

 

In cases where the code of conduct has been broken but the breach was not libellous, slanderous or criminal, the school will send a formal letter. 

  

In cases where the unacceptable behaviour is considered to be a serious and potentially criminal matter, the concerns will in the first instance be referred to the Police. Unacceptable behaviour includes any or all cases of threats of violence and actual violence to any child, staff, governor, parent or carer in the school. It will also include anything that could be seen as a sign of harassment by any member of the school community, such as any form of insulting social media post or any form of social media cyber bullying. In cases where evidence suggests that behaviour would be tantamount to libel or slander, then the school will refer the matter to the County Council’s Legal Team for further action.  

  

If unacceptable behaviour is repeated, a parent may be banned from the school site. A ban can be introduced without having to go through all the steps offered above in more serious cases.  

 

 

Issues of conduct with the use of Social Media 

  

The school has an EFSA Facebook page which allows parents to receive and respond to messages about EFSA events. We encourage you to participate positively if you wish. 

   

We ask that social media, including WhatsApp, whether public or private, should not be used as a medium to air concerns or grievances, fuel campaigns or voice complaints against the school, school staff, governors, parents or children. All concerns, grievances or complaints must be raised through the appropriate channels.  

  

We take very seriously inappropriate use of social media by a parent to publicly humiliate or criticise the school, staff, governors, parents or children. 

   

Online activity, which we consider inappropriate:  

 

  • Identifying or posting images or videos of other people’s children;  

  • Abusive, personal, defamatory or libellous comments about staff, governors, children or other parents; 

  • Bringing the school into disrepute;  

  • Emails circulated or sent directly with abusive or personal comments about staff, governors, parents or children; 

  • Using social media to publicly challenge school policies or discuss issues about individual children, parents, governors or members of staff; 

  • Threatening behaviour, such as verbally intimidating staff/other parents or using bad language; 

  • Breaching school security procedures. 

  

  

Policy agreed by FGB:  Summer 2023 

Review date: Summer 2025 

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