Rules & Discipline

Appearance, Behaviour and Discipline

Appearance

All students must ensure that they maintain a neat and tidy appearance at all times. Shirts must be tucked in and ties will be worn in a proper manner and of a proper length. Students must regularly maintain their hair in a presentable and acceptable manner, extreme hairstyles will not be acceptable or permissible. The Principal or other members of school staff may inform a student if their hairstyle or appearance is unacceptable and this should be rectified by the start of the following school week. If the student does not adhere to the request, they will not be permitted to attend school and a formal notice of breach of rules will be sent to the parents. Repeated or continuous disregard and non-compliance of school rules will result in a fine of Rs. 1,000 which will need to be paid before the student is required to attend classes again.

Boys are not permitted to wear a beard unless it is in compliance with religious beliefs. In such cases, the style and length of the beard will comply with religious requirements and will be worn accordingly. Boys will not be permitted to wear long hair or ponytails. If long hair is a religious requirement, it will be permitted but it should be suitably maintained i.e. worn under a ‘patka’, religious headdress or turban.

Girls are not permitted to wear skirts which are above the knee (unless they are required for a particular sports discipline), nail polish/colouring, makeup or jewellery to school. They are required to tie their hair in a ponytail or braid(s) unless their hair is too short to be tied. Nails must be cut short.

Tattoos are strictly forbidden.

The decision of the Principal or other members of school staff will prevail in deciding whether or not a student is complying with proper and acceptable appearance requirements.

Uniform

The School uniform is available from local shops and can also be ordered from the School. Any item of uniform obtained privately must comply with all specifications and requirements of the School.

Pupils must respect and wear full school uniform at all times during school hours, school functions or when directed by teachers or staff to do so. Whilst students are expected to behave in an orderly, respectful and dignified manner at all times, this is particularly so when wearing the uniform as they are viewed as ambassadors of the school.

School Regime

The parents accept that the School will be run in accordance with the authorities delegated by the Managing Committee to the Principal. The Principal is entitled to exercise a wide discretion in relation to the School’s policies, rules and regime and will exercise those discretions in a reasonable and lawful manner and with procedural fairness when the status of a pupil is at issue. Conduct and Attendance: We attach importance to courtesy, integrity, good manners, good discipline and respect for the needs of others. Parents warrant that the pupil will participate in the activities of the School, attend school regularly, be punctual, work hard, be well-behaved and will comply with the School Rules about the wearing of uniform.

School Rules

The School Rules will be published from time to time. Parents and pupils have an opportunity, upon request, to see the current rules before they accept the offer of a place.
School Discipline: Parents hereby confirm that they accept the authority of the Principal and of other members of staff on the Principal’s behalf to take all reasonable disciplinary or preventative action necessary to safeguard and promote the welfare of each pupil and the school community as a whole. The School’s disciplinary policy applies to all pupils when they are on school premises, or in the care of the School, or wearing school uniform, or otherwise representing or associated with the School.

Investigative Action

A complaint or rumour of misconduct will be investigated. A pupil may be questioned and his/her accommodation or belongings may be searched in appropriate circumstances. All reasonable care will be taken to protect the pupil’s human rights and freedoms and to ensure that his/her parents are informed as soon as reasonably practicable, after it becomes clear that the pupil may face formal disciplinary action.

Procedural Fairness

Investigation of a complaint which could lead to expulsion, removal or withdrawal of the pupil in any of the circumstances explained below shall be carried out in a fair and unbiased manner. All reasonable efforts will be made to notify the parents or education guardian so that they can attend a meeting with the Principal before a decision is taken in such a case. In the absence of a parent or an education guardian, the pupil will be assisted by an adult (usually a teacher) of his/her choice.

Divulging Information

Except as required by law, the School and its staff shall not be required to divulge to parents or others any confidential information or the identities of pupils or others who have given information which has led to the complaint or which the Headmaster has acquired during an investigation.

Drugs & Alcohol

The Principal may from time to time put in place procedures under which a pupil may be given the opportunity to provide a urine sample, if involvement with drugs or substances is suspected, or a sample of breath to test for alcohol consumed in breach of school discipline. The Principal may draw such inferences as are reasonable if a pupil refuses or fails to submit for a sample or test

Terminology

In these Terms and Conditions ‘Suspension’ means that a pupil has been sent or released home for a limited period either as a disciplinary sanction or pending the outcome of an investigation. ‘Gating’ means preventing a boarding pupil from leaving the School during an exeat or weekend, but without further disciplinary consequences. ‘Rustication’ means releasing a pupil home or to an education guardian for a specified period of time (usually a weekend) but without further disciplinary consequences. ‘Withdrawal’ means that the parents have withdrawn the pupil from the School. ‘Expulsion’ and ‘Removal’ mean that the pupil has been required to leave (‘asked to leave’) the School permanently in the circumstances described below. ‘Exclusion’ means that the pupil may not return to School until arrears of fees have been paid. ‘Exclusion’ may also be used as a general expression covering any or all of the other expressions defined in this clause.

Sanctions

The School’s current policies on sanctions are available to parents on request before they accept the offer of a place. These policies may undergo reasonable change from time to time, but will not authorise any form of unlawful activity. Sanctions may include a requirement to undertake menial but not degrading tasks on behalf of the school or external community, detention for a reasonable period, withdrawal of privileges, gating, rustication or suspension, or alternatively being removed or expelled.

Expulsion

A pupil may be formally expelled from the School if it is proved, on the balance of probabilities, that the pupil has committed a very grave breach of school discipline or a serious
criminal offence. Expulsion is reserved for the most serious breaches. The Principal shall act with procedural fairness in all such cases. Parents will be given a copy of the review procedure current at the time. The Principal’s decision shall be subject to a Managing Committee’s Review if requested by a parent. The pupil shall remain away from school pending the outcome of the Review.

Fees after Expulsion

If the pupil is expelled, there will be no refund of school fees for the current and past terms. There will be no charge to fees in lieu of notice but all arrears of fees and any other
sum due to the School will be payable.

Removal in other Circumstances

Parents may be required, during or at the end of a term, to remove the pupil, temporarily or permanently from the School, or from boarding, if, after consultation with a pupil and/or parent, the Principal is of the opinion that by reason of the pupil’s conduct or progress, the pupil is unwilling or unable to benefit sufficiently from the educational opportunities offered by the School, or if a parent has treated the School or members of its staff unreasonably. In these circumstances, parents may be permitted to withdraw the pupil as an alternative to removal being required. The Principal shall act with procedural fairness in all such cases, and shall have regard to the interests of the pupil and parents as well as those of the School.

Fees Following Removal

If the pupil is removed in the circumstances described above, the rules relating to fees shall be the same as for expulsion.

Leaving Status

The expression ‘leaving status’ has reference to whether the pupil has been expelled, removed or withdrawn, and to the record which will be entered in to the pupil’s file as to the reason for leaving, and the pupil’s status as a leaver, and the transfer of the pupil’s work to another educational establishment and to the nature of the reference which will be given in respect of the pupil, and also to the financial aspects of the pupil’s leaving. These and any other relevant matters of leaving status will be discussed by the Headmaster with the parents and, where appropriate with the pupil, at the time of the Principal’s decision.

Managing Committee’s Review

Parents may ask for a Managing Committee’s Review of a decision to expel or require the removal of a pupil from the School or from boarding (but not a decision to suspend a pupil unless the suspension is for 11 school days or more, or would prevent the pupil taking a public examination). The request must be made as soon as possible and in any event within seven days of the decision being notified to the parents. Parents will be entitled to know the names of the Managing Committee who make up the Review Panel.

Review Procedure

The Principal will advise the parents of the procedure (current at that time) under which such a review will be conducted by a panel of up to three members of the Managing Committee. If parents request a Managing Committee’s Review, the pupil will be suspended from School until the decision to expel or remove has been set aside or upheld. While suspended, the pupil shall remain away from School and will have no right to enter school premises during that time without written permission from the Principal.

Complaints Procedures

A formal complaint about any matter of school policy or administration not involving a decision to expel or remove a pupil must be stated courteously in writing to the Principal and, if unresolved, should be restated in writing to the President of the Managing Committee. Every reasonable complaint shall receive fair and proper consideration and a timely response.