The Lawrence School, Sanawar
  • Home
  • Discipline Committees
Sanawar Discipline Policy and Code of Conduct

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY, DISCIPLINARY POLICY AND CODES OF CONDUCT

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: MISSION STATEMENT

The students’ well-being and upholding of children’s rights is the raison d'être of The Lawrence School, Sanawar. It is the collective and individual responsibility of everyone in the School, particularly the staff, to ensure that all children are safeguarded and protected from harm and abuse at all times.

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

We are committed to ensuring that all members of our community are aware of, and conform to the highest standards of care, respect, integrity and trust in protecting children’s rights, dignity and safety. We are morally bound to ensure the welfare of children and to proactively oppose all forms of child endangerment. This is the first principle that enables students to realise their fullest physical, mental, emotional and social potential.

To ensure the observance of these values by the School community on a daily basis, a Disciplinary Policy has been adopted and is elaborated below. Further, a Code of Conduct for Students (to be read with Appendices A and B) and a Code of Conduct for Staff (including a Dress Code: Appendix C) have been put in place.

Furthermore, appropriate bodies have been constituted and office-holders appointed to ensure proper child protection. The Deputy Headmaster/ Headmistress functions as the Child Welfare and Protection Officer. The Child Welfare Committee (Annexure A) conforms to the POCSO Act and the Discipline Committee (Annexure B) follows the CBSE by-laws. An Internal Complaints Committee (Annexure C) functions in accordance with ‘The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013’.

All these policies, committees, and codes are consistent with the School Vision and Mission.

DISCIPLINARY POLICY

PHILOSOPHY

Internalisation of ethical values through self-discipline has greater life-long benefits than behaviour taught entirely by corrective measures. At The Lawrence School, Sanawar, we believe that constructive pre-emption works better than punitive impositions. The staff, parents and students work together to create and adopt practices that nurture positive attitude and mutual respect amongst all members of the School community.

'Do nothing that will bring awkward moments upon you, your family, or your School.'

RATIONALE

This policy adopts a progressive approach towards guiding student behaviour. It encourages responsible and cooperative engagement between individuals within the community instead of relying entirely on sanctions. The School, therefore, addresses unacceptable behaviour by a student through a graduated response. Repeated breach of School discipline is, however, unacceptable. This ensures the safety and security of the School community. The policy is aligned with the adopted codes of conduct and both must be read in conjunction.

AIMS

We seek to create a School community whose members respect each other. They must be sensitive to, and tolerant of, physical, cultural and economic differences among themselves and within the society in general.

To achieve this, we will:

  1. Promote pupil well-being and happiness.
  2. Create an orderly School community that facilitates effective learning, and nurtures respect for all members and the School environment.
  3. Develop : 
    • A sense of self-discipline in students.
    • An acceptance of responsibility for their actions.
  4. Establish a fair and transparent set of procedures and expected behaviour that ensures the smooth running of the School.
  5. Provide effective guidelines to deal with unacceptable conduct.

NOTE ON RAGGING, BULLYING AND BODY-SHAMING

The School has a committee consisting of two Counsellors who are trained and equipped to address the issue of bullying and other behavioural concerns. A highly experienced pastoral care body of House Staff and resident Tutors further oversees such issues, as and when they arise.

The Lawrence School, Sanawar is a CBSE affiliated School. It complies fully with the ‘Guidelines for Prevention of Bullying and Ragging in Schools, Reg: (D.O. No. 12-19/2012- RMSA’ and the ‘THE HIMACHAL PRADESH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (PROHIBITION OF RAGGING) ACT 2009’.

The School has a zero tolerance approach towards ragging and no such act will go unnoticed or unpunished. All students and their parents need to sign an Anti-Ragging Undertaking and Anti-Ragging Affidavit.

BODY-SHAMING COMMITTEE

Adolescents and pre-adolescents are sometimes despondent and discouraged about their own bodies. They need, responsive support and sensitive counselling. Our counsellors and mentors are trained to deal with these delicate issues, and help them be comfortable with who they are.

It needs to be stressed that body-shaming by any member of the School community is completely unacceptable. The School has a Body-Shaming Committee to deal with such cases. The procedure followed to discourage and stop such unacceptable behaviour is mentioned in Annexure A of the Code of Conduct for Students.

View Complete Policy and Code of Conduct

Counselling

The following activities are done in order to reach out to students and help them adjust better in the school :

    1. Orientation programmes for new students and for students who come into Senior School from the Prep Department and for those who move into the senior dorms.

The school makes all efforts to create an emotionally healthy and wholesome school environment for the students. The school has two qualified and experienced Counselors. They offer one-to-one confidential advice and support, as well as group interactions for students. Referred and self-referred students are free to seek appointments with the Counselors. In keeping with the ethics of counseling, the help of the Counselors may be sought by the pastoral staff in order to ensure that students under their care reach their potential in terms of emotional, mental and behavioral health. Parents and staff as well, reach out for the Counselors’ support as and when needed.

The Counselors conduct interactive sessions covering issues under the Adolescence Education Programme (A.E.P.) such as:

i.   Emotional 
ii.  Social 
iii. Physical changes during adolescence
iv.  Peer pressure
v.   Assertiveness
vii. Emotional intelligence
viii.Gender sensitization 
ix.  Bullying and its legal implications
x.   Proactive ways of behaving
xi.  Substance abuse
xii. Careers.
  1. In addition, regular sessions regarding awareness of cyber security and being safe while online are conducted for the entire school.