Code of Conduct & WhatsApp

At Maple Cross JMI and Nursery School we are very proud of our hardworking and supportive school community.

Code of Conduct for Parents, Carers and Guardians

The purpose of this code of conduct is to outline the expectations for all parents, carers and guardians connected to our school. We expect our school community to respect and live our school attributes; reflect, lead and aspire by respecting the school premises and property and set a good example of their own behaviour both on school grounds, the local community around school and when accompanying classes on school visits.

In addition, we also expect our parents, carers and guardians to keep our children safe by adhering to the school’s requests to walk, bike, scoot or wheel and only driving when absolutely necessary. When parking, parents should do so appropriately and safely outside the school and not block the drives of local residents. Parents and pupils should arrive and leave through the alleyway and not use the staff carpark.

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 teacher, via the school office, who will be happy to meet with you and resolve the situation.

Where issues remain unresolved, please follow up with one of the school's Assistant Head Teachers. For concerns relating to general learning please contact Ms Emma Bailey and concerns relating to SEND please contact Ms Anjali Majithia. If after speaking to your child's class teacher, and an Assistant Head Teacher, an issue still remains unresolved, please contact Ms Hannah Trickett.

Following these three steps, if you have serious concerns which have not been resolved please follow the school’s complaints procedure. This is available on the school website or a copy can be requested from the school office.

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;
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 nonmedicinal drugs or the consumption of alcohol on school premises (alcohol may only be consumed during authorised events);
Mis-use of a mobile phone within the school grounds including breaches of the safeguarding guidance.

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 other adult collecting their child(ren) are aware of the code of conduct.

What happens if someone ignores or breaks the code?

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

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. This will include any or all cases of threats of violence and actual violence to any child, staff, governor, parent or carer in the school. This 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:

We ask that social media, 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 in 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.

WhatsApp Groups

Class and other WhatsApp groups operate independently of the school. Information distributed through the groups comes from parents in their personal capacity and may not always be factually correct. Official school information will always and only be communicated by Parent Mail, published on the school website or shared via our official Instagram page.

Parents and carers should adhere to the following guidelines when using class WhatsApp groups:

The group should never be used as a platform to air views or grievances regarding a teacher, child or parent in the class or wider school community.
The group should be used keeping in mind mutual respect and cultural sensitivity between all members.
The group is not a political platform for airing opinions on current affairs.
The group should not be used for private conversations with anyone else using the group.

The school considers the following online activity inappropriate:

Abusive or personal comments about staff, governors, pupils or other parents.
Comments which are defamatory, libellous or bring the school into disrepute.
Emails circulated or sent directly with abusive or personal comments about any member of the school community.
Using social media to publicly challenge school policies or discuss issues about individual children.
Threatening behaviour, such as verbally intimidating staff, or using bad language.

Rising Concerns

The school takes safeguarding responsibilities seriously and will deal with any reported incidents appropriately. If you are concerned about inappropriate comments on a class WhatsApp group, please contact a member of the Senior Leadership Team.