Relational Guide

For our latest policies on relationship, anti-bullying and exclusion visit our School Policies page.

General

Arriving  and leaving:

• All children in Class 1-12 are expected to arrive by 8.25am, ready to start the school day. Supervision starts at 8 am. Kindergarten starts at 8.30am. Latecomers must sign in at reception. 
• After school, Classes 5 and below must stay with the teacher in the entrance area, 1,2,3 garden, or kindergarten until they have been collected. After 3.40pm (or 1.10pm) pupils will be accompanied to the Office - see Late Collection Policy
• Classes 1-8: No children may leave the school grounds during school hours without the permission of a teacher.
• Classes 9-12: If leaving the school grounds during break times (Lantern Centre only for classes 9 and 10), pupils must sign out and back in at reception. This privilege may be rescinded if abused.

Snacks and lunch:

• No nuts, including peanuts, or foods with nuts listed in the ingredients. There are children and staff in school with severe and life threatening reactions to nuts. Dietary restrictions may apply across the school depending on serious medical conditions or allergies. The school will keep parents informed.
• Chewing gum, sweets, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and energy drinks are not allowed. 
• Our recommendation is that children drink only water during the school day. 
• Please avoid chocolate, crisps and similar foods. Provide healthy, balanced meals instead. For guidance and ideas, speak to your teacher. For further information see for instance British Nutrition Foundation.

Belongings:

• Belongings are to be carried in suitable bags, satchels or rucksacks. Plastic bags should be avoided.
• Please keep children's belongings (school bags, lunch boxes, pencil cases, caps etc) as plain or as discreet as possible - free from brands and big companies logos. 
• Toys, both indoor and outdoor,  and other potentially distracting items should not be brought to school. Exceptions can be made by prior arrangement with the class teacher.
• No Digital Media Devices, including mobile phones. If pupils bring in digital devices they must hand them into the office at the beginning of each day. 
• Medication should be handed in at reception at the beginning of the day. 
• Aerosols are not allowed at school.

Prohibited item

• Knives, weapons, alcohol, illegal drugs, stolen goods, tobacco products including vapes, pornographic images, fireworks, lighters and matches, anything that has been, or is likely to be, used to cause injury or commit an offence. Possession of these will be regarded as serious misbehaviour and may be reported to the police.

Code of Conduct

• Class or classroom rules/codes of conduct may be discussed with pupils and implemented at the beginning of each school year or as required. These must be observed and followed.

Break Times

Apply to Courtyard, Main Playground and Field at official break times

• No eating or drinking outside or in lobbies.
• Lower school lobbies and classrooms must be vacated during break times.
• Children in the lower school may only go into lobbies or classrooms with a teacher’s permission during morning and lunch break times (10.40-11am, and 1.10-1.50pm). The teacher will write the names of the children allowed to stay inside on the board, to be clearly visible to the break duty teacher.
• Waterproof coats and hoods/hats must be worn in uncovered areas when it is raining.
• Fighting, including tackling or wrestling to the ground, is not allowed.
• Chalk is only to be used outside with a teacher’s permission. 
• Only soft balls are allowed in the Courtyard, for gentle ball games.
• Unless as part of a game led by a teacher, pupils may not kick balls at any time.
• No throwing of hard objects. 
• No climbing on buildings or fences, including to retrieve balls
• No running in the walkways or swinging from overhead bars.
• Periodically, including in wet weather, the Field will be out of bounds
• Additional rules may be implemented as required.

Note: Parents supervising children after school when cleaning are particularly asked to be aware of these playground rules and to ensure that they apply them in order that there is consistency for the children.

Clothing & Accessories

There is no formal uniform at Ringwood Waldorf School. However, as our learning environment seeks to support both individual voice and community spirit, in addition to the safety of pupils, the following expectations apply.

Lower and Middle School

Clothing

• All clothing should be clean at the beginning of each day, in good repair and appropriate to season and activity. ‘Ready, Respectful and Safe’. 
• Clothing should be without pictures, writing or logos larger than 10cm

Outdoor Footwear

• Shoes must be worn at all times. They need to be suitable for all kinds of movement, so no raised heels, crocs, flipflops, sliders or similar. 

Hair and accessories

• We discourage make-up, nail polish and skin art. 
• Earrings must be limited to one pair of studs. 
• Other jewellery must be simple and discreet.
• Hair should be tied back and jewellery removed in some lessons, as directed by the teacher. Hair should not be dyed.

Upper School

Clothing

• All clothing should be clean at the beginning of each day, appropriate to the season and activity. 
• All clothes should be whole and not torn (including knees on jeans).
• Nothing should be worn that causes distraction, intimidation or may give offence to members of staff, visitors or fellow students. Items bearing language or images that are explicit, violent, overtly political, or that relate to sex, drugs or alcohol are not allowed.
• Clothing worn at school should be appropriately modest for a working and learning environment: 
  • Legs, tights and leggings should be covered to at least mid thigh.
  • Shorts and skirts should come down to at least mid thigh.
  • Shirts should cover the abdomen- no crop tops. 
  • Underwear should not be visible.
• Hats and hoods are not permitted to be worn during lesson times without permission. 
• Crafts such as blacksmithing and woodwork require sturdy, closed footwear.
• P.E. lessons require a full games kit.
• Students should wear smart white shirts and smart trousers or skirts on festival days. T-shirts, jeans, hoodies and clothing with logos are not acceptable for assemblies and festivals.

Footwear

• Shoes must be worn at all times.
• Pupils should wear sensible shoes appropriate for school. Heels no higher than 1 inch. 
• Footwear needs to be securely attached to feet with laces, buckles or Velcro straps.
• Backless shoes such as flip flops and sliders are not allowed. Crocs and slippers are not allowed.

Hair and accessories

• Jewellery should not be worn to excess in Upper School.
• Upper school pupils are permitted to wear dangly earrings but may be asked to remove them for laboratory work, physical activity or for other health and safety reasons. 
• With the exception of a discreet nose-stud, facial piercing, body piercing and tattoos may not be displayed. This includes body art such as henna and temporary transfers.
• Any hair dye should fall reasonably into the ’natural’ colour range.
• Only discreet make-up, including nail polish, may be worn in Upper School.
• Hair should be tied back and jewellery removed according to the demands of particular lessons, such as P.E., Science and Crafts.

Code of Conduct and Discipline

Rudolf Steiner, in a lecture (Berlin 01/02/1916) distinguished between two facets of discipline: Discipline to control and discipline to enable. The Waldorf Teacher tends towards the latter, that is, discipline to enable the class to work fruitfully, to enable the harmonious inter-working of the many activities of the school and discipline to support the development of the child. In the same lecture he spoke of the nature of punishment and the manner in which it can increase the depth, clarity and range of consciousness. Disciplinary measures taken by the teacher will depend upon, amongst other things, the age and temperament of the child and the nature of the misdemeanour. Measures taken will often include active parts of the lesson and the curriculum. 

Any discipline aims to engender a spirit of mutual respect. 

The school expects that children show a willingness to take part in lessons, to be properly equipped, to show respect for their peers, the teacher and staff as well as the buildings and school facilities. The school asks that parents support the school by building respect in the home for the education and its aims with the children (this is a condition of admission on the Admission Agreement).  When active support is present in parents, experience shows that the children benefit more fully from their education and matters of discipline are lessened. 

In most cases disciplinary problems can be immediately solved by the teacher. Other sanctions are used for more serious matters.

Sanctions

If a child misbehaves he or she will be dealt with appropriately in accordance with the deed and the age of the child. This may be a task or a detention and in serious or persistent cases (continual or gross disobedience), a suspension or exclusion. 

Where deliberate or malicious damage is involved the school will seek compensation or repair and parents will be liable for any costs involved.

Parental lifestyle choices which are deemed to be incompatible with the cultural ethos of the school and antithetical to the aims of the education may result in parents being advised to look for another school for their children.  This is a safeguarding issue.

Parents are advised that the following may result in suspension or expulsion as instances of gross misconduct or continual disobedience.

• Aggressive or violent behaviour.
• Abusive behaviour and reactions.
• Overt and repeated swearing and bad language.
• Persistent teasing and bullying whether overt or not.
• Smoking and the possession and use of drugs or alcohol.
• Continued absence or lateness from school without permission or notification
• Persistent failure to fulfil work requirements.
• Persistent failure to co-operate with lessons and given instructions.
• The school has a Behaviour Policy which outlines the processes followed when a formal discipline procedure is instituted. A copy can be obtained from the school website. 

Please note that you may be asked to collect your child from school in the above instances and you should therefore ensure that your contact details are current.