Adopted by the Board of Management St. Louis Community School,
Kiltimagh June 2005

1. Rationale

Punctuality minimises disruption of work in the classroom
Punctuality is a discipline needed for school and life
Punctuality contributes to efficient school management


2. Implementation

Students are required to be in school at 8.55a.m. and 1.40 p.m. on school days.

The school bell will ring 5 minutes before the start of Class 1, Class 5 and Class 7 and at the beginning of each class period.

Supervisors will encourage students on corridors and locker and toilet areas to move to their classrooms on time.

Students who are late for Class 1 or Class 7 must sign the ‘Late Book’ in the office and have their School Journals stamped with a ‘Late Stamp’ by the office staff before presenting themselves in the classroom.

Sanctions for lateness will be imposed by Class Teachers and Registration Teachers in accordance with the School’s Code of Conduct - ‘Sanctions Available to Teachers’

Teachers will record persistent lateness by a student on the ‘Class Discipline Record’ and if there is no improvement the matter will be referred to the student’s Year Head together with a copy of the student’s ‘Class Discipline Record’.

Year Heads will impose sanctions for lateness in accordance with the School’s Code of Conduct - ‘Sanctions Available to Year Heads’.

Year Heads and/or the Deputy Principal will use the School’s standard letters to communicate with parents/guardians of students who are frequently late for school or for class.

The Principal and Deputy Principal will monitor punctuality of students regularly throughout the School.

Assemblies of class and year groups will be used to enforce the School’s Punctuality Policy.

Where a student is detained or withdrawn from class by a person in authority, he/she will be given a written explanation for his/her absence from class by the person who detains or withdraws the student from class. No student may be absent from class without such written authority. Wherever possible the Class Teacher will be given prior notice if students are to be withdrawn from class.