The Dublin Academy of Education’s Code of Conduct has been created to reflect the philosophy and mission of the school and is central to achieving a caring, harmonious and respectful atmosphere in which every individual is given the best possible opportunity to grow and develop academically, socially and personally within an ordered and safe school community. We take our duty of care seriously at The Dublin Academy of Education. Therefore, in the interests of the health and safety of the school community, we require that our students have read, understood and agreed to abide by the Code of Conduct.

The mission of The Dublin Academy of Education is to enable every student to achieve at his or her highest level in the Leaving Certificate Examination.

We do this by:

• Believing that within each of our students there is always a greater potential for increased performance.

• Promising to provide the most talented teachers available in Ireland.

• Striving to support every student in a caring, educationally structured and personalised manner to enable them to reach the goals to which they aspire.

Our mission governs the way we interact with each other in all aspects of our school’s operation and is underpinned by the principle of mutual respect. We expect that all members of the school community will demonstrate such respect in their interactions with one another. It is important that all those who work, study and recreate in The Dublin Academy of Education adhere to the principles inherent in our mission. The Code of Conduct sets out in detail how our mission is expressed in the day-to-day operation of The Dublin Academy of Education.

In cases of non-compliance on the part of students with any part of the Code of Conduct, disciplinary action may be taken. The Code of Conduct along with all of The Dublin Academy of Education documentation must be read in conjunction with The Dublin Academy of Education’s Terms and Conditions.

By enrolling in The Dublin Academy of Education, students and parents/guardians agree that they have read, understood and are bound by The Dublin Academy of Education’s Terms and Conditions.

ATTENDANCE

Classes generally begin at 9:00am each day and end at 4:30pm. Some classes are scheduled outside these times. There is a 45-minute lunch break from 12:45pm to 1:30pm. Students are free to leave the school during this time but must be present on the campus no later than 1:25pm. All students must remain on campus for the duration of the school day, attending class or working independently in supervised study, unless officially authorised by the school.

Students must attend all classes and supervised study periods as listed on their timetables. Students’ attendance is monitored daily for their safety and wellbeing. Attendance rolls are taken in class and parents will be notified if their son or daughter is absent.

Students who have a pre-arranged appointment must inform the school in advance by calling the office on 01-4424442 or emailing us on [email protected].

Class time is central to learning and as such may not be disrupted under any circumstances. Students who arrive late to school must report to Reception and may be re-directed to the study hall for the class period.

It is expected that all students will attend class in person wherever possible. If physical attendance in class is not possible, the school must be provided with a full explanation and an expected timeframe for return. Due to the faster pace of learning at The Dublin Academy of Education, students who miss classes will miss out on valuable instruction and will quickly find themselves falling behind. Therefore, a student who records persistent absences without satisfactory explanation will be referred to the Principal to determine what further action may be necessary. Persistent, unexplained absences will be taken very seriously and may jeopardise a student’s place at the school.

The health and wellbeing of our students is of paramount importance to us and should a student feel unwell, he/she must inform the teacher when in class, or go directly to reception.  The school will make every effort to contact parents/guardians at this stage, or failing that, the school will seek medical attention as appropriate and in accordance with our Health and Safety Policy.

There are times when students are permitted to leave the school on designated school trips, excursions, field trips and other occasions, including lunchtime, when students may wish to avail of the local services.  Written parental permission is required for all designated official off-site school trips.  

LANYARDS

Students should wear their lanyard at all times while on the school premises. Lanyards can be used to enter and exit the school during periods which are not designated breaktimes. Students will also be required to display their lanyard in study hall.

In the event where a student loses their lanyard, they can order a replacement at Reception. Lanyards are for the student’s own use, and students should not use their lanyard to allow any other student, or any unauthorised person to enter the school. Any attempt to do so may be met with sanctions, as appropriate.

STUDY PASS

Students are permitted to leave the school campus expressly and only for class periods which have been agreed in advance and authorised in writing by their parent(s)/guardian(s) and the school Principal. Students who abuse this specific permission, or who fail to return in time for class, will be subject to disciplinary procedures. The relevant Study Pass form can be obtained at Reception.

Students are reminded that the The Dublin Academy of Education’s Code of Conduct applies at all times on the school campus and while engaging in school-based activities.

IN THE CLASSROOM

Students are expected to co-operate fully with teachers and staff in all school activities, including classroom-based activities, assignments, practical work, field trips and all associated subject components.

Assignments, tests and mock examinations will be given by each teacher individually.

Continuous assessment takes place in all subjects. Please consult the website for information on the scheduling and format of assessments.

ASSESSMENT EXPECTATIONS

Frequent assessment and feedback is a crucial part of the learning process and the school has developed an assessment schedule which aims to prepare our students for the rigours of the State Exams. These assessments are generally conducted in class under timed exam conditions, and supervised by a class teacher.

Students at The Dublin Academy of Education are expected to engage fully with this assessment schedule and attempt all assessments. Failure to do so may be indicative of a lack of interest in academic progress, and will be taken very seriously by the school. Persistent failure to attempt assessments will require a meeting with the Principal and may jeopardise a student’s place at the school.

REPORTING

Reports and assessment results will be issued at regular intervals, and students and parents can view these reports via the school’s online VSware platform. Parents will be notified via email and text message. We encourage all students and parents to read these reports carefully and use the learning advice issued by teachers to direct revision and manage expectations.

STUDENT TIMETABLES

Students have a wide variety of choices when choosing their subjects, levels and timetables at The Dublin Academy of Education. Student timetables will be provided prior to commencement of the academic year.

6th Year students will have until September 30th to finalise their subject choice for the Leaving Certificate.

5th Year students are given the opportunity to design their own timetables and have until the October mid-term break to finalise their subject choices.

If a student needs help deciding on subjects or levels, they along with their parents can arrange to meet with our teachers and Career Guidance Counsellor by making appointments through reception.

We strongly advise that all students make their definitive subject choices as soon as possible to avoid missing out on valuable instruction. Please note that changes to subject choices are permitted after the first two weeks of school.

STUDY HALL

The Study Hall is designed to assist students with their personal study programmes and in order for it to be effective, students must respect its working environment. As such, students are expected to observe proper study etiquette at all times in the Study Hall. This includes being mindful of other students’ right to a quiet space, avoiding leaving the study hall outside of designated breaktimes, and avoiding engaging in any distracting behaviour while in the study hall. Students who fail to show the appropriate respect for the rights of other students using the study hall may be subject to sanctions.

Please note that the Study Hall may be closed during holiday periods and during Mock Exams and State Exams. Please check with reception for specific queries. The school also reserves the right to restrict access to the study hall at particularly busy times of the year, such as the period leading up to the State Exams.

After-school supervised study is available to students 6 days a week during the following times:

SCHOOL LUNCH AREA

Students have access to microwaves, kettles and toasters in our lunch area. We ask that all students tidy up afterwards and respect the equipment at all times. This student lunch area has been provided to allow students to relax and take some time out of the daily routine. We expect that this area will be treated in a respectful manner by all students.

DRESS CODE

Students are free to wear the clothing in which they feel most comfortable insofar as it is deemed to be respectful. The Dublin Academy of Education, at its absolute discretion, retains the right to restrict students from wearing any garments that might cause offence to other students or staff or garments that are deemed inappropriate within a school environment.

MOBILE PHONES / SOCIAL MEDIA / PHOTOGRAPHY

While mobile phones are permitted on campus, they should only be used during the school day for educational purposes. Students observed using their phone for any other purposes may be subject to sanction. Given the well documented negative effects of excessive mobile phone use and excessive exposure to social media platforms, the school strongly recommends that students closely monitor and limit their own mobile phone use during the school year.

Students are absolutely prohibited from taking photographs of teachers or other students without their express permission. This is considered a gross violation of privacy and will be taken very seriously by the school. Similarly, students should never post any image or content relating to a fellow student or teacher on any social media platform without their express permission. Students are advised to exercise extreme caution when interacting with social media platforms and are asked to be particularly mindful about posting or sharing images or video content which may be deemed controversial or offensive. Students must not post or share any image or video/audio content which is designed to cause hurt or offence to another student. Any violation of this policy will be subject to serious sanction.

CHEWING GUM

Chewing gum is forbidden on school property.

SMOKING/VAPING/ALCOHOL/ ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES

The Dublin Academy of Education is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment that is comfortable for all students and staff. Students are reminded that it is illegal to smoke or drink alcohol under the age of 18, and they are not permitted to smoke/vape or consume alcohol in the school under any circumstances. They are further advised that they must also not smoke/vape in the immediate environs of the school. Specifically, this includes the main doors of the school and outside Lidl and the AIB, and in the underground carpark. Students observed smoking/vaping on the premises will be subject to sanction, up to and including dismissal from the school.

SCHOOL PROPERTY

The fabric of the school has been specially designed to provide a warm and welcoming environment for all our students. We expect all students at The Dublin Academy of Education to respect the campus, its buildings and property. Students are specifically prohibited from damaging or defacing desks or interfering with school property. This includes defacing property with graffiti, unauthorised removal of property or theft, marking property with any substance, or any action which is deemed to be injurious to any part of the campus or its property. Students found to be damaging The Dublin Academy of Education property in any way will be subject to disciplinary procedures.

ROAD SAFETY

Students are reminded of the dangers of the particularly busy road outside the school. Students must use the pedestrian crossings at all times. Students who fail to cross the road at the designated crossings are endangering themselves and this will be taken very seriously by school management.

Sanctions

School management will take seriously any infringement of this policy. In the event where a student fails to adhere to the minimum behavioural expectations of the school and/or engages in behaviour which is not conducive to effective teaching and learning, or is disruptive to the positive and respectful atmosphere of the school, the student may be asked to leave the school for a period of reflection. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis and is at the discretion of the Principal and school management.

Any student who engages in repeated disruptive behaviour, or who persistently undermines the Code of Conduct may be asked to withdraw from the school permanently. Such an action will only be taken if deemed necessary by the Principal and senior school management and will be reserved for cases where a student is deemed to be compromising the rights of others to teach and learn in a focused, safe and harmonious environment.

The Dublin Academy of Education reserves the right to modify its Code of Conduct at any time