Code of Conduct for External Agencies for Sports & the Arts

Scoil Phádraig Naofa, Kilcurry, Dundalk is fully committed to safeguarding the well-being of its pupils. Every individual in the school community should, at all times, show respect and understanding for the rights, safety and welfare of others and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the school.

This policy covers sports, drama, dance, music and extra-curricular activities facilitated by one or more representatives of outside agencies such as clubs, societies or other organisations operating on a local, regional or national basis.

Code of Conduct

The guidance given in this code of conduct is based on good practice developed through experience in the school and principles set out in the following publications:

· Children First - National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children (Government of Ireland) 1999 and the new guidelines of 2011, 2017.

· DES Circular https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/45063/2d4b5b3d781e4ec1ab4f3e5d198717d9.pdf#page=1

Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools

The aim of this code is to promote best practice in providing extra-curricular activities and to offer a safe, healthy, enjoyable environment for such activities in Scoil Phádraig Naofa.

Guidelines for Teachers

· In advance of the visit, the teacher should speak to the class to remind them of their behaviour while the visitor is with the class i.e.

o Listening to and following all instructions.

o No unsafe actions/activities

o Seek permission to go to the toilet

o Be mannerly

o If a child has a concern regarding the lesson, she/he speaks to the teacher.

· Bring the class to the hall/yard/field and again remind them of the expected behaviour

· Inform the visitor that it is school policy for a member of the teaching staff to remain with anyone who visits the school to speak to or work with a class or group

· When the lesson is over, check with the visitor to see if he/she has any comments or concerns about the class

· On occasion it may be necessary for the class teacher to intervene in a lesson if you feel that there are issues regarding “Health and Safety” (unsafe exercises/games/equipment………).

Integrity in relationships:

There is a danger that sporting and other educational contexts can be used to exploit or undermine children. All adult actions in such contexts should be guided by what is best for the child. Verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse of any kind is entirely unacceptable.

Fair Play:

All children’s sports should be conducted in an atmosphere of fair play. Scoil Phádraig Naofa endorses the Council of Europe definition of fair play as:

“much more than playing within the rules. It incorporates the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always playing with the right spirit. It incorporates issues concerned with the elimination of opportunities, excessive commercialisation and corruption.”

A similar spirit should be observed in non-sporting extension activities.

Atmosphere and ethos:

Children’s sport should be conducted in a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. A child-centred ethos will be observed to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept in their appropriate place. Inter-agency competition for the involvement of children is inevitable but will not be tolerated where it interferes with this atmosphere.

Equality:

All children will be treated in an equitable and fair manner regardless of age, ability, sex, religion, social and ethnic background or political persuasion.

Children with disabilities will be involved in all extension activities in an integrated way, allowing them to participate to their potential alongside other children.

Adults interacting with children in sport should do so with integrity and respect for children in their care. They have an overall responsibility to take the steps necessary to ensure that positive and healthy experiences are provided in the context of quality, open working relationships.

All pupils are entitled to:

· Be treated with dignity and respect

· Be safe and to feel safe

· To get help against bullies

· To say No

· To be listened to

· To be believed.

· To protect their own bodies

· To refuse inappropriate touches

Pupils should always:

· Treat all coaches, tutors and other facilitators with respect

· Abide by the rules set down in advance when participating in events outside the school

· Behave in a manner that avoids bringing the school into disrepute.

Pupils should never:

· Use unfair or bullying tactics to gain advantage over others

· Use bullying tactics to isolate another pupil

· Pass on gossip about another pupil or adult

· Make false allegations against other pupils or adults.

Facilitators should always:

· Be a role model for children and maintain the highest standards of conduct when interacting with children, parents, officials and organisers

· Encourage children to play by the rules of any activity

· Behave responsibly on the sidelines and not seek to unfairly affect any game in which they are involved

· Take care not to expose any child, intentionally or unintentionally, to embarrassment or disparagement by the use of flippant or sarcastic remarks

· Recognise the value and importance of the volunteers who provide sporting/recreational opportunities for children

· Respect referees, coaches, organisers and other players

· Refrain from publicly questioning the judgement or honesty of referees, coaches or organisers

· Teach children that honest endeavour is as important as winning and do all possible to encourage good sportsmanship

· Set good example by applauding good play on both sides where appropriate

· Encourage mutual respect for teammates and opponents.

Parents should support all efforts to remove abusive and bullying behaviour in all its forms:

· Child to Child – e.g. physical aggression, verbal bullying, intimidation, or isolation.

· Adult to Child – e.g. the use of repeated gestures or expressions of a threatening or intimidatory nature, or any comment intended to degrade the child.

· Adult to Adult – e.g. verbal aggression towards other adults in order to achieve a beneficial outcome for self or child.

· Child to Adult - e.g. repeated gestures or expressions of a threatening or intimidatory nature by an individual child or a group of children.

Garda Vetting

All outside personnel who will be engaged by the school will have to provide Garda Vetting to the school prior to engaging with the school children as per circular 0016/2017. This is compulsory from September 2017.

This policy was ratified by the B.O.M. on Feb. 12th 2020 and reviewed again in 2023.

Date of next review: May 2026