Schools create and maintain a safe, positive and inclusive learning environment so all learners have the best opportunity to strive for excellence and reach their potential.

Respectful behaviour in Tasmanian Government schools is critical to creating and maintaining a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Schools work in a shared partnership with you and the school community to model and promote supportive, positive behaviour and establish clear behavioural expectations.

The teaching of personal and social capabilities, and ethical behaviour is part of the school curriculum. Schools provide opportunities for students to learn how to self-regulate, demonstrate safe and responsible behaviours, and treat others and themselves with respect.

What is unacceptable behaviour

• The Education Act 2016 outlines types of unacceptable behaviour at school and school activities, and processes for responding to unacceptable student behaviour to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students and staff.
• The Student Behaviour Management Policy details the processes for responding to unacceptable behaviour in schools. This includes using practices to help build and repair relationships that have been affected by unacceptable student behaviour.

How do schools respond to unacceptable student behaviour?

• In responding to unacceptable behaviour, schools use practices to help build, maintain, and restore relationships to support students to learn and teachers to teach.
• Your child’s school will have a range of responses and strategies in place to:
  • develop an understanding of why a student has behaved unacceptably
  • work to resolve or address underlying issues, including providing additional support to students where appropriate
  • consider the impact on student learning of any response to the unacceptable behaviour
  • respond to the unacceptable behaviour of students as required to ensure the school environment is safe and supports learning and attainment.
• Ensure your child’s school is made aware of unacceptable behaviour between their students (at school, a school activity, or outside of school) that is having a negative impact on learning or wellbeing at school. The school will work to develop an understanding of why the behaviour occurred and take steps to prevent such behaviour from occurring in future, including working to build and repair relationships.
• In serious cases of unacceptable behaviour, schools may refer the matter to a relevant authority (such as the police).

How do schools respond to unacceptable behaviour

• Schools use a range of approaches to support and promote safe and respectful behaviour. When responding to unacceptable student behaviour, schools use restorative practices and principles and consider the impact of any behavioural response on student learning.
• Behavioural responses that result in time away from school (e.g. suspension) are used as a last resort or when necessary to ensure the safety of students and staff at the school.
• If a student is suspended or excluded from attending school, the principal is to ensure that the student is provided with appropriate educational instruction to be completed by the time they return to school.
• If your child is suspended or excluded from attending school, it is your responsibility to look after them at home until they are permitted to return.
• Schools will arrange a re-entry process for transition back to school, including a re-entry conference between you, your child and staff to develop an agreed plan and support strategies for their return to school.

Where can I get more information?

• Talk to your child’s school early if you have concerns about your child’s behaviour or the behaviour of other students at the school, so staff can work with you to help prevent the situation from escalating.
• You can discuss any behavioural responses applied with your child’s teacher or principal if you think they have been made unfairly.
• There is a School Support and Wellbeing Team within each school. They can work with the Department’s Inclusive Practices Team to provide specialist support for your child.