Student Management

Student Management & Discipline

Discipline Objective (Our Discipline Policy)

At East Spring Primary School, our aim is to develop our students into individuals with good self-discipline so that they can create a conducive learning environment for them and their peers. We believe that students learn well when there is order and discipline. At the same time, we believe that students need care, encouragement and space to learn from their mistakes and make improvements in their conduct. 

In line with our plans to move towards positive education, we follow MOE's guidelines closely towards a more positive and proactive approach to discipline.

We strongly believe in the importance of the home-school partnership and working closely and collaboratively with parents and guardians in order to achieve the best outcomes for our students. We maintain close communication and proactively engage parents and guardians regarding any inappropriate behaviour for them to understand the situation better so that we can work together to guide and support our students.

We take a whole-school approach to discipline and articulate explicitly to our students the school rules and expectations at the start of every academic year. 

Please refer to the Student Handbook on what is expected of our students. Click link for School Rules and Regulations

Minor Offences

1. Punctuality and Attendance

   • Arriving in school during or after the Flag-Raising Ceremony, without a valid reason

   • Being absent from school without a medical certificate or valid reason up to 20% of the attendance per semester (exceeding 5 parent’s letters per semester)

   • Missing lessons/activities (including CCA, Enrichment and Remedial) without a medical certificate or a letter with valid reason(s) from parent/guardian

2. Attire and Grooming

   • Disobeying school rules on attire

   • PE T-shirt not tucked in

   • Not wearing ESPS socks

   • Wearing the ESPS socks inappropriately (logo below the ankle)

   • Not having the name tag or school badge sewn on the uniform/ PE T-shirt

   • Wearing colourful and fanciful hair accessories, ear studs, earrings and ear sticks

   • Wearing accessories e.g. necklace, friendship bracelets, fancy bracelets

   • Having long nails

   Boys

   • Fringe touching the eyebrow

   • Sides of hair totally shaven

   • Hair length touching the ears or the shirt collar

   Girls

   • Long fringe not clipped or pulled back neatly with black hairband/hairclip

   • Hair length touching the collar of the blouse

   • Shoulder length hair not tied and plaited neatly with black hair tie

   • Having more than one stud on each earlobe/ Wearing earrings

   • Wearing colourful and fanciful hair accessories, ear studs, earrings and ear sticks

   • Having long nails

   • Wearing nail polish

3. Classroom Behaviour

   • Failing to bring required materials for lesson (e.g. writing materials, textbook, etc)

   • Not submitting class work, homework, project work, etc. without a valid reason

   • Behaving in a disruptive manner in the classroom or school compound

   • Staying or eating in class during recess in the absence of the teacher

4. General Misconduct

   • Littering

   • Telling lies

   • Name-calling

   • Acts of mischief

   • Bringing toys (including electronic toys, card games, etc)

   • Loitering outside the school in school uniform and causing a nuisance to the public

   • Use of handphone or other unauthorized devices during school hours

Major Offences

1. Truancy

   • Being absent from school without parents'/guardians' knowledge

   • Leaving school grounds during curriculum time without the school's approval

   • Frequent/ prolonged absenteeism of more than 20% per semester

2. Dishonesty

   • Stealing/Shoplifting

   • Breaching of tests/examination rules and regulations

   • Cheating during assessments

   • Tampering with marks/ answers on examination/ test papers/ copying from others/ allowing others to copy

   • Forging parent's/ guardian’s/ teacher's signatures

   • Changing information on medical certificates, forms etc, with the intention to deceive

3. Open Defiance

   • Refusing to conform to school/ class rules, routines and practices

   • Disobeying teachers' instructions

   • Shouting at/ confronting teacher

   • Displaying rudeness and showing disrespect in speech or body language

   • Using abusive, offensive or vulgar language

   • Repeating a minor offence persistently

4. Serious Misconduct (In and Out of School)

   • Bullying/ Cyberbullying

   • Bullying/ Cyberbullying

   • Assault/ Causing physical hurt

   • Fighting

   • Extortion

   • Vandalism/ Damaging school property/ Arson

   • Possession of any weapons or weapon-like items, including sharp-pointed and sharp-edged tools or equipment

   • Gambling/ Trading of miscellaneous items

   • Smoking/ Possession of cigarette/ lighter/ Vaping

   • Using information communications and technology (e.g. Computer, SMS, internet, electronic mail) improperly or unlawfully

   • Outrage of modesty/ Inappropriate touching

   • Pornography

The discipline policy stated above serves as a guide. Every case is unique and bound by different circumstances. The school will take the necessary action(s) in the best interest of our students, school staff and the community.

Restorative Practices

Discipline is an educative process, and our goal is to instill self-discipline and good character in our students, strengthened by our SPRING values. Our disciplinary measures help our students learn the consequences of their inappropriate actions and to take responsibility for the poor choices made. Thus, it is important for the consequences to be meted out fairly, firmly, and appropriately. 

At East Spring Primary School, we believe in the importance of restoring relationships among our students through restorative practices. 

In order for us to achieve this, the Discipline Team works closely with the Form Teachers and Year Heads using these three steps:

Step 1: Defuse Using Mindfulness Practices to calm down. Step 2: Engage What happened? What was going through your mind at that time? What do you think about it now? Step 3a: Perspective taking Who has been affected by what you did? How has it affected them? Step 3b: Problem solving What can teachers/peers/parents do to help you? What can you do to fix it?