Rewards and Sanctions

Aim

We aim to develop personal qualities within a friendly, civilised and well-disciplined environment; hence all members of the School should be governed in all their conduct by the dictates of common sense, courtesy and respect for others. To reinforce this aim RGSAO employs a range of rewards and sanctions.

Rewards

Prizes are awarded at Lower School Speech Day in July for exceptional work and/or effort over the year.

Pupils may be commended to their Form Tutors and Head of Section for good work, good progress, helpfulness, or anything else that brings credit on an individual. This will take the form of a Commendation slip. For particularly outstanding or selfless contributions pupils are commended by the Headmaster and may be publicly congratulated in assembly.

Sanctions

In general each teacher is responsible for his or her own discipline and there is a range of sanctions available. These include the spoken word, an entry in the Prep Diary, written impositions and detentions.

Private detentions for poor work or poor behaviour can be given. This involves attending a lunchtime or after-school detention organised at the convenience of the member of staff, but 24 hours notice must be given. A School Detention is served on a Wednesday after school for general behaviour problems about or outside the School and for breaches of School Rules. 1 unit (half an hour) or 2 units (one hour) may be given depending upon the seriousness of the offence. School Detentions will be communicated to parents who are required to sign a pupil's Prep Diary to indicate their awareness of the punishment. For serious offences Saturday Detentions are given after consultation with Heads of Section and the Senior Master.

The School also reserves the right to suspend or exclude pupils from school if their presence is to the detriment of other pupils or the good name of RGS Worcester.

Accepting Responsibility

Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibility and to serve the community at all levels throughout the School. This could be assisting in the organisation of Form Bases, the School Library, the ICT department, lost property, the Charities Committee or whatever.

Undoubtedly the ultimate opportunity to serve the community and to develop leadership skills comes with the appointment to School Prefect. Each year a School Captain, two deputies and twenty or so prefects are appointed by the Headmaster on the recommendation of the staff. This team provides an integral part of the school disciplinary and organisational structure as these senior pupils are called upon to administer day-to-day routine and provide the figurehead of the School on public occasions. In addition, this year will see the introduction of Pastoral Prefects. The role of the Pastoral Prefects will be to assist pupils with their organisational and study skills as well as endorsing good standards of behaviour. They will also provide support to Lower School pupils as a point of contact and offer advice as and when required