Behaviour on the
School Bus Procedures

RULES:

The following general school rules will apply to all children travelling on the bus:

1. Children are to be polite and considerate (for example, no swearing and fighting).

2. Children are to respect other children, staff, and other adults.

Children must also comply with the bus rules set out below:

(a) Children are allocated a seat on the bus and must use THAT seat unless otherwise directed.

(b) Children are to remain seated at all times on the bus.

(c) Noise is to be kept to a minimum.

(d) Balls, or any other items, are not to be thrown in the bus.

(e) Bags are to be stored at the feet of the children.

(f) Children are to remain seated until the bus stops.

(g) Hands, and all other parts of the body, are to be kept inside the bus at all times.

(h) No food is to be eaten on the bus.

(i) Children will not deface the bus in any way.

(j) Children will respect the authority of the bus driver and do as they are asked.

(k) Scooters and skateboards are not to be carried on the bus. Roller blades must be in bags.

GUIDELINES:

Note:

• Although principals are responsible for disciplining students, bus operators and drivers are expected to co-operate in controlling students travelling on school buses.

• The driver should never put a student off a bus during a bus trip as a disciplinary action.

• The principal or bus controller should regularly arrange learning sessions with the bus children so that they understand the importance of safety guidelines.

• Parents and caregivers should promote safe travel and behaviour to their children.

1. Children will be allocated a seat. This seat will be decided by the Bus Controller in consultation with the bus driver . Children will use this seat at all times except in the case of exceptional circumstances, which may be determined by the driver or Principal. The seating arrangements may change from time to time as routes, and/or the number of travellers alter.

2. The bus driver will have the authority to deal with incidents as they arise. There will be an incident book provided, and all such incidents will be reported to The Principal in accordance with the procedures set down below.

3. Children will be informed of bus rules and procedures that will be used if these are broken. [Copies of both will be sent home to parents.] They will also be told about procedures for informing the driver of incidents. It needs to be noted that the bus driver should not be continuously dealing with minor incidents as this could delay the journey and to avoid this a bus warden may be put in place.

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

1. In the case of inappropriate behaviour being ether reported to, or witnessed by the driver, he or she will implement the following procedures:

   • Ensure that the bus is stopped.

   • Establish the details of the incident. [If this is difficult or time-consuming then children may be moved to another seat and the matter handed to the Principal, via the incident book, to resolve.]

   • Decide on an appropriate course of action, as set out below:

2. If a child’s misbehaviour is minor and isolated the bus driver will warn the child politely but firmly that the misconduct will not be tolerated and that further instances will be reported to the Principal. [The child may be shifted to another seat at this stage.]

3. If the child’s misbehaviour persists, then the bus driver will enter the child’s behaviour into the bus incident book and report the matter to the Principal when the bus arrives at school. If the misbehaviour is of a serious nature, the driver must contact the Principal at the end of the bus run.

4. The Principal will investigate the child’s behaviour, and if warranted, give the child a detention. The Principal will ring the child’s parents outlining the incident and record the incident & date in the Bus Incident book.

5. If the child persists in breaking the school bus rules, the Principal will determine if the child should be stood down from using the bus. If so, this will be for a period of one week maximum per incident. The parents will be contacted via an official letter outlining the incident/s, and stating the stand down date/s.

6. The Principal may also suspend a child from using the bus immediately if the nature of the incident is serious and warrants immediate intervention. Parents will be consulted with over such serious incidents and a record of the incident, dates and stand down period will be kept.

7. The NZ Police Education Service teaches all students the bus warden system, which covers the movement of children to and from the bus, and their behaviour on the bus. Bus wardens are usually chosen from senior students who have the longest distance to travel. There is a manual available from the Land Transport Safety Authority for bus wardens. If necessary the NZ Police Education Service will be called upon to provide bus safety education.