Bus Behaviour Policy

From time to time inappropriate behaviours occur on our school buses. We ask that you remind your children of our expectations to ensure everyone’s safety and wellbeing. These bus expectations have been recently updated and shared with students. Can you please discuss them with your child.

Expectations of Students are to:

  1. enter and leave the bus in an orderly manner
  2. have a bus identity tag with them (LinkSA buses)
  3. remain seat belted in your allocated seat at all times. If your child has difficulty with doing up their seatbelt, a sibling, or a Pre-School Educator or yourself may assist.
  4. keep all parts of themselves inside bus windows.
  5. always behave in a quiet, responsible and polite way and not interfere with, or annoy others.
  6. follow the directions given by the bus driver, including complying with seating plans
  7. not eat or drink on the bus unless you have permission from the bus driver.
  8. advise your bus driver in advance if you know you will be absent.
  9. demonstrate respect for the bus

The driver is responsible for allocating seats and managing behaviour on the bus. It is expected that minor breaking of the rules will be addressed and if these are repeated, they will be documented by the driver and Bus Referral slips will be issued. The driver will report serious and/or repeated breaking of the rules, and any incident or concern which interferes with the safe operation of the bus to the principal or delegate of the relevant school. The bus driver has the right to stop the bus until the behaviour has ceased provided there is no undue impact to the timetable.

Consequences for inappropriate behaviour are as follows

Step 1: Reminder by the driver (Verbal) that behaviour is inappropriate and must stop immediately.

Step 2: First Reported Incident - Formal Warning – by bus driver or school personnel;

  • A Bus Referral slip will be issued by bus driver, given to designated school bus person who will issue slip to student
  • Bus Referral slip sent home; signed by parents and returned to school or copy sent by text message to parents.

Step 3: Second Reported Incident – As step 2 with parent contact reminding them that a third slip will result in a suspension from bus travel from 1 school day.

Step 4: Third Reported Incident – Bus referral slip issued as above and suspension from bus travel for 1 school day.

Home contact by school will be made and an interview will likely be requested.

Step 5: Fourth Reported Incident – Bus referral slip issued as above. Please note that at this level of repeated inappropriate behaviour a bus suspension of 2-5 days will occur.

In the case of violence, serious, illegal or dangerous behaviour, Steps 1 to 4 may be omitted. Parents will be contacted, and if necessary, consultation shall take place with appropriate DfE personnel.

The bus behaviour steps apply over any 10 consecutive school weeks of the year. If a student is under a bus suspension but travels to school by bus then a school suspension will apply. A repeat of this could lead to further suspensions.