Appropriate staff and student relationships policy

There is an inherent power differential in the relationship between school staff and students. This may be most obvious in relationships between teaching staff and students, but it exists between all school employees and students. Appropriate relationships have been shown to develop a sense of trust and belonging and have a positive relationship with academic outcomes. Inappropriate relationships have the potential to devolve into poor academic outcomes and even abuse. The policy suggestions in the chapter set out core principles for school leaders to implement to support appropriate relationships being developed and maintained between staff and students. These policies cover classroom and online interactions.