Trabajo de campo.

School policies and minutes of meeting books as alternative sources of data to answer the research problem were analysed by the researcher. Triad (2016:2) argues that besides interviews, various text and documents are rich sources of data, which may include letters, reports, minutes of meetings, policy documents, correspondence, memos, oral history and so on from people’s actions so that the phenomenon studied is understood more clearly. This means that the researcher need not start from scratch through interviews, but also use documents as source of data. This is known as document analysis.

The researcher mainly read and analysed the policy documents (code of conduct) and minutes of meetings.

4.6.1 Code of conduct

Schools A, B and C are value-driven schools. Their common main values are discipline, responsibility and attendance. However, only Schools A and B highlighted the above-mentioned values on the school properly, not School C. School C only mentioned verbally that they live by values. At each of these three schools, the vision statement and mission statement are prominently displayed. At Schools A and B, at the beginning of the academic year, the principal and teachers draft the code of conduct and all the stakeholders sign the document, including the learner representatives. Then all learners receive the code of conduct together with the vision and mission statements. At School C, the procedure was the same as at Schools A and B, but the difference was that learners and parents are only informed verbally about the code of conduct.

At all participating schools, the code of conduct serves to underline the importance of managing and governing behaviour at the school to promote proactive and constructive behaviour management. A high level of discipline is maintained at Schools A and B, but at School C, the level of discipline is not as high as at Schools A and B.

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Discipline as a core value speaks of abiding the set rules of the school and highlights that deviations from such will be dealt with in a constructive manner. Attendance and punctuality as a core value promote seriousness, communication and taking responsibility for one’s behaviour, which promotes proactive and constructive behaviour management. Respect, that is, respect for self and respect for others is also a core value that promotes and supports proactive and constructive behaviour management.

4.6.2 Minutes of meetings

The researcher further analysed minutes of the meetings between the school, SGB and parents. The researcher was able to assess participation by reading the minutes of these meetings.

4.6.2.1 School A: Attendance of meetings by parents

At School A, there are four meetings in a year. However, for Grade 12s, the SGB and the school call a meeting every month to discuss the learners’ progress with parents. These monthly meetings take place after the results of monthly tests. Parents are also encouraged to motivate their children and to give them enough time to study at home. The issue of Grade 12’s school camp is discussed at the initial meeting. However, according to the minutes, not all parents attend the quarterly meetings, but the majority of Grade 12 parents do attend.

4.6.2.2 School A: Participation during meetings

As recorded in the minutes of the four general meetings, few parents offer opinions throughout the meeting. Although they apparently withheld their personal opinions or questions during the quarterly meetings, it was different with the Grade 12 camp meeting and monthly test meetings. Parents’ participation was of a better standard, compared to the quarterly meetings.

4.6.2.3 School B: Attendance of meetings by parents

The minutes showed that four quarterly meetings are planned for a year. However, other special meetings also take place during the year. The attendance of parents is poor, though, for Grade 12 meetings such as the Grade 12 camp. At least attendance

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of other meetings that concern Grade 12 was better, though still other parents did not attend.

4.6.2.4 School B: Participation during meetings

The minutes of the meetings indicated that few parents took the opportunity to speak during the meeting, while the other parents kept quiet for the whole meeting. However, what concerned Grade 12 was that parents did have a say on a few issues, such as the Grade 12 school camp and performance.

4.6.2.5 School C: Attendance of meetings by parents

According to the minutes of meetings that School C had in a year, parents’ attendance is very poor. Out of 259 learners, only six or seven parents attend the quarterly meetings. The situation is the same at Schools A and B, and attendance is better during meetings about Grade 12. These meetings discuss issues such as the school camp and Grade 12 performance.

4.6.2.6 School C: Participation during meetings

At this school, the minutes show that only six or seven parents, who are also SGB members, give their inputs and opinions during the meetings. Parents do not even attend the meetings that talk to the Grade 12 learners. Attendance is very poor and few parents participate in the discussions.