Behaviour policy
Contents
Christian values
The specific Christian Values of Love, Respect and Courage underpin, and are intrinsic to the ethos and belief of Saint James Church of England Primary School.
Our vision
At Saint James we accept challenges, take risks and work to make to make positive change in ourselves and our community.
Focusing on building resilience and compassionate relationships allows everyone to flourish.
Using our Christian values to guide us, we develop skills to navigate rough seas and transform our world.
Be strong and courageous and do it.
1 Chronicles 28:20
Introduction
When a child joins our school we want them to be happy, safe, and secure. We believe that children who feel good about themselves and have high self-esteem will perform better at school and form an important part of a school community. They form better relationships with their friends and are proud of their work and who they are.
Aims
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To promote our values of Love, Respect and Courage.
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To promote the positive values that enable children to achieve in our community.
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To promote appropriate behaviour for the school environment.
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To be consistent in the management of behaviour in the school.
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To ensure Saint James is a school in which all children feel safe, secure, happy and achieve well.
Principles
- Appropriate behaviour is recognised, praised and rewarded.
- There is a consistent, progressive and incremental set of rewards for children who choose to behave appropriately.
- Inappropriate behaviour will be dealt with consistently following the behaviour policy.
- There is a clear set of sanctions for children who choose not to behave appropriately.
- Persistent inappropriate behaviour will be addressed according to individual need.
- A restorative approach will be encouraged to help children reflect and move forwards positively
- Children are supported to understand the need for appropriate classroom behaviour, and for appropriate behaviour around the school.
- Children treat others’ property and the school environment with respect.
- There is mutual respect between all adults and children in the school.
- All adults act as good role models and maintain professional behaviour and status.
- There is a consistency of approach across the whole school throughout the day. All staff, including teaching students, peripatetic teachers and work experience students will be informed about the behaviour policy.
Managing behaviour
- We have school rules, which the children have discussed in their classes and agreed to adhere to.
- We explicitly refer to our school Christian values of Love, Respect and Courage when discussing behaviour choices.
- There is an incremental reward system that acknowledges adherence to our values and make a link between these and the children’s learning.
- Children are actively rewarded for exhibiting our values in their relationships with others, their learning and their effort. These are acknowledged under the headings; Learning with Love, Reflecting with Respect and Caring with Courage.
- We endeavour to manage behaviour with consistency throughout the school, both within lessons and at lunch times and play times.
- Appropriate sanctions will be imposed if rules are broken; there are different stages in sanctions which are set out in the guidelines.
- We work in partnership with the parents or carers to ensure appropriate behaviour is maintained.
- We are proactive in our management of behaviour to reduce instances of inappropriate behaviour taking place; including the use of Individual Behaviour Management Plans where appropriate.
- Physical restraint will only be used if there is danger to other children, adults or themselves, or to their immediate environment. This will be undertaken only in accordance with Hampshire guidelines for restraint in schools and further guidance can be found in the Physical Intervention Policy
Equal opportunities
It is acknowledged that all children are individual and have their own diverse needs. Pupils will be treated fairly and consistently whatever their gender or race. Sometimes it may not always be apparent to pupils and parents how and when situations and incidents are being addressed, however the school will ensure that appropriate behaviour is acknowledged and inappropriate behaviour is actively tackled. Some children may require individual behaviour management plans and these will be addressed within the school.
Guidelines for behaviour management
At Saint James CoE Primary School;
- We will look for, and focus upon, positive behaviour.
- We will use lots of positive reinforcement, and consistently make a very conscious effort to give targeted praise that identifies specifically what a child is doing well.
- We will refer to our Christian values of Love, Respect and Courage.
- We will reward pupils’ good behaviour in numerous ways; LRC points (certificates, badges), using the displayed faces (KS1) or planets (KS2) in the classroom, a class accumulative reward (e.g. marbles in a jar) or a head teacher’s award are among the ways which good behaviour is rewarded.
- We will acknowledge children’s individuality by celebrating their learning and their achievements inside and outside school.
- We will establish a clear understanding with the class of appropriate and acceptable behaviour.
- We have two Emotional Literacy support assistants (ELSAs) who will work proactively to ensure the most vulnerable children are helped to behave in an appropriate manner. The ELSAs will work with identified children individually and in groups.
The class teacher will identify where the need lies and the ELSA, in discussion with the SENCo and the class teacher, will develop a programme for that child accordingly.
We will offer Anger Management, Social Skills, Self-Esteem and Friendship groups where appropriate.
We will offer in class support where appropriate.
We will offer individual work where appropriate.
The class teacher will work with the ELSAs to develop and use appropriate strategies within the classroom.
- As a whole school we will develop the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning through PSHE which will be supported by work in the classroom.
- We will work closely with parents in managing the children’s behaviour.
- We will note inappropriate behaviour, and record any significant incidents on the behaviour log where appropriate. Racist and bullying incidents are logged and dealt with in accordance with Local Authority Guidelines.
- For individuals, where deemed appropriate, we use Individual Behaviour Management Plans, behaviour logs, reward charts, home communication books and other strategies to help the children improve their behaviour.
- We are developing the role of play leaders to support behaviour at lunch times
Rules
- All our behaviour comes under the overarching ethos of Love, Respect and Courage.
- These are broken down into class and school rules
- Our rules give guidance as to how to behave in order to show Love, Respect and Courage towards yourself, others and our environment
- To do this:
- We listen
- We are honest
- We are kind and helpful
- We are gentle
- We look after property
- We respect each other
- We are considerate
- We work hard
Class Rules
- Class rules will be discussed, generated and developed during transition days, the initial weeks of the school year and subsequent circle time and PSHE sessions during the year.
Rewards
- A cumulative and incremental, reward system, that follows the children through the school, allows children to aspire to successive certificates and a badge for their uniform within a tiered structure
- During the course of a lesson, children may be asked to move themselves up to the ‘smiley face’ (KS1) or a higher planet, e.g. ‘Paradise Park’ (KS2).The visual note to others, including other staff, adds to the effectiveness of this form of reward. This is used for positive reinforcement of good behaviour.
- LRC praise points may be given for effort with work and positive behaviour. These accumulate and build towards individual and class rewards.
- Informal praise from the class teacher, phase leader, or a member of SLT, may be given. This may be compounded by the award of a headteacher’s award sticker.
- Individual classes may have their own ‘whole class’ reward system (e.g. marbles in a jar) and inspire pupils to work together to achieve a common reward (e.g. watching a film together). Class rewards will tend to be awarded for when the class has been working together well, and modelling the values of Love, Respect and Courage in their interactions and attitude.
- Children can also gain ‘Golden time’, if their behaviour has been appropriate during that week.
Lunch Times
- At lunchtime the mid-day supervisors help the children with their school dinners, packed lunches and also supervise the children in the playground.
- The supervisors work within the school rules and are consistent in their approach. The children are rewarded for good behaviour.
- Any incidents are dealt with by a senior supervisor and if necessary are passed onto the class teacher, phase leader, assistant headteacher, deputy headteacher or headteacher depending on the severity of the incidents. It is then appropriately sanctioned.
- Positive behaviour is also brought to the attention of the class teacher, phase leader, assistant headteacher, deputy headteacher or the headteacher and is then appropriately rewarded.
Strategies for behaviour management
- When a KS1 child behaves appropriately in the classroom their name is moved up to the ‘happy’ face. To compound the focus on good behaviour a positive comment is made, with direct reference to the behaviour that has allowed them to move up.
- When a KS1 child behaves inappropriately their name is moved down to the ‘sad’ face. The child will be made aware of the behaviour that has necessitated this move. Their name is removed after the session or as soon as ‘good choices’ are noted within the same session.
- In KS2, a system of planets is used to achieve the same outcome, again with a focus on recognising good behaviour choices and effort with learning.
- Time out may be used, if an arrangement has been made with the child previously. This time out will be taken in the classroom, or in some cases outside the classroom, where they can be seen by an adult.
- If a child’s behaviour proves to be a danger to other children, they will be removed from the classroom and taken to the assistant headteacher, deputy headteacher or the headteacher. An appropriate sanction will then be given.
- If the inappropriate behaviour continues then discussion with the parents will take place and a behaviour plan will be written.
- This will be monitored and parents will be informed of any outcomes.
- If the behaviour still continues, further action may be taken. This may involve the use of outside agencies.
- At all times the school will work in partnership with the parents. The school will take proactive action to prevent inappropriate behaviour occurring.
Sanctions
- Although the prerequisite of our behaviour policy and guidance is to focus on praise and rewards, there are times when sanctions need to be used.
- There is a sanctions plan in place which clearly outlines the consequences for particular misbehaviours, to ensure consistency and fairness across the school. This can include reminders, time in a different classroom, time in the reflection room, restorative conversations and meetings with parents. The focus is on encouraging children to reflect on their feelings and choices, and putting strategies in place to reduce future incidents.
- The reflection room opens at lunch time and is available for children who have continued to make poor choices after reminders. During this session, staff will encourage children to reflect on their feelings and choices. They will complete an age-appropriate reflection form which is shared with parents.
- For extreme or consistently poor behaviour, which hurts a child or an adult, a child may be excluded. Any sanctions in the form of exclusions will be given in line with Hampshire guidance. Following the exclusion of a child, we will ask parents to contribute to developing a behaviour programme to enable us to work together to prevent any further inappropriate behaviour.
Managing playground behaviour
- There is a large amount of outside space which is zoned to encourage different types of play. This includes different playground zones, an enclosed MUGA (multi-use games area), several play structures, small equipment shed, spiritual garden and the field in good weather.
- There is an overarching rule in the playground that there should be no physical contact in the games played.
- Periodically ‘collectibles’ and trading cards become popular to play with and swap. This is permitted unless they begin to cause disagreement, upset, and interfere with learning time.
- The rules for this are:
- children may only bring to school what they would not miss if they got taken, lost or damaged
- pupils show respect to all others, whilst playing
- if any items get taken, or if any arguments occur, these need to be reported
- if inappropriate behaviour is reported the ‘collectibles’ will be banned
- No other games will be brought in from home. This includes balls and skipping ropes. If children want to use skipping ropes the school will provide them.
- There are quiet areas in the playground for those who would like to read or talk.
- The children need to keep to designated areas within the playground and the grass area.
- Out of bounds areas are mainly those that are very muddy or where the children cannot be seen. They are demarcated by a red line in certain areas but we also rely on the children to follow instructions and to use ‘common sense’.
- Play leaders are trained to support the younger children with games and activities.
- The Reflection room is used for lunchtime sanctions, however there is also the Sanctuary which is a room supervised by the SEN/ELSA team for children who find the playground overwhelming at times.