Benthal Primary School

Behaviour Policy

March 2013

The purpose of this policy is to give a clear understanding to staff, parents and children of the systems and procedures in the school designed to build positive behaviour.

Aims and Values

We aim to manage behaviour in a positive way using systems and approaches grounded in Restorative Practice and principles. We aim to create a curriculum and a whole school ethos that develops positive self-image and self-esteem.

We recognise the following to be important in helping to create a positive climate within the school:

o  A well-ordered school depends on good time keeping and positive relationships between parents/carers, pupils and staff.

o  Children learn most effectively in a calm, organised learning environment with emphasis on praise and positive reinforcement.

o  To maintain good behaviour staff need to have high expectations of the children and to set clear boundaries and consequences.

o  This must be consistent and fair, with all staff setting similar standards and acting as positive role-models and taking shared responsibility.

o  We are careful not to label children, but to label and discuss behaviour and the choices that children make.

o  Children, parents and carers feel supported if there is a problem and are regularly informed and involved.

‘Stay on Green’

Stay on Green is a widely used system which is based upon Restorative Practices and encourages children to make positive choices about their behaviour. It provides visual cues to children about the choices they are making and offers chances to reflect if those choices are undesirable.

This system will be used across the whole school from Nursery to year 6, with slight differences between the Foundation Stage and the rest of the school.

All children start each day on ‘Green’ and according to the choices they make they may stay on green all day or they may be changed to one of the colours in the following table. The table below also shows the consequences of reaching a certain colour and how a child may arrive/be awarded that colour.

Colour / Consequence of colour / How colour arrived at
Gold / Children who receive a gold card will be celebrated in assemblies with gold stickers, certificates and a text message home to inform the family and prompt celebration at home too. / This represents the pinnacle of behaviour in school and should be awarded for outstanding behaviour.
Silver / Children who receive a silver card will be given silver stickers in assembly and applauded by their peers. / This represents behaviour beyond the green expected of all children and needs to be recognised as such.
Green / Children who ‘Stay on Green’ receive 30 minutes Greenie Time on a Friday afternoon as a reward for constantly reaching expectations. / Children follow the rules and expectations for that class at all times.
Yellow / A yellow card results in the loss of 5 minutes of Greenie Time at the end of the week. / After receiving an initial warning (verbal or non-verbal) about poor choices a child would be awarded a yellow card.
Blue / A blue card results in the loss of 10 minutes of Greenie Time at the end of the week. A chance for reflection is offered to the child to think about how their choices have impacted upon others. / Having received a yellow card, a continuation of the same behaviour would result in a blue card being issued.
Red / A red card results in the loss of all Greenie Time for the week, a conversation with parents by the Headship Team and a letter to be placed on record at school. / This represents very challenging behaviour such as:
Violence towards another child or adult or swearing at staff or children.
(Further clarification later in policy)

Classroom expectations

The expectations for ‘Green behaviour’ are set according to either the Busy Bee Rules at Key Stage 1 or the Respect rules at Key Stage 2. (These are placed in the appendices at the rear of the policy.) They are the frame of reference for what constitutes all other coloured cards.

Further clarification of red card behaviour

The following list represents examples of what is deemed to be ‘Red Behaviour’. It is by no means exhaustive, but gives firm indications of what types of behaviour we designate as red.

Stealing.

Rudeness or defiance to an adult.

Any form of physical aggression or swearing.

Any overt racism or sexism or name-calling.

Bullying of other children by words or deeds.

Deliberate vandalism of other people’s property, school property or building.

Running out of school.

Truancy.

Discrimination against religion and culture.

Red cards may also be issued for persistent poor choices as a continuation from yellow – blue – red.

Further Strategies for ‘Red behaviour’

Benthal is an inclusive school so we work hard to avoid fixed term or permanent exclusions. To this end we may introduce further strategies to deal with continued poor choices or to support children in making better ones. These may include:

Child placed on weekly report.

Individual behaviour contracts.

Staff working together to support the child.

Child placed on Special Needs register.

Support from outside agencies e g BEST team.

Should an incident or series of incidents be so severe that an exclusion of some form is necessary then we will follow the guidance laid down by the Local Authority in conjunction with the following procedures:

Head and Deputy to meet to discuss and decide whether to exclude.

Head or Deputy to ring parents and complete paperwork immediately.

Head or Deputy to inform all staff members as soon as possible.

The Governors and the Learning Trust to be informed.

On return to school there will be a meeting between the parent and the Headteacher before the child returns to school.