2016 - 2018

Tiaro State School

Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students

based on TheCode of School Behaviour

  1. Purpose

Tiaro State Schoolis committed to providing a safe, respectful and responsible learning environment for students and staff, where students have opportunities to engage in quality learning experiences and acquire values supportive of their lifelong wellbeing.This Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students is designed to facilitate high standards of behaviour so that the learning and teaching in our school can be effective and students can participate positively within our school community.

  1. Consultation and data review

Tiaro State School developed this plan in collaboration with our school community. Broad consultation with parents, staff and students was undertakenduring 2015.The ongoing review of school data relating to attendance, absenteeism, school disciplinary absences and behaviour incidents(eg. Bullying – including cyberbullying) continually informthe development process.

  1. Learning and behaviour statement

All areas of Tiaro State Schoolare learning and teaching environments. We consider behaviour management to be an opportunity for valuable social learning as well as a means of maximising the success of academic education programs.Our Responsible Behaviour Plan outlines our system for facilitating positive behaviours, preventing problem behaviour and responding to unacceptable behaviours. Through our school planshared expectations for student behaviour are plain to everyone,assistingTiaro State Schoolto create and maintain a positive and productive learning and teaching environment, where ALL school community members have clear and consistent expectations and understandings of their role in the educational process.

Our school community has identified the following school rules to teach and promote our high standards of responsible behaviour:

  • Be safe
  • Be responsible
  • Be respectful

Our school rules have been agreed upon and endorsed by all staff and our school P&C. They are aligned with the values, principles and expected standards outlined in Education Queensland’s Code of School Behaviour.

  1. Processes for facilitating standards of positive behaviour and responding to unacceptable behaviour

Universal Behaviour Support

The first step in facilitating standards of positive behaviour is communicating those standards to all students. AtTiaro State Schoolwe emphasise the importance of directly teaching students the behaviours we want them to demonstrate at school. Communicating behavioural expectations is a form of universal behaviour support - a strategy directed towards all students designed to prevent problem behaviour and provides a framework for responding to unacceptable behaviour.

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The Schoolwide Expectations Teaching Matrix below outlines our agreed rules and specific behavioural expectations in all school settings.

WHOLE SCHOOL / CLASSROOM
(LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS) / ONLINE / EATING / PLAY AREAS / MOVEMENT AROUND THE SCHOOL / TOILETS / AFTER SCHOOL HOURS
BE RESPECTFUL /
  • Use polite language
  • Follow direction
  • Care for equipment
/
  • Respect others right to learn
  • Listen to others
  • Raise your hand to speak
/
  • Participate in use of approved online sites and educational games
  • Be courteous and polite in all online communications
  • Care for equipment
/
  • Play fairly
  • Keep play areas clean and tidy
  • Wait your turn
  • Share equipment
/
  • Walk quietly and orderly
  • Knock when entering the room
  • Respect peoples’ personal space
/
  • Respect privacy of others
  • Leave the toilets clean and tidy
/
  • Use own bike/scooter only
  • Be aware of parents walking in the school and be polite

BE RESPONSIBLE /
  • Be on time
  • Leave valuable items at home
  • Put rubbish in bins
  • Be honest
  • Wear school uniform
/
  • Complete set tasks
  • Be organised and focused on learning
  • Ask to leave the classroom
/
  • Report any unacceptable behaviour to a teacher
  • Post only appropriate content online
/
  • Be a problem solver
  • Remain seated during eating time
  • Speak to the teacher on duty if you need help
/
  • Carry personal items carefully
  • Use the paths
/
  • Use toilets during breaks
/
  • Wait on seats and listen to instructions

BE SAFE /
  • Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself
  • Be in the right place
/
  • Walk in and around school buildings
  • Use furniture and equipment safely
  • Enter and exit room sensibly
/
  • Respect others’ right to use online resources free from interference or bullying
  • Keep usernames and passwords private
/
  • Stay in approved area
  • Ask for permission to leave the area or go to the toilet
  • Wear a hat
  • Wear shoes and socks
/
  • Walk safely in line
  • Keep hands and feet to yourself
/
  • Flush toilet and wash hands
  • Use bins provided
  • Take a classmate during class time
/
  • Walk bike/scooter in school grounds
  • Wear appropriate safety gear

These expectations are communicated to students via a number of strategies, including:

  • Ongoing review of behavioural expectations by classroom teachers
  • Reinforcement of learning from behaviour lessons on school assemblies and during active supervision by staff during classroom and non-classroom activities.

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Tiaro State Schoolimplements the following proactive and preventative processes and strategies to support student behaviour:

  • Professional development opportunities are offered to staff as appropriate.
  • Reminders of school rules in the school newsletter and on weekly parade, enabling parents to be actively and positively involved in school behaviour expectations.
  • School’sregular provision of information to staff and parents, and support to others in sharing successful practices.
  • Comprehensive induction programs in theTiaro State SchoolResponsible Behaviour Plan for Students delivered to new students as well as new and relief staff.
  • Specialistsfor students with high behavioural needs, enabling staff to make the necessary adjustments to support these students consistently across all classroom and non-classroom settings.
  • Development of specific policies to address:
  • The Use of Personal Technology Devices* at School (Appendix 1)
  • Procedures for Preventing and Responding to Incidents of Bullying (Appendix 2)
  • Information on and consequences for knives at school (Appendix 3)

In Class:

  • Teacher aims to positively reinforce behaviour first before redirecting negative behaviour.
  • Teacher gives verbal cues as to appropriate behaviour and allows processing time.
  • A warning chart is used with the columns Warning 1, Warning 2, Warning 3, Relocation and Consequence. All students have a laminated name that can be added to the warning chart as they move towards a relocation where students sit quietly in the thinking spot to reflect on their actions. If behaviour is continued then they will face a Consequence which is negotiated with the staff member and student.
  • Consequences can be staying in to complete unfinished work, discussing the behaviour with a staff member at lunch, receiving a community service, writing an apology or any other consequence that suits the misdeed. If the behaviour is warranted to be Major then a Timeout or Suspension may be given by the Principal.

Lunchtime:

  • Teacher gives verbal cues as to appropriate behaviour and allows processing time.
  • Teacher verbalises that the student is displaying inappropriate behaviour and gives 2 choices (student rectifies actions within 1 minute OR student moves independently away from the situation).
  • If student continues with inappropriate behaviour, then the student is sent to sit out for 5 minutes. This involves directing the student to a quiet area in the playground, and having them reflect on their actions. The student’s class teacher is informed at the end of the break to further discuss the behaviour and the reasons for it being inappropriate.
  • If behaviour continues after sitting out and reflecting, then the student may be required to sit out again or possibly receive a timeout.
  • A Timeout is only issued after speaking to the Principal, whereby a note is sent home outlining the student’s actions and parent contact is made by phone or meeting to discuss the behaviour and consequences. Timeout is conducted at First Break each day and involves the students sitting on the blue seats in front of the Senior Class to eat their lunch, then moving into the Senior Classroom where they discuss their behaviour, the causes of it and the result of that behaviour with the staff member on duty. A reflection sheet is completed by the student and teacher together during timeout.
  • For major behaviours, students may have to complete multiple Timeout sessions or receive a suspension for serious breaches.

Further expectations:

  • Before school students put bags on racks/hooks and can come into the classroom to prepare for the day.
  • At the 8:55am bell: students should have been to toilet, had a drink and be either lined up outside their room waiting for instructions or sitting quietly at their desks, depending on their teacher’s instructions.
  • At first and second break, all students will take their lunch out of their bag and line up in two lines.
  • When play bell rings, students are all quiet and listen to teacher instructions.
  • Students put hand up and teacher releases students (one at a time) to put rubbish in bin (food scraps in food scraps bin), lunchbox back in their bag then go to the playground together.
  • Rules: stay away from fences, out of trees/forest, shoes on, no sitting on top of equipment, ask to go to toilet and keep hats on head. If students have no hat, they must stay undercover.
  • End of play bell rings and students line up and wait instructions before being dismissed to go to thetoilet, get a drink, wash hands and line up ready for teacher.

Reinforcing expected school behaviour

AtTiaro State School, communication of our key messages about behaviour is reinforced by providingstudents with feedback for engaging in expected school behaviour, these include:positive verbal and non-verbal reinforcement,individual student/teacher conversations, rewards charts & stickers, student achievement awards, newsletter & parade celebrations, daily lunchtime special activities.This reinforcement system is designed to increase the quantity and quality of positive interactions between students and staff. All staff members are trained to give consistent and appropriate acknowledgement and rewards.

Responding to unacceptable behaviour

Students come to school to learn. Behaviour support represents an important opportunity for learning how to get along with others.

Re-directing low-level and infrequent problem behaviour

When a student exhibits low-level and infrequent problem behaviour, the first response of school staff members is to remind the student of expected school behaviour, then ask them to change their behaviour so that it aligns with our school’s expectations. Our preferred way of re-directing low-level problem behaviour is to ask them to think of how they might be able to act more safely, more respectfully or more responsibly. This encourages students to reflect on their own behaviour, evaluate it against expected school behaviour, and plan how their behaviour could be modified so as to align with the expectations of our school community.

Targeted behaviour support

Each year a small number of students at Tiaro State Schoolare identified through our data as needing additional targeted behavioural support. In most cases the inappropriate behaviours of these students may not be immediately regarded as severe, but the frequency of their behaviours may put these students’ learning and social success at risk if not addressed in a timely manner.Students attend their normal scheduled classes and activities with appropriate adjustments if required. Where required, adjustments are made to the program through academic support, adult mentoring or intensive social skills training.Students whose behaviour does not improveafter targeted behaviour support, or whose previous behaviour indicates a need for specialised intervention,are provided with intensive behaviour support.

Intensive behaviour support

Tiaro State Schoolis committed to educating all students, including those with the highest behavioural support needs. We recognise that students with highly complex and challenging behaviours need comprehensive systems of support. Intensive Behaviour Support includes:

  • working with other staff members to develop appropriate behaviour support strategies.
  • monitoring the impact of support for individual students through continuous data collection.
  • makes adjustments as required for the student.

Following the referral of a student with high needs, parents are contacted along with any relevant staff members to form a support team and begin the assessment and support process. In many cases the support team also includes the Behaviour Support team, a family representative, and a representative from the school’s administration.

5. Consequences for unacceptable behaviour

Tiaro State School makes systematic efforts to prevent problem student behaviour by teaching and reinforcing expected behaviours on an ongoing basis. When unacceptable behaviour occurs, students experience appropriate consequences. Our school seeks to ensure that responses to unacceptable behaviour are consistent and proportionate to the nature of the behaviour. All Timeoutsare recorded on OneSchool by the relevant staff member.

Minor and major behaviours

When responding to problem behaviour the staff member first determines if the problem behaviour is major or minor, with the following agreed understanding:

  • Minor problem behaviour is handled by staff members at the time it happens.
  • Major problem behaviour is referred directly to the school Principal.

Minor behaviours are those that:

  • are minor breeches of the school rules
  • do not seriously harm others or cause you to suspect that the student may be harmed
  • do not violate the rights of others in any other serious wayincluding through electronic means at school
  • are not part of a pattern of problem behaviours
  • do not require involvement of specialist support staff or Administration

Minor problem behaviours may result in the following consequences:

  • a minor consequence logically connected to the problem behaviour, such as complete removal from an activity or event for a specified period of time, partial removal (time away), individual meeting with the student, apology, buddy class or completing unfinished work in lunch breaks, meeting and/or contact with parent, behaviour contract/monitoring with student.
  • a redirection procedure. The staff member takes the student aside and:
  1. names the behaviour that student is displaying
  2. asks student to name expected school behaviour
  3. states and explains expected school behaviour if necessary
  4. gives positive verbal acknowledgement for expected school behaviour

N.B.Specialist teachers can refer a child to the Principal for actioning in regards to major problembehaviours. Contact with the parent will be made by the specialist teacher and/or School Principal after repeated infringements occurring during the specialist lesson.

Major behaviours are those that:

  • significantly violate the rights of others
  • put others / self at risk of harm
  • require the involvement of school Administration
  • may occur outside the school (on the way to and from the school)
  • represent an ongoing pattern of minor behaviours after teacher contact with parent/s

Major behaviours result in an immediate referral to the Principal because of their seriousness. When major problem behaviour occurs, staff members calmly state the major problem behaviour and remind the student of expected school behaviour. The staff member then speaks directly to the Principal and either escorts the student to the Principal or enforces agreed re-direction.

Actions that will result in immediate suspension (1 -10 days) or exclusion from school include:-

Gross wilful damage

Dangerous behaviour which may lead to injury

Aggravated assault of another student, staff member or other adult

Verbal harassment or threats to another student or staff members inciting others to behave in a negative, disobedient or riotous manner

Continual refusal to operate under the Responsible Behaviour Plan

Unacceptable moral behaviour involving self (exposure/abuse) involving other persons e.g. exhibiting pornography or degrading material.

Other behaviour which in the opinion of the Principal prejudicial to the good order and management of the school.

Relating problem behaviours to expected school behaviours

When responding to problem behaviours, staff members ensure that students understand the relationship of the problem behaviour to expected school behaviour. One method that staff members might use to achieve this is to have students:

  • articulate the relevant expected school behaviour
  • explain how their behaviour differs from expected school behaviour,
  • describe the likely consequences if the problem behaviour continues; and
  • identify what they will do to change their behaviour in line with expected school behaviour.

Should problem behaviour be repeated, the staff member may not repeat the discussion/explanation process but simply remind the student of the consequences of their problem behaviour.

Ensuring consistent responses to problem behaviour

At Tiaro State School staff members authorised to issue consequences for problem behaviour are provided with appropriate professional development and/or training. Through training activities, we work to ensure consistent responses to problem behaviour across the school. Students also receive training about how to respond when other students display problem behaviour, and the courteous way to respond when a staff member re-directs their behaviour or consequences are applied for problem behaviour.

Behaviour Management Process

Teacher Managed
(MINOR) / Principal Managed
(MAJOR)
Inappropriate language / Consistent minor infractions
Disrespectful tone, attitude, language / Aggressive physical contact
Teasing / Fighting
Refusal to work / Consistent refusal to follow school rules
Non-compliance / Destruction of property
Calling out to others / teacher / Weapons
Disruptive actions / Leaving school grounds
Off task talking / behaviours / Pattern of aggressive / profane language
Talking when teacher is talking / Theft
Running in class / on concrete / Racial / ethnic discrimination
Dishonesty / Harassment of students / teachers
Pattern of not completing homework
Out of bounds /
Unsafe / Rough play
Incorrect uniform