Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic

Primary School

Positive Behaviour Policy

October 2015

Mission Statement

Our Lady of Mount CarmelRomanCatholicPrimary School is a community centred in Christ. Teaching is permeated by the Gospel values and the traditions of our Catholic faith.

We seek to promote a happy, stimulating and caring environment in which each person is valued as an individual with unique talents. The curriculum and activities of the school are carefully framed so that each pupil may fulfil his or her potential and know success. Each will grow in awareness of his or her role within the family, the school and society and be sustained by a deepening relationship with God.

THE AIMS OF OUR POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR POLICY

We wish Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School to be a safe environment where all can teach and learn in a happy atmosphere.

All who are involved with our school are to show respect and consideration for others. The school property and the property of those within school is looked after. Everyone in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary takes responsibility for making our school a happy place in which to work.

If pupils, staff and parents contribute to this Positive Behaviour Programme, then we are well on the way to raising the self-esteem of all involved.

The Catholic faith and Christian themes of forgiveness and reconciliation are central to this policy.

How we achieve our Aims?

Pupils, parentsand schoolstaff all take collective responsibility for the promoting of positive behaviour in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School.

Pupils

  • Pupils identify strongly with the school and are proud to be a part of it.
  • Pupils are encouraged and taught how to be polite, well behaved and courteous at all times to both adults and pupils alike.
  • Pupils will follow the Golden Rules and take part in making decisions based on these rules that they have agreed to.
  • Pupils are encouraged to work co-operatively with each other and with staff, and have high expectations of attainment, achievement and behaviour of themselves and others.
  • The school provides for a strong ‘Pupil Voice’ through engaging children in discussions, reasoning and listening to their views and acting upon them where possible.

Parents

  • Parents and visitors to the school are valued and feel safe and secure.
  • Parents support, and participate in, the life of the school and are actively encouraged to be partners in their children’s home learning, classroom activities, out-of-school activities and other extra curricular activities. They are consulted bi-annually and can post their views on ‘Parent Voice’.
  • Parents can contribute to the wider aspect of school life through the @friends of the school and Governors Community Fund.
  • Parents readily engage with the school concerning its work and are willing to take part in effective two-way communication.
  • Parents support the Home:School Agreement which is reviewed annually at the Autumn Open Evening for parents).

School Staff

  • School staff identify strongly with the school, and are proud to be part of it.
  • School staff actively establish positive relationships with pupils and parents and handle attendance and discipline problems in a sensitive and caring manner.
  • School staff will actively establish positive relationships with pupils and parents.
  • School staff have high expectations of pupils’ achievement, attendance and behaviour.
  • School staff use praise to motivate pupils and affirmation permeates all aspects of school life.
  • Teachers treat pupils and parents with respect and in a fair and just manner.

Equality and Fairness

At Our Lady of Mount Carmel all pupils, parents and staff are treated equally, with respect and in a just and fair manner. The school promotes equality of opportunity and a sense of fairness is evident in the work of the school. Pupils and parents as well as staff are invited to take part in the decision-making process.

Our school aims to be an inclusive school. This means that equality of opportunity must be a reality for our children. We make this a reality through the attention we pay to the different groups of children within our school:

Girls and boys;

Minority ethnic and faith groups;

Children who need support to learn English as an additional language;

Children with special educational needs;

Gifted and talented children;

Any children who are at risk of disaffection or exclusion.

Pupils, parents and staff with ‘protected characteristics’.

We provide opportunities and encourage children to participate as partners in the process of developing responsibility for their own behaviour and learning. We aim that each child experiences success in order to promote self-esteem. We emphasise the importance of taking turns, showing respect by listening to other peoples’ views and resolving conflict. There are opportunities for current issues or problems that arise to be discussed. Inter-personal skills are promoted so as to strengthen relationships and enhance confidence.

Supporting Positive Behaviour

The behaviour of our children is outstanding and has been remarked as such by visitors, Inspectors and Advisers. We operate a ‘Traffic Light System’, which is a visual cue that helps children monitor their own behaviour. (Ask them to explain to you how it works) as they are well-versed in its use as they have contributed to its design. We are also teaching children about positive behaviour and the consequences of poor behaviour in order for them to make the right choices. If you wish to discuss this matter with us, please don’t hesitate to contact school.

This policy is reviewed annually.

Guidance for All Staff:

Positive reinforcement of good behaviour is more effective than negative punishments.

Although there are agreed sanctions for children who misbehave it is the encouragement of good behaviour, which is far more important than punishment. Staff should praise children who behave politely, kindly, sensibly etc. Verbal feedback on behaviour should be given a high priority in and out of class. Good behaviour and positive attitudes should be discussed in P.H.S.E. lessons and in school assemblies. Staff use a range of strategiesto acknowledge and re-enforce positive behaviour as well as academic achievement.

A well-managed, well planned environment decreases potential for problems.

Staff ensure that school activities are well planned and resources well organised as this will ensure every child knows what is expected of them and when. We teach behaviour as we teach other aspects of the curriculum. Classes that are well organised with lessons that are well prepared and take into account the range of abilities within the class tend to have few discipline problems. A calm controlled learning environment is conducive to positive learning as well as good behaviour. All children will be treated sensitively to maintain their self-esteem. Criticism should never damage self-esteem; censure should focus on the behaviour not the child.

Staff take time to explain the reasons for children being asked to do something. They take every opportunity to keep the care and respect for people and property in high profile. Children should be listened to and spoken to calmly. They will never be belittled.

Every effort should be made to diffuse potential problems before they arise through discussion, good organisation and consultation.

Certain behaviour, such as bullying, rudeness, fighting, swearing is never acceptable and will always be recorded when encountered.

The use of physical punishments will NEVER be supported under any circumstances.

The Headteacher reserves the right to inform parents of unacceptable behaviour, which may in future lead to exclusion. Staff should consult the Headteacher or the Deputy Head when behaviour causes concern.

Rewarding good behaviour such as:

  • Attitude to learning
  • Conduct in lessons and around school
  • Respect for pupils and adults
  • Keeping safe
  • Attendance and punctuality
  • Completion of homework

By:

Quiet word, smile acknowledgement

Valuing pupils’ achievements

Stickers and stamps

Praise in front of class group

Visit to another member of staff

Informal meeting with parents

Gold Award

Reinforcement of behaviour in celebration assembly

What to do when behaviour is unacceptable

Immediate verbal or non-verbal check of misbehaviour

Warning

Playtime missed and removal of class privileges

Removal of Golden Time privilege

Extra work where work is clearly below potential

Parental involvement. Parental consultation required in agreed strategy of support for child

Referral to Key Stage Leader

Referral to Deputy Head or Assistant

Exclusion from class or playtime

Referral to outside agencies

Temporary and permanent exclusion from school remain an option as a last resort. The school will work in partnership with parents and may use other agencies (Educational Psychologist, Behaviour Support Agencies).

For serious breaches or persistent breaches of the schools Positive Behaviour Policy

The school will refer to the Behaviour Thresholds (Doncaster LA) and determine whether the following is required:

  • Pre-Assessment checklist for Common Assessment (CA).
  • Initiate CAF with consent of parent/carer and involvement of other agencies.
  • Hold a Team Around the Child Meeting (TAC).
  • Refer to Department of Education statutory guidance for fixed-term and permanent exclusions.
  • Hold multi-agency meetings with other agencies, including specialist support (Behaviour, SEN, Health, Social Services).
  • Consider mitigating and aggravating factors.
  • Issue fixed-term exclusion from 1 – 5 days, depending upon offence, and set appropriate work and mark it upon return.
  • Undertake further investigation.
  • Issue permanent exclusion.

Temporary and permanent exclusion from school remain an option as a last resort. The school will work in partnership with parents and may use other agencies (Educational Psychologist, SEN, Behaviour Support Agencies, Social Services, Parent Partnership, Children’s Centres).

Playground Rules

Whole school rules are in operation during lunchtimes and breaks. These periods are influential and important times in a child’s school day. Here children are free to form friendships, to structure their own play and to exert self-discipline and responsibility towards others.

In reality, however, many lunchtimes and breaks can be a great source of stress for both children and staff. These stresses and concerns must be aired and addressed to avoid adverse effects on relationships, behaviour and learning in our school. Children are able to air their concerns directly to Class Teachers or the Senior Management Team Member, as and when an incident may occur to them personally.

We value our lunchtime supervisors and work in partnership with them to promote our positive behaviour policy during lunchtimes. Support staff are able to affirm positive behaviour to the child directly or the class teacher.

If a child fails to follow the Playground Rules they may be referred to the class teacher.

Guidance for the playground:

When disputes arise, all children involved should be given a chance to explain their case without interruption. They should be encouraged to find a solution. No blame should be given to one child more than the other until the facts have been determined.

Children should be asked to apologise and make friends after disputes. Time needs to be put aside to repair and rebuild, offering children a way back.

School rules should be applied consistently and children reminded of them regularly.

If a child continues to misbehave after a warning from lunchtime supervisors, the lunchtime supervisor will report this to the class teacher. The lunchtime supervisor may ask the child to stay with them for a set time.

If behaviour persists they will be referred to the class teacher, who may in turn, report to a senior staff member.

It is recognised that the Positive Behaviour Policy makes a significant contribution to the school realising its Mission and providing a happy, safe and secure environment for all our children.

October 2015

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