Behaviour and Discipline Policy
Introduction
We believe it to be a highly important aspect of children’s education and development that they learn to behave well towards others and towards the community in which they live. Good behaviour underpins effective learning and children need good personal and social skills in order to live fulfilling and rewarding lives as adults. To this end we have adopted the Good to be Green Behaviour Management Scheme in our school, as a whole school approach. Behaviour which in any way disrupts learning is unacceptable in our school, and the constant promotion of positive behaviour, using the Good to be Green Management Scheme, we seek to minimise, if not eliminate, any such behaviour. Alongside this policy, we are an inclusive school and endeavour to meet the needs of all children, including those with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Aims and Objectives
It is a primary aim of our school that every member of the school community feels valued and respected, and that each person is treated fairly and well. We are a caring community, whose values are built on mutual trust and respect for all. The school's behaviour policy is therefore designed to support the way in which all members of the school can live and work together in a supportive way. It aims to promote an environment in which everyone feels happy, safe and secure.
The school has a number of rules, but our behaviour policy is not primarily concerned with rule enforcement. It is a means of promoting good relationships, so that people can work together with the common purpose of helping everyone to learn. This policy supports the school community in aiming to allow everyone to work together with the common purpose of helping everyone to learn.
The school expects every member of the school community to behave in a considerate way towards others.
We aim to treat all children fairly and apply this behaviour policy in a consistent way.
This policy aims to help children grow in a safe and secure environment, and to become positive, responsible and increasingly independent members of the school and the wider community.
The school aims to promote and reward good behaviour, as we believe that this will develop an ethos of kindness and cooperation. Therefore our policy is designed to promote good behaviour, rather than merely deter anti-social behaviour.
Rewards
We praise and reward children for good behaviour in a variety of ways: All staff congratulate children, through positive feedback and praise.
Use of House points – these points can reward children for academic and non-academic achievements, for effort and for caring, and all aspects of good work and behaviour. Each child and every member of staff is assigned to a house. Currently there are four houses – Green Shamrocks, Blue Thistles, Red Roses and Yellow Daffodils. At the end of every
week house points are read out in assembly and points are then entered onto the leader board in the hall. Each half term there is a house meeting during Thursday assembly time to discuss who has received points and how they can earn more for their house. At the end of each term the most successful house with the highest number of points will receive an award whilst the house that wins at the end of the year will be also be appropriately rewarded.
Good to be Green (Our Core Beliefs). We believe that children should develop good discipline through positive encouragement and instruction whilst understanding their rights and responsibilities within the school setting. At Rivers Primary Academy, children have the right to feel safe at school; the right to learn and the right to be respected and to have fair treatment.
Within society we follow a series of ground rules that allow us to live together in relative harmony. In classrooms, children are made aware of the ground rules in school as they are on display for all to see. We call this set of rules “The Good to be Green Code”.
Rules are written in a positive way and are fair. Children and adults have ownership of the code. Children and adults are in constant discussion over what is written, and what they stand for.
The Good to be Green Code:
We talk kindly and respectfully to each other.
We work quietly and helpfully together.
We take turns.
We walk quietly in our school and put things away quietly.
We are kind to each other and use good manners.
We try to solve problems in a fair manner – if that is hard, we ask an adult for help.
We try not to hurt people.
We use equipment safely.
The Cards
Every child has 3 cards behind their name which are used alongside positive reinforcement of the Good to be Green Code.
Green Card: The majority of children will have a green card displayed by their name. This is because they have been following the code consistently.
Yellow Card: Occasionally children will need a reminder of behaviour expectations in school. If a child needs reminding repeatedly of our expectations they will be told to change their card to yellow and may be asked to move places within the classroom.
Red Card: If a child continues not to follow the code, they will be requested to change their card to red and to leave the classroom to go to their Key Stage Leader. They will be accompanied by another child and with a brief overview of the incident. There will be rare occasions where a child’s behaviour will take them straight to red e.g. physical fighting and verbal abuse. Once a child receives a red card it is recorded along with the details of the incident.
If a child continues to receive red cards, they may have to visit the Deputy Head or Head Teacher. Parents are informed when any coloured card is given to a child.
Rewarding Good Behaviour
We want to recognise the majority of the children who are consistently following the Good to Be Green Code. There are four ways in which this will happen.
Children will be given green tokens for good behaviour all day. They place these in a box in their room. When box is full, then the class will receive a class reward such as extra time on laptops or a popcorn party.
Any child who stays green all through a half term will receive a prize.
Children who are green for a whole term will receive a prize and certificate in assembly.
Any class that is green all week will receive a class certificate and rewards in assembly,
This school does not tolerate bullying of any kind. If we discover that an act of bullying or intimidation has taken place, we act immediately to stop any further occurrences of such behaviour. While it is very difficult to eradicate bullying, we do everything in our power to ensure that all children attend school free from fear of any kind from others.
All members of staff are aware of the regulations regarding the use of force by teachers, as set out in the document: The Use of Force to Control or Restrain Pupils – Guidance (DCFS 2010) and the recent non-statutory advice issued by the Department of Education in July 2011. Teachers in our school do not use any kind of physical force as punishment. They will only intervene physically to restrain children in order to prevent injury to a child, or if a child is in danger of hurting themselves. The restraining actions that we take are in line with government guidelines on the restraint of children.
The Role of the Class Teacher
It is the responsibility of class teachers to ensure that the school rules are enforced in their class and that their classes behave in a responsible manner during lesson time.
The class teachers in our school have high expectations of the children with regard to behaviour, and they strive to ensure that all children work to the best of their ability.
Where external support agencies are involved in meeting the needs of a particular child, the class teacher will liaise as necessary to support and guide the progress of the child.
The class teacher will also report to parents and carers on the personal and social development of each child in their class, in line with whole school policy. The class teacher may also contact a parent if there are concerns about the behaviour and welfare of a child.
The Role of Head Teacher
It is the responsibility of the Head Teacher, under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, to implement the school behaviour policy consistently throughout the school, and to report to governors, when requested, on the effectiveness of the policy. It is also the responsibility of the Head Teacher to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all children in the school.
The Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher support the staff by implementing the policy, by setting the standards of behaviour, and by supporting staff in their implementation of the policy.
The Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher keep records of all reported serious incidents of misbehaviour, in a Behaviour Log Book.
The Head Teacher has the responsibility for giving fixed-term suspensions to individual children for serious acts of misbehaviour. For repeated or very serious acts of anti-social behaviour, the Head Teacher may permanently exclude a child. These actions are taken only after the school Governors have been notified.
The Role of Parents and Carers
Our school requests that parents and carers enter into a Home School Agreement, agreeing to work in partnership with each other to promote good behaviour, to take steps to discourage poor behaviour, to reinforce the school rules and to support the school when sanctions need to be used with a child.
The school collaborates actively with parents and carers, so that children receive consistent messages about how to behave at home and at school.
We explain the school rules in the school prospectus, and we expect parents and carers to read them and support them.
We expect parents and carers to support their child's learning, and to co-operate with the school, as set out in the home–school agreement. We try to build a supportive dialogue between the home and the school, and we inform parents and carers immediately if we have concerns about their child's welfare or behaviour.
If the school has to use reasonable sanctions to punish a child, we expect parents and carers to support the actions of the school. If parents and carers have any concerns about the way that their child has been treated, they should initially contact the class teacher. If the concern remains, they should contact the school governors. If these discussions cannot resolve the problem, a formal grievance or appeal process can be implemented.
The Role of Governors
The Governing Body has the responsibility of setting down these general guidelines on standards of discipline and behaviour, and of reviewing their effectiveness. The Governors support the Head Teacher in adhering to these guidelines.
The Head Teacher has the day-to-day authority to implement the school's policy on behaviour and discipline, but Governors may give advice to the Head Teacher about particular disciplinary issues. The Head Teacher must take this into account when making decisions about matters of behaviour.
Fixed-term and Permanent Exclusions
We are an inclusive school and do not wish to exclude any child, even when they exhibit serious behavioural difficulties. We will take every reasonable step to ensure that exclusions are avoided. However, in extreme cases, it may be necessary to exclude.
The school follows the National Exclusions Guidance, published by DCSF in 2008 and updated in 2011, and has regard to the standard national list of reasons for exclusion. Currently, schools and local authorities must make full time educational provision for excluded pupils from day 6 of their exclusion. Parents and carers must ensure their child is not present in a public place during the first 5 days of exclusion, and Head Teachers have the duty to offer the parents or carers a reintegration interview in respect of certain fixed term exclusions. Only the Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher have the power to exclude a child from school. A child may be excluded for one or more fixed term periods, for up to 45 days in any one school year. After consultation with parents and external agencies it is considered that a reduced timetable may be the best option, then this will be implemented immediately, reviewed weekly and will last a maximum of 6 weeks in any school year.
In extreme and exceptional circumstances, the Head Teacher may exclude a child permanently. It is also possible for the Head Teacher to convert fixed term exclusion into a permanent exclusion, if the circumstances warrant this.
Before a permanent exclusion, the option of a “managed move” may be considered. This decision will only be made in consultation with parents and the Exclusion Service.
If the Head Teacher excludes a child, s/he informs the parents or carers immediately, giving reasons for the exclusion. At the same time, the Head Teacher makes it clear to the parents or carers that they can, if they wish, appeal against the decision to the Governing Body. The school informs the parents or carers how to make any such appeal.
The Head Teacher informs the LA and the Governing Body about any permanent exclusion, and about any fixed-term exclusions beyond five days in any one term.
The Governing Body itself cannot either exclude a child or extend the exclusion period made by the Head Teacher.