ST. THOMAS A BECKET FEDERATION OF CATHOLIC INFANT AND JUNIOR SCHOOLS

BEHAVIOUR POLICY

At St. Thomas a Becket Catholic Infant and JuniorSchool our behaviour policy reflects our Christian values. Justice, listening, forgiveness, respect and tolerance will feature alongside the strategy employed for maintaining high standards of behaviour. This policy should be read in conjunction with the school’s Positive Handling Policy, the Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-bullying Policy.

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Mission Statement:

  • We at St. Thomas a Becket Catholic Infant and Junior Schools affirm the Catholic ethos by fostering and developing the faith communities of our schools, parishes and home.
  • We celebrate the economic, cultural and ethnic diversity of our wide catchment area and aim to support all families within it.
  • We respect each person as an individual, celebrating their talents and enabling them to develop at a pace at which they can achieve their full potential.
  • We promote caring and supportive relationships through our pastoral commitment to all members of our Catholic community and beyond.

All staff and children working within our school aim to show respect for themselves and others and actively uphold our Mission Statement. We believe that children learn and respond best when they are taught in a happy, safe and well managed environment

At St Thomas a Becket we aim to:

  • actively uphold our Mission Statement
  • foster in children a respect for themselves, God's world and others and build self esteem
  • have good communication and co-operation between home and school
  • provide children with a framework for Christian living and the ability to form and conduct relationships in accordance with Christ’s law of love
  • promote good behaviour and self-discipline
  • prevent bullying and address bullying issues

School Rules are devised to keep children safe and to ensure that all children can access the curriculum and fulfil their potential. They are developed through our PSHEe and RE lessons aswell as assemblies and class liturgiues.

Our rules are embedded in our Mission Statement and are displayed in every classroom, both school halls and in the playground.

Children’s Mission Statement

At St. Thomas a Becket Catholic Infant and Junior School we will:

 Talk to Jesus as our friend each day

 Be a good example to others, kind, obedient and respectful

 Forgive and say sorry

 Work hard and do our best

Wear our uniform with pride

 Make our classrooms welcoming, happy and safe

Follow the example of Jesus wherever we are

As staff we agree to:

  • Consistently carry out the agreed school behaviour policy
  • have high expectations of behaviour for learning and have clear systems and routines in place
  • ensure our lessons are well prepared, stimulating and differentiated and delivered with pace enabling children to reach their full potential
  • establish a calm and purposeful learning environment
  • take responsibility for all pupils' behaviour and deal with misbehaviour
  • celebrate good behaviour, reinforce positive choices and use good role models to motivate children still further
  • be polite, considerate, firm and fair and show no favouritism
  • avoid stereotyping and sexism and be alert to racism
  • develop positive relationships with children and build self-esteem
  • live by the Gospel value of forgiveness and always look for ways to improve

When addressing a behaviour problem staff will listen to all sides and find out what happened before, what actually happened and what happens next. Our log book is used for recording these incidents.

At St. Thomas a Becket School we:

  • create a climate in which pupils lose rather than gain popularity by causing trouble;
  • spot a disruptive incident in the making and select an appropriate tactic to deal with it;
  • take appropriate intervention at the right time;
  • observe and "scan" the class;
  • adopt appropriate stance and tone of voice;
  • praise good behaviour and do not accept poor behaviour
  • talk about the behaviour not the child

At St. Thomas a Becket School we do not:

  • use sarcasm or aggression
  • punish whole groups
  • give punishments which humiliate pupils

Teaching and Learning

At St. Thomas a Becket School there is a correlation between behaviour and the standard of teaching and learning and good classroom management.

All members of the school community have an entitlement to work in a positive learning environment. Staff and children share responsibility for this.

Class Rules

Class rules are negotiated between the teachers and children at the start of the year. They are linked to the Mission Statement and are display by the end of the first week in the classrooms. The rules are positive and changed to reflect the needs within the class.

Positive Recognition

Whole School reward systems are as follows:

  • Star of the Week – one badge for each class is awarded weekly
  • Special Awards – Certificate displayed in school hall with copy to take home and book mark awarded
  • Achievement and subject specific certificates
  • Special Mentions – two names from each class are entered into the ‘Special Mention Book’ and stickers presented in assembly
  • Behaviour and attendance awards

This can be used to reinforce good behaviour or to give praise and recognition for work that is of a high

standard for that child.

In Classrooms the reward systems are as follows:

Class teachers must choose the type of positive recognition that they feel most appropriate for their particular class.

These must include:

  • Praise - Praise from the teacher is used to encourage pupils to behave appropriately. Individual praise is the most effective way to motivate pupils. Teachers must remember to verbally reinforce the appropriate behaviour.
  • Special Privileges - At the discretion of the class teacher, pupils will be allowed to take part in an activity that they particularly enjoy.
  • Behaviour Awards - Visible awards are given to reinforce good behaviour. These may take the form of merit stickers.
  • Whole Class Reward Systems/ Golden Time –

These show pupils the importance of working together in a co-operative manner to achieve a common goal. Teachers must choose a class reward that is something the children will want to work towards but is at the same time acceptable to them. It is recognition of good behaviour.

Keeping track of points earned may be done by:

  • Points on the board
  • Marbles in a jar
  • Positive behaviour wall display

Smiley face/Cloud system is used for all children.

Smiley face procedures - JUNIORS

  • All children’s names start on Smiley face.
  • If a rule is broken, a verbal warning is issued.
  • If a rule is broken again, the child’s name is moved down to the straight face. If the rule is broken again, the name moves down to the sad face. The child misses 5 minutes off break time. Log book entry.
  • Children can move up to silver if they are showing:
  1. Good participation
  2. Good transition
  3. Good sitting and listening
  • Children can then move to gold if they are showing:
  1. Outstanding contributions.
  2. On target throughout session.
  3. Excellent friendship skills.
  • After each break and lunch time all names go back onto the Smiley face for the chance to have a fresh start.
  • At the end of the session:

If a child has not moved from the smiley face they earn 1 point.

If a child moves to silver they earn 2 points.

If a child moves to gold they earn 3 points.

This is marked in the child’s book and initialled by the member of staff.

  • Additional points are awarded for the following:
  1. Homework handed in on time – 1 point
  2. Reading Record brought in – 1 point
  3. Mental Maths homework completed – 1 point
  4. + when work is marked – 1 point
  5. Sticker – 2 points
  6. Special job being completed - 1 or 2 points.
  • Children get a chance to trade in their points for small items of stationary, key rings, book marks, bits and bobs etc at the end of each half term. The School Council children will select items from a catalogue during the first meeting of the term.

All points are recorded by the children in their blue book and validated with a signature from a member of staff. Once awarded, points may not be taken away.

Dealing with a Disciplinary Matter within the Classroom:

The majority of disciplinary matters in the classroom are minor and will be dealt with by the class teacher.

It is the class teacher's responsibility to maintain good order and discipline in the classroom. Expectations should be high.

If there is a recurrent problem within a class, teachers should consider the following areas:

  • The physical organisation of the classroom:
  • Is the room organised to maximise
  • accessibility of materials?
  • ease of movement?
  • positive interaction?
  • Is the room stimulating?
  • Does the work match the needs of the child? e.g. is the task too easy or difficult?
  • is the work well planned?
  • is the style of teaching/delivery appropriate?
  • Does the task consolidate or extend learning?
  • Does the child know the purpose of the activity/learning?

Action for children whose behaviour is deemed inappropriate:

Our behaviour policy follows a stage approach which is outlined below. Parents and children sign up to this in our home school agreement. The majority of behaviour issues are dealt with at stage 1 and 2 in a low key manner. Making it clear to the child which rule has been broken.

STEPS IN DEALING WITH BEHAVIOUR ISSUES AT THE INFANT SCHOOL

Stage 1. – verbal warning

Problems are sorted out within the classroom. All Children’s names start on the sunshine. If a rule is broken, the class teacher talks with the child, pointing out the wrong behaviour. A low key manner is adopted.

Stage 2.

If a child persists in poor behaviour, problems are again sorted out in the classroom but a higher profile is adopted. After having given the child a warning the teacher will put up the child’s name on the board. If the child continues with the poor behaviour a ‘strike’ is placed by the child’s name. Once there are three ‘strikes’ by the child’s name their name is moved to the cloud and their name is ‘logged’ in the Log Book. The child is given five minutes ‘time out’ on an agreed classroom position /spot. After this time, their name is returned to the sunshine. The teacher will inform the parents.

Stage 3

If a child’s poor behaviour continues, the same routine occurs and each time the child’s name is put in the log book. The teacher will inform the parents. After the third time in the log book within a term, the parents are again contacted and invited to meet with class teacher and/or Deputy. Any action already taken in steps 1 and 2 is explained and Parents are reminded of the School’s Behaviour Policy. It is the teacher’s responsibility to notify the Head Teacher when there are three recorded events in the log book.

Stage 4.

Head or Deputy meeting with parents and class teacher. Outline problem and steps taken. Parents reminded of their responsibilities in regard to child’s behaviour at school. The child is put on an Achievement Record. The teacher shares this report each day with the parents and this continues for up to 3 weeks. Parents agree to complete the parent section and support the school with rewards and sanctions at home. The child will bring his/her Achievement Record to the Head Teacher/Deputy for signing at the end of every week. If there is no improvement in behaviour the next stage is implemented.

Stage 5.

Things become more serious if there is no improvement in behaviour. The Head Teacher meets the parents to express the school’s concern with regard to the child’s behaviour. The child is placed on a Behaviour Record for 2 weeks. Parents will go to the Head teacher’s office daily to sign their child’s behaviour record. If there is no significant improvement the child will progress to the next stage.

Stage 6 [Last Warning]

The Head Teacher sees the parents formally. The child’s behaviour is recorded on a Behaviour Record for one further week. The parents are reminded of their responsibilities in reading/signing the Behaviour Report every evening. The parents should be advised as to the serious nature of the situation and that if there is no improvement in the child’s behaviour then the child is likely to be excluded from the school. The Head Teacher records the meeting. Behaviour record for one week. If the behaviour record shows that the behaviour concerns are during the lunch break, parents will be required to collect their child at the end of the morning session and return him/her to school for the afternoon lessons.

Stage 7 [Exclusion- fixed term]

The child is excluded for a fixed period of time. The child is only re-admitted following a meeting when arrangements for monitoring behaviour are agreed.

Stage 8

The child is indefinitely excluded from school. As with stage 7, formal procedures and guidelines apply.

Serious offences (such as physical harm to another child or an adult) are sent directly to the Head Teacher. In the absence of the Head Teacher they are sent to the Deputy Head Teacher.

The class teacher also needs to be informed. Class Teachers will log the incident and ensure that parents are informed.

N.B.

In cases of extreme poor behaviour, the Head Teacher has the authority to decide on the appropriate stage of the procedure to apply.

STEPS IN DEALING WITH BEHAVIOUR ISSUES AT THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Stage 1

Problems are sorted out within the classroom. All Children’s names start on Smiley face. If a rule is broken, a verbal warning is issued. Class teacher talks with child, pointing out wrong behaviour. Low key manner adopted.

Stage 2

Child with class teacher. Again dealt with in class but higher profile adopted, involving some loss of privilege or an agreed sanction.

  • Children will be sent to a pre-determined class, taking with them the work to be carried out.
  • They will stay there for a period of time appropriate to their age.
  • The teacher receiving the child will not reprimand him/her in any way. A space will be found for them to work quietly on their own until the work is finished or until the end of that session.
  • Parents will not automatically be informed if their child is sent to another class, unless the poor behaviour continues.
  • A pupil may be sent to see the Head teacher if they are sent out of class more than once in the same

day. The teacher will inform the parents.

  • If a child is being sent out regularly e.g. daily, then this should be brought to the attention of the Head teacher so that appropriate action may be taken for greater impact.
  • If behaviour continues, entry into the class log book.
Stage 3

Parents invited to meet with class teacher and/or deputy. Any action already taken in steps 1 and 2 is explained and parents reminded of school’s behaviour policy. Parents are shown entries in class log book. The meeting and sanction agreed are recorded in class log book. Persistent bullying, physical violence or abusive language will result in parents being informed and actions entered into the log book.

Stage 4

Head or deputy meeting with parents and class teacher in class. Outline problem and steps taken. Parents reminded of their responsibilities in regard to child’s behaviour at school. Warning that if things do not improve, child will be referred back to Head for more formal disciplinary measures. Child is put on an achievement record. This is reviewed weekly and lasts for up to 3 weeks. Parents agree to complete the parent response section and support the school with rewards and sanctions at home.

For serious/ recurrent offences parents will meet with the Head/Deputy/SENCO. Meetings are recorded in the Head teacher log. Appropriate strategies will be put in place which may include; a Pastoral Support Plan (PSP), a home/ school communication book or a referral to an outside agency (ESBAS). Such incidents are usually formally recorded and the school is required to report incidents termly to the LA and Governors.

Stage 5

The Headteacher/Deputy meets parent to express school’s concern with child’s behaviour. They go over all support given and action taken to date, using class log book and achievement records. Formally explained to parent/s that unless there is an immediate improvement in behaviour, parent will be called in again. Child is placed on a behaviour record for two weeks.

Stage 6

(Last Warning). Head sees parent formally. Parent reminded of their responsibilities in reading/signing behaviour record every evening. Parent advised as to the serious nature of the situation and that if there is no improvement in child’s behaviour then the child is likely to be excluded from school. Head records meeting. Behaviour record for one week. If the behaviour record shows that the behaviour concerns are during the lunch break, parents will be required to collect their child at the end of the morning session and return him/her to school for afternoon lessons.