Behaviour Policy

Introduction and Aims

Howe Park First School expects a high standard of behaviour from all members of the school community.

As a school:

• We strive to achieve a stimulating orderly and secure environment where children enjoy the challenges of learning both independently and through positive interaction with others.
• Our ethos promotes good personal relationships between people based on co-operation and mutual respect.
• We encourage a caring and responsible attitude towards the lives, opinions and property of others at all times.

The school recognises that good behaviour and discipline are key foundations of good education.  Without an orderly atmosphere, effective teaching and learning cannot take place.  We aim to assist every pupil to grow up with a clear and acceptable view of what is right and wrong; appreciating the needs of others and the society around them.  We encourage the development of self-control and discipline.  The school acknowledges the vital role that parents have to play in this development.

The whole school policy and its implementation are reviewed on a regular basis and its content made known to the entire school community.

A positive approach to behaviour management

High standards of behaviour are achieved through:

1. An effective curriculum appropriately differentiated to engage all pupils
2. An organised environment where everyone feels safe
3. Positive, consistent management of behaviour

Management of children’s behaviour in school is carried out through high expectations and positive responses to good behaviour and by building close relationships with children.

Teachers commend good conduct and children are made aware of the beneficial consequences of appropriate behaviour for themselves, class and whole school community.  All adults who work in the school have a responsibility to encourage good behaviour.

The positive management of behaviour is underpinned by the key principles of Behaviour Management.

• A positive approach adopted by all
• Clear, consistently applied rewards and sanctions
• Clear expectations for behaviour
• Creating an organised secure environment for children
• Ensuring all needs are fully met
• The modelling of appropriate behaviour
• “Catching the child being good”
• Partnership with parents
• Early intervention

Code of conduct

The school’s Code of Conduct will be displayed in every classroom as “Golden Rules”.  It applies to all members of the school community and consists of a small number of rules that outline behaviour that demonstrates respect and caring for oneself, others and property.  These are refined and detailed by each class with their teacher to determine a Code of Conduct for the classroom.

The school’s Code of Conduct is reinforced through a variety of strategies including:

• Assemblies
• Class discussion in Circle Time
• Individually with children as appropriate.

Encouraging appropriate behaviour

Good social behaviours are rooted in positive self-esteem.  Self-esteem is the feeling of value or worth.  It is the way we judge ourselves as individuals and how we estimate what we can do or achieve.  

In our school we encourage the development of self-esteem by ensuring that children experience success and by acknowledging children when they succeed.  We achieve this in a variety of ways by:

• Celebrating achievement publicly (in class or in assemblies)
• Giving immediate verbal praise for individual achievement
• Adopting a “You can do it” approach
• Listening to children and understanding their needs and expectations
• Marking work promptly
• Enabling children to know their goals
• Showing sensitivity and diplomacy when children do not grasp areas of learning
• Being approachable so that children feel safe to share their anxieties
• Ensuring that all adults are positive role models and have a good relationships with people
• Building trust by being fair

Partnerships with parents

Parents and carers have a vital role to play in fostering good behaviour.  Close home/school liaison is essential.  School makes regular opportunities for parents and teachers to celebrate achievement and share concerns.  This contract is an integral part of school life.

It is expected that parents will act as good role models at all times when on the school premises.

School Attendance

The school is fully committed to the need to establish and maintain good attendance.  It is essential that children are punctual and attend regularly.  The Headteacher will monitor attendance regularly.  Irregularities will be followed up.  Class teachers will raise concerns with the Headteacher if necessary.  The school recognises that good teaching and discipline will enhance attendance and punctuality.

Equal Opportunities

The school’s Code of Conduct, alongside its curriculum promotes equal and fair treatment of all irrespective of gender, ethnicity, beliefs or abilities.

Rewards and sanctions system

This policy is implemented via a clear and consistently applied rewards and sanctions system.  All adults in the school can have access to and apply these incentives and boundaries.

 “Golden Time” is central to the rewards system.  It operates on the basis that every child has an entitlement to 20 minutes Golden Time on a Friday when children in negotiation can undertake special organised activities with the class teacher.  Golden Time is promoted as a reward for adhering to the Golden Rules.  It can be lost wholly or partly during the week if Golden Rules are broken.  Children will always receive warning if the loss of Golden Time is likely.  The school applies other sanctions that are designed to fit the degree of wrongdoing.

Early Intervention & Discipline Guidelines

•  Staff will use a variety of techniques to modify behaviour and calm a situation such as diffusion, discussion or withdrawal
• Minor incidents such as running in the shared areas should be dealt with by a member of staff close to the situation.  Discussion with the child and modelling of appropriate behaviour is often enough in these circumstances.
• More serious incidents e.g. rudeness or aggressive behaviour should be dealt with by a member of staff as well as being reported to that class teacher.  This type of behaviour is often dealt with by an apology, discussion, behaviour modelling of positive behaviour and loss of privileges.  The class teacher should log such incidents and keep the parents fully informed and included in all discussions.
• The Head/Deputy Head should be kept informed and if the behaviour persists an appointment will be made to see the child’s parents to work out a strategy to meet the child’s needs.  Review dates will be set to monitor the success of the strategies used.  The school will draw upon advice from outside agencies if appropriate.
• If a very serious incident occurs or there are continual incidents which do not indicate an improvement in behaviour, it may lead to suspension or exclusion, following the Council guidelines.  This is an extremely rare event.  The aim of the school strategy is to avoid this ultimate sanction.

Use of control

It is hoped that the use of force is never necessary.  The DfEE have produced guidelines on the use of force to control or restrain pupils.

The guidelines state that there are 3 categories of incidents when reasonable force may be appropriate.

• Where action is necessary in self defence because there is a risk of injury
• Where there is developing risk of injury or significant damage to property
• Where a pupil is behaving in a way that is compromising good order and discipline

If we have a pupil in our care likely to need such restraint it is vitally important to have discussions with the parents before the child is admitted to our school, on how best to deal with the individual.

Staff authorised to deal with restraint are teachers, nursery nurses, teaching assistants, supervisory assistants.  More experienced members of staff may wish to intervene if less experienced people are unwilling to do so.

The degree of force must be warranted by the incident and be the minimum required to achieve the desired result.  The use of restraint and control is the last possible course of action when verbal reasoning has failed.

Such incidents need to be recorded in writing and given to the Headteacher then parents informed.

Bullying

At Howe Park First School we define bullying as a wilful, conscious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten someone.

We adopt a preventative approach towards bullying.  We recognise the need to act as a whole school community to stop bullying occurring.  We communicate a strong anti-bullying message to children through the school ethos.

Bullying will occur in any school setting.  Through our Personal Social and Health curriculum and our approach to spiritual and moral education we aim to bring these issues out in the open.  We provide children with strategies to address the issue of bullying and seek help from adults if necessary to prevent it.  We will follow-up every incident of bullying appropriately and will include relevant parents in our discussions.

Retaliation is not permitted, being the escalation of a violent act.

Children beyond normal rewards and sanctions

Children who are unable to respond to the school’s Code of Conduct are regarded as having special educational needs in the area of social and emotional support.  Individualised educational plans (IEPs) will be drawn up in such cases in accordance with the school’s special needs policy and the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs (Education Act 1993)

Where appropriate and in accordance with the school’s special needs policy, external support agencies will be involved to advise on the development of individualised programmes and to monitor a child’s progress in response to intervention.

This school operates on the basis that any child with behavioural difficulties is recognised and supported by the entire staff.  Class teachers in particular will be provided with support and practical assistance from all staff in addressing the needs of individuals and applying the expectations and targets set for them in their individualised, personalised IEPs.