Behaviour policy and statement of behaviour principles

Heron Park Primary Academy

DRAFT

Approved by: Date: [Date]

Last reviewed on: [Date]

Next review due by: [Date]

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DRAFT

Contents

1. Aims ....................................................................................................................................... 3

2. Legislation and statutory requirements ................................................................................... 3

3. Definitions .............................................................................................................................. 3

4. Bullying .................................................................................................................................. 4

5. Roles and responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 5

6. Pupil code of conduct ............................................................................................................. 5

7. Options for dealing with challenging behaviours ................................................................... 10

8. Behaviour management ....................................................................................................... 11

9. Pupil transition ..................................................................................................................... 13

10. Training .............................................................................................................................. 13

11. Monitoring arrangements ................................................................................................... 13

12. Links with other policies ..................................................................................................... 13

Appendix 1: written statement of behaviour principles .............................................................. 14

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

1. Aims

This policy aims to:

• Provide a consistent approach to behaviour management

• Define what we consider to be prosocial and pro-learning behaviour

• Outline how pupils are expected to behave – School/Class Charter

• Summarise the roles and responsibilities of different people in the school community with regards to behaviour management

2. Legislation and statutory requirements

This policy is based on advice from the Department for Education (DfE) on:

• Behaviour and discipline in schools

• Searching, screening and confiscation at school

• The Equality Act 2010

• Use of reasonable force in schools

• Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school

It is also based on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice.

In addition, this policy is based on:

• Schedule 1 of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014; paragraph 7 outlines a school’s duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, paragraph 9 requires the school to have a written behaviour policy and paragraph 10 requires the school to have an anti-bullying strategy

• DfE guidance explaining that academies should publish their behaviour policy and anti-bullying Policy online

3. Definitions

At Heron Park Primary Academy we believe that it is important for everyone to feel safe, happy and able to learn at their best. The ultimate aim is that all children are able to exhibit prosocial and pro-learning behaviours.

Prosocial is defined as:

Relating to or denoting behaviour which is positive, helpful, and intended to promote social acceptance and friendship.

Pro-learning is defined as:

Relating to behaviours that promote the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught – children have a right to be taught in an environment conducive to learning; without distraction and/or disruption.

Restorative Justice is defined as:

A practice that brings those harmed by crime or conflict and those responsible for the harm into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.

At Heron Park Primary Academy Restorative Justice means that the child is supported to empathise with the needs of others and think through what needs to happen to address any negative impact their actions may have had on others.

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Anti-social and anti-learning behaviours are defined as:

• Disruption in lessons, in corridors between lessons, and at break and lunchtimes

• Non-completion of classwork or homework

• Poor attitude

• Incorrect uniform

Serious anti-social and anti-learning behaviours are defined as:

• Repeated breaches of the school rules

• Any form of bullying

• Sexual assault, which is any unwanted sexual behaviour that causes humiliation, pain, fear or intimidation

• Vandalism

• Theft

• Fighting

• Smoking

• Racist, sexist, homophobic or discriminatory behaviour

• Possession of any prohibited items. These are:

o Knives or weapons

o Alcohol

o Illegal drugs

o Stolen items

o Tobacco and cigarette papers

o Fireworks

o Pornographic images

o Any article a staff member reasonably suspects has been, or is likely to be, used to commit an offence, or to cause personal injury to, or damage to the property of, any person (including the pupil)

4. Bullying

Bullying is defined as the repetitive, intentional harming of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power.

Bullying is, therefore:

• Deliberately hurtful

• Repeated, often over a period of time

• Difficult to defend against

Bullying can include:

Type of bullying Definition

Emotional Being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting

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Physical Hitting, kicking, pushing, taking another’s belongings, any use of violence

Racial Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures

Sexual Explicit sexual remarks, display of sexual material, sexual gestures, unwanted physical attention, comments about sexual reputation or performance, or inappropriate touching

Direct or indirect verbal Name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing

Cyber-bullying Bullying that takes place online, such as through social networking sites, messaging apps or gaming sites

Details of our school’s approach to preventing and addressing bullying are set out in Aurora Academy Trust’s (AAT’s) Anti-Bullying Policy.

5. Roles and responsibilities

5.1 The governing board

The Local Academy Board (LAB) is responsible for monitoring this behaviour policy’s effectiveness and holding the headteacher to account for its implementation.

5.2 The headteacher

The headteacher is responsible for reviewing and approving this behaviour policy.

The headteacher will ensure that the school environment encourages positive behaviour and that staff deal effectively with poor behaviour in line with this policy, and will monitor staff implementation to ensure strategies are applied consistently.

5.3 Staff

Staff are responsible for:

• Implementing the behaviour policy consistently – using the flow chart to work through procedures

• Showing unconditional positive regard at all times

• Modelling prosocial and pro-learning behaviours

• Providing a personalised approach to the specific behavioural needs of particular pupils

• Recording behaviour incidents on the school’s Child Protection Monitoring System (CPOMS)

The senior leadership team will support staff in responding to behaviour incidents.

5.4 Parents

Parents are expected to:

• Support their child in adhering to the School Charter

• Inform the school of any changes in circumstances that may affect their child’s behaviour

• Discuss any behavioural concerns with the class teacher promptly

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Staff/Classroom Responsibilities

Unconditional positive regard for

all.

Carefully differentiated work appropriate to the child’s needs.

GEMS Pro-social and pro-

learning Class Charter

Happy and safe learning environment verbal warning given—

behaviour beginning to de-regulate

Behaviour continues to de-regulate.

Quick follow-up. Use clean questioning. Can

the child turn things around? (CT)

Follow up by CT—Use clean questioning and

5 point approach

Behaviour continues to de-regulate.

Follow up by CT—Use clean questioning and

5 point approach

Behaviour becomes deregulated, violent or abusive to either staff

or children.

Parents informed

SLT— follow up

using 5 point approach etc

Working out of the classroom

Possible external

exclusion

Parents involved

Regular lessons on pro-social and pro-

learning skills (weekly)

Scaffolding put in place whilst pro-

social/pro-leaning skills are mastered

Meet with children to resolve friendship/relationship issues — Empowerment

approach — clean feedback/Working Out Windows/Chair swap

10 minutes ‘time out’ (with timer)

Then either return to class or go to SLT

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Support Staff Responsibilities

(not in the classroom)

GEMS Children are happy and

safe.

verbal warning given—behaviour beginning to

de-regulate

Behaviour continues to de-regulate.

Quick follow-up. Use clean questioning. Can

the child turn things around? (CT)

Follow up by member of staff dealing with the incident—Use

clean questioning and 5 point approach

Behaviour continues to de-regulate.

Follow up by CT—Use clean questioning and

5 point approach

Behaviour becomes deregulated, violent or abusive to either staff

or children.

Parents informed

SLT—follow up

using 5 point approach etc

Scaffolding put in place whilst pro-

social/pro-leaning skills are mastered

Pass on to class teacher or SLT as appropriate.

Behaviour becomes deregulated, violent or abusive to either staff

or children.

Unconditional positive regard for

all.

10 minutes ‘time out’ (with timer)

Then either return to class or go to SLT

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Continued SLT

involvement

Working out of the classroom

Possible external

exclusion

(Individual plan)

Meeting around the child

Class team

Parents

Behaviour Lead

SENDCo

SSO

The child

Risk assessment

Support plan

Pro-learning and prosocial skills

group

Restorative justice

opportunities

scaffolding in place alternative learning area— playground

timetable, etc

Additional needs plan Front Door referral

Paediatric referral—MIG form EHCP ESBAS

involvement

External exclusion

Working out of the classroom

Permanent exclusion

What are the triggers/

barriers/missing skills?

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6. Heron Park School Charter

1. At Heron Park Primary Academy all children have the right to feel safe and happy so they can learn at their best

2. At Heron Park Primary Academy all children have the responsibility to make sure that the people around us also feel safe and happy and can learn at their best.

Pro-Social Skills

• Respect people’s personal space

• Stay calm in tricky situations

• Treat others with respect

• Always use kind words

Pro-learning Skills

• Use inside voices when in the classroom

• Never be afraid to make mistakes

• Concentrate on my own work

• Always persevere

7. Options for dealing with challenging behaviours.

7.1 When children meet/don’t meet expectations:

Positive behaviour will be recognised with:

• Praise

• Gems

• Letters or phone calls home to parents

The school may use one or more of the following options in response to challenging behaviours.

• A verbal reprimand and brief follow-up

• 5-point follow-up

• ‘Time-out’

• Mediation and problem solving to resolve issues around learning and relationships

• Letters or phone calls home to parents

• Agreeing with the child and their parent/carer a way forward

• Restorative Justice

• Part-time timetable (temporary)

• Working in a different space (temporarily)

• Fixed term exclusion (see exclusion policy)

• Permanent exclusion (see exclusion policy)

7.2 Off-site behaviour

If a pupil has seriously misbehaved or displayed unsafe behaviours off-site when representing the school, such as on a school trip or on a bus on the way to or from school it may be necessary to exclude that child from a further off-site activity for safeguarding reasons.

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7.3 Malicious allegations

Where a pupil makes an accusation against a member of staff and that accusation is shown to have been malicious, the headteacher will have a discussion with the pupil in accordance with this policy.

Please refer to our Safeguarding Policy for more information on responding to allegations of abuse.

The headteacher will also consider the pastoral needs of staff accused of misconduct.

8. Behaviour management

We know from neuroscience that when children deregulate, the areas of the brain responsible for rational thinking, reasoning and problem solving are blocked. This means the first priority is to regulate the child; this

will only work by showing empathy and support – even when a child has done things we don’t agree with!

Showing support and empathy doesn’t mean we have to condone the action.

We also know that responsive, positive relationships are crucial to long term well-being and success (see Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families, Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2017) http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu) .

When children feel bad and identify as ‘bad’, their responses can worsen into a spiral; in many schools,

children become trapped in the ‘punishment cycle’. It is therefore crucial that adults always respond calmly

and supportively so that a child’s self-concept is protected.

However, we recognise that maintaining high expectations in a class is crucial; it is therefore vital that there remains a consistently tight focus on the importance of pro-social and pro-learning skills. When a child doesn’t meet expectations, the adult should make sure other children know that these are so important that

the children who aren’t managing them will be given lots of extra help, just like someone in reading might

receive if they are struggling.

8.1 Classroom management

Teaching and support staff are responsible for setting the tone and context for positive behaviour within the classroom.

They will:

• Show UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD for ALL children at ALL times

• Work with the children so that they have a thorough understanding of the School Charter and know what their rights and responsibilities regarding this are. This charter will be referred to when children are finding regulating their behaviour challenging

• Plan and prepare so that all children can achieve their best. Create and maintain a stimulating environment that encourages pupils to be engaged – including those with learning needs.

• Use the 5-point response and refer to the class charter if a child appears to be deregulating.

• Develop a positive relationship with pupils, which may include:

o Modelling prosocial and pro-learning behaviours

o Establishing clear routines

o Communicating expectations of behaviour in ways other than verbally

o Ensuring that all issues are followed up calmly

o Highlighting and promoting good behaviour

o Concluding the day positively and starting the next day afresh

o Having a plan for dealing with low-level disruption – including discovering triggers and barriers

o Using positive reinforcement

• Teachers might feel they need to refer a child to SLT for a Monitoring for Success card to support behaviour in class and around the school. Monitoring for Success cards emphasise the positive aspects of a child’s behaviour on a daily basis.

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8.2 Physical restraint

In some circumstances, staff may use reasonable force to restrain a pupil to prevent them:

• Hurting themselves or others

• Damaging property

Incidents of physical restraint must:

• Always be used as a last resort

• Be applied using the minimum amount of force and for the minimum amount of time possible

• Be used in a way that maintains the safety and dignity of all concerned

• Never be used as a form of punishment

• Be recorded on CPOMS and reported to parents

8.3 Confiscation

Any prohibited items (listed in section 3) found in pupils’ possession will be confiscated. These items will not be returned to pupils.

We will also confiscate any item which is harmful or detrimental to school discipline. These items will be returned to pupils after discussion with senior leaders and parents, if appropriate.

Searching and screening pupils is conducted in line with the DfE’s latest guidance on searching, screening and confiscation. (See AAT Searching and Screening Policy)

8.4 Pupil support

The school recognises its legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to prevent pupils with a protected characteristic from being at a disadvantage. Consequently, our approach to challenging behaviour may be differentiated to cater to the needs of the pupil.

When a child isn’t managing, the 5-Point Response will be used to help get them back on track and they will

be reminded of the needs of the adult and others in the class. The focus will be on regulation, protecting self-esteem, developing emotional intelligence and collaborative problem-solving (see Dr S Ablon, The School Discipline Fix, 2018).

If a child’s actions are stopping others from learning or putting others at risk, of course it isn’t appropriate for

the child to remain in the class. However, how this is communicated will be very different – it will be in a

supportive and calm manner emphasising that the adult needs to help the child find a place to be where they and others around them can feel good and successful. The intention will be to secure the best achievement

for all children – the child and the rest of the class.

A Skills Focus

This approach is also far more concerned and rigorous about children making progress in the skills that are preventing them from meeting the learning charter in the first place. This differs from traditional behaviour policies that assume sanctions alone will help children to make progress.

What happens if this 5-Point Response Plan doesn’t work and a child continues to fail to meet

expectations on the charter?

Every child deserves to feel safe, happy and be able to learn. It is therefore vital that, if a pupil in the class is putting this at risk, the right support is put in place so that other children are protected.

If use of the a) 5 Point Response Plan b) work on the missing skills and c) scaffolds and adjustments to help

whilst these are still developing isn’t proving sufficient, it may be the child needs different provision whilst

they develop the necessary skills.

This might be an alternative timetable with shorter sessions in class for tasks in which they are able to achieve well along with sessions within the Nurture or similar room to practise key executive function skills; it

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might also include working within other contexts in the school, such as in younger classes (if appropriate) or other departments where the child can build confidence and skills. In all contexts, the specific skills which will be a focus to build should be explicit, decided with the child and progress tracked.

The school’s special educational needs co-ordinator will evaluate a pupil who exhibits challenging behaviour to determine whether they have any underlying needs that are not currently being met.

Where necessary, support and advice will also be sought from specialist teachers, an educational psychologist, medical practitioners and/or others, to identify or support specific needs.

When acute needs are identified in a pupil, we will liaise with external agencies and plan support programmes for that child. We will work with parents to create the plan and review it on a regular basis.

9. Pupil transition

To ensure a smooth transition to the next year, pupils have transition sessions with their new teacher. In addition, staff members hold transition meetings.

Pupils transferring to secondary school will have transitions days planned for them by their future school – if it is felt that a child would benefit from extra transition sessions with their new school the Special Needs Coordinator will arrange this with her counterpart in that school

To ensure behaviour is continually monitored and the right support is in place, information related to pupil behaviour issues may be transferred to relevant staff at the start of the term or year. Information on behaviour issues may also be shared with new settings for those pupils transferring to other schools.

10. Training

Our staff are provided with training on managing behaviour, as part of their induction process.

Behaviour management will also form part of continuing professional development.

Behaviour audits will be carried out regularly both by class teachers and the Senior Leadership Team. Audits will be analysed and further training developed to secure continuous improvement.

11. Monitoring arrangements

This behaviour policy will be reviewed by the headteacher and LAB every 2 Years. At each review, the policy will be approved by the headteacher.

12. Links with other policies

This behaviour policy is linked to the following policies:

• Safeguarding policy

• Exclusions policy (AAT)

• Anti-Bullying Policy (AAT)

• Searching and Screening Policy (AAT)

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Appendix 1: written statement of behaviour principles

• Every pupil understands they have the right to feel safe, valued and respected, and learn free from the disruption of others

• All pupils, staff and visitors are free from any form of discrimination

• Staff and volunteers set an excellent example to pupils at all times

• Rewards, sanctions and reasonable force are used consistently by staff, in line with the behaviour policy

• The behaviour policy is understood by pupils and staff

• The exclusions policy explains that exclusions will only be used as a last resort, and outlines the processes involved in permanent and fixed-term exclusions

• Pupils are helped to take responsibility for their actions

• Families are involved in behaviour incidents to foster good relationships between the school and pupils’ home life

The LAB also emphasises that violence or threatening behaviour will not be toler