ST FRANCIS PRIMARY SCHOOL

PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR and DISCIPLINE POLICY

RATIONALE

In St Francis Primary and Nursery Class we foster an ethos of mutual respect – adult for child, child for adult, adult for adult, child for child and the caring atmosphere in the school reflects this. We encourage children to be responsible for their own self-discipline and to take a pride in themselves and the school.We strive to ensure each child receives his/her education in a safe and non-disruptive environment. In partnership with parents we aim to promote positive behaviour in our children, thus enhancing the caring, understanding ethos of our school.School rules and disciplinary procedures are formed in consultation with the children to maintain their safety and to help create an environment which is conducive to effective learning and teaching.

School discipline is a common responsibility shared by all staff, children and parents. In dealing with discipline early intervention, when possible is a key strategy.

AIMS

It is in partnership with staff, children and parents that the school seeks to:-

foster respect for all

develop positive behaviour and good habits

maintain good order in the running of the school

ensure safety,health and well-being in the workplace for all children and staff

encourage a sense of responsibility and self discipline in our children

to provide a secure educational environment in which children learn

Promoting good conduct

‘Promoting Positive Behaviour’ is a resource available in school to support staff in dealing with a variety of situations. This resource is located in the CPD room.

Promoting positive behaviour is the approach taken in St Francis School and the STRATEGIES andREWARD SYSTEM in place is as follows:

  • Children follow the Golden Rules, class and school rules as agreed
  • Children have the opportunity to choose appropriate Golden Time activities
  • Golden time activities – best behaved have first choice; children can suggest activities
  • Circle time activities – opportunity for children to have a voice
  • Good behaviour is awarded by class teachers by issuing a praise card which the pupil will retain for a short time (1 or 2 days).
  • When a pupil has been awarded five praise cards then that pupil will merit a praise certificate. These certificates will be issued by the Head Teacher at school assemblies on a monthly basis.
  • Praise Assemblies monthly to encourage and celebrate personal success and achievement
  • A Class System is in place to raise levels of attendance at school. Each week children receive a star if they have managed to attend school all week. At the end of the month those children who have full attendance are awarded a praise card
  • Each week the class with the highest level of attendance is presented with a trophy and a head teacher’s award certificate. Each term the class with best attendance receives a special treat

Most children make every effort to work and behave well.

Children’s Responsibilities

  • Responsibility Chart
  • Care of books, materials and equipment is to be emphasised at all times
  • At break/ home times children should leave desk / table - tops tidy and pick up anything dropped under their table
  • Children are expected to line up quietly and walk quietly up / down stairs and along the corridors (escorted by their teacher)
  • Children are encouraged to put all litter in the bin and care for the environment
  • No wearing of team colours at any time (no exceptions even for P.E)

It is helpful to consider the following points when indiscipline occurs and is being met with sanctions. Sanctions should:

  • be reasonable
  • not be given for any child’s inability to learn
  • not be contrary to the authority’s guidelines
  • have regard for the law e.g. supervision
  • not include withdrawal from curricular areas e.g. Physical Education, Music

School discipline is a common responsibility shared by all staff members.

Good discipline begins with good order when children gather in the playground in the morning and after breaks in the course of the day.

On collecting children from the playground classes should enter the building systematically, class by class, and with stopping points on the way to classrooms.

The head teacher and depute head teacher are always available to support staff having problems with disciplining some children.This ‘hierarchical’ approach is extremely valuable in dealing with a range of offences.

Where serious offences are committed by certain children then the head teacher will enlist the support of the parents of these children and, when necessary also refer them to the school Educational Psychologist.

PROCEDURE

Class teachers will deal with minor misdemeanours and when deemed necessary these incidents recorded by the class teacher stating the offences, dating them and giving a brief mention of the manner in which the incident has been dealt with i.e. what have you done to deal with the offence? A suitable class sanction would be the loss of golden time or a written exercise to be completed at home.

Persistent offenders and those children guilty of misdemeanours of a more serious nature will be referred to the head teacher or depute head teacher who will take one of the following courses of action:

  1. give the offender a stern warning
  2. lunchtime time out with HT/DHT
  3. have the offender put in writing
  4. the nature of the offence
  5. the reasons for his/her behaviour
  6. the kind of behaviour expected by a pupil in this school
  7. a firm commitment that unacceptable behaviour will not be repeated

The pupil will be required to do this at home, have it signed by his/her parents and return it to the appropriate staff member.

d. exclude the offending pupil from school trips or have privileges withdrawn in

the interest of the health and safety of others.

e. Head Teacher may exclude pupils from school in serious cases of indiscipline.

Exclusion from St Francis School will be seen as a last resort but when serious anti-social or threatening behaviour has taken place or when the learning of others has been constantly disrupted exclusion is a clear option.

Action of this kind will be carried out in line with Glasgow City Education Department procedures outlined in Management Circular 8.

SERIOUS INDISCIPLINE / NOTABLE INDISCIPLINE
Fighting in the classroom / Continual talking in class inappropriately
Deliberate scratching / Continual distraction of other pupils
The use of bad language / Continual ‘shouting out’
Vandalism of any kind / A constant irritation
Threatening behaviour towards a teacher
Leaving (running) from school without permission
Serious repetition of notable offences

THE ROLE OF THE PARENTS

As we work in partnership with parents, the support of parents will be sought at various points in the above procedures. This includes parents of pupils whose wrong doing is minor but regular.

Contact with parents regarding serious indiscipline will be made by the head teacher or depute head teacher.

This system will be monitored and reviewed on an on-going basis.

SaintFrancisPrimary School Revised August 2009