Behaviour and Discipline Policy

Read St John’s CE Primary School – Behaviour and Discipline Policy

BEHAVIOUR AND DISCIPLINE POLICY

Behaviour statement

For children to flourish we feel we must aim to provide an environment where they have positive role models and where adults treat children and each other with respect and courtesy.

In all aspects of our work, with both children and adults, we believe that children should see adults demonstrating and modelling: positive attitudes and behaviours along with values that reflect: fairness, honesty, respect, responsibility, perseverance, forgiveness, kindness, generosity, compassion.

We recognise that children may need support in identifying behaviour that is acceptable in our School. We will use an approach that emphasises positive reinforcement of expected behaviours.

We will take an assertive approach to unacceptable behaviour whilst being alert to any injustice ensuring that children see that this is dealt with quickly and in a fair manner.

Mission

Read CE Primary School endeavours to provide a caring, and enriching environment in which each child is encouraged to reach their full potential whilst inspiring them to develop a love for learning and learning to love.

This is underpinned by the Christian values of:

UHonesty

URespect

UResponsibility

UPerseverance

UForgiveness

UKindness

UGenerosity

UCompassion

Producing, we hope, children who leave us well equipped to be responsible citizens of the future.

The school expects high standards of acceptable and considerate social behaviour both in and out of the classroom. Children should be encouraged by the use of praise to have a caring attitude to others and to be well mannered and courteous.

It is the responsibility of staff to pre-empt situations that may provoke bad behaviour eg. leaving children unattended at the end of break-times or with insufficient/inappropriate activities to complete.

Corporal punishment shall never be used under any circumstance - it is illegal.

Everyone in this school is important and we endeavour to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and support. We as a staff aim to have a consistent, united approach to the maintenance of discipline in this school. We set high standards of acceptable behaviour and we encourage and promote self-discipline. The staff have a positive approach to behavioural management which is promoted through praise and rewards for work and behaviour these are celebrated in a weekly assembly on Fridays.

Class teachers will have their own system of rewards in their classrooms. Any form of bullying, both physical and verbal, or any form of aggression between pupils is treated with the utmost severity. We regard parents as active partners in the management of positive behaviour. Should the need arise, parents would always be invited to school to discuss any serious or recurring behavioural difficulties.

Everyone in school should know what is expected of them and operate within a clear framework of what is acceptable in terms of behaviour, attitude and activity.

This policy outlines those expectations.

Pupils will be encouraged to have an input into the organisation of the school and to be treated with the same respect and consideration which is expected of them.

Aims

At Read St John’s School we will:-

· show care and concern for others at all times

· note and reward all positive attitudes and behaviour

· do nothing to cause distress or injury to anyone else

· create an environment where everyone feels safe and secure

· make the contents of this policy clear and acceptable to parents, pupils and staff.

Objectives of Policy

· to have a clear statement about bullying and to provide guidelines on how to deal with it

· to have an agreed code of conduct and simple rules for all

· to have appropriate rewards and sanctions for behaviour in school

· to provide a forum for pupils to share and consider behavioural issues

· to provide good role models in real life, through social and moral themes in assembly and in RE lessons

· to improve communications and involvement between school and parents

· to maintain a regular review of this and other related policies.

Bullying

What is Bullying?

Bullying is behaviour by an individual or group, repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally. Bullying can take many forms (for instance, cyber-bullying via text messages or the internet), and is often motivated by prejudice against particular groups, for example on grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or because a child is adopted or has caring responsibilities. It might be motivated by actual differences between children, or perceived differences. Stopping violence and ensuring immediate physical safety is obviously a school’s first priority but emotional bullying can be more damaging than physical; teachers and schools have to make their own judgements about each specific case.

The school’s anti-bullying policy clearly states what we believe bullying to be and how each of us should deal with it.

Persistent and malicious teasing, name-calling, racism or fighting can be called bullying and will not be tolerated.

Code of Conduct Home School Agreement

Whilst each class may devise its own particular code of conduct for the agreed and acceptable behaviour of its own members the overall philosophy will be made clear in a whole-school code of conduct to which all school personnel, parents and visitors will be expected to conform.

· at all times be polite in speech and action – do not interrupt, shout or disobey

· make sure your behaviour does not stop others from learning or playing

· control you feelings so that no-one else is hurt or upset

· take pride in yourself, your work and your school

· be punctual, dress correctly and show good manners

· do nothing to damage school or others’ property

· the Code of Conduct is displayed around the school.

· parents will be asked to sign the The Home School Agreement

Rewards

Good behaviour, helpful attitudes and real effort and progress in work will be recognised and acknowledged in one or more of the following ways:-

· verbal and written praise

· letters home

· certificates

· positive marks and comments on work

· show of work in assembly

· choices

· special privileges

· posts of responsibility

· prizes for sport / attendance / special achievements.

Sanctions

Corporal punishment shall never be used under any circumstance - it is illegal.

The school will make every effort to promote good behaviour but, where a child’s behaviour is unacceptable and a school rule or the code of conduct is challenged, the class teacher, Lunchtime Supervisor or Head Teacher may find it necessary to impose one or more of the following sanctions:-

· verbal warning

· name in behaviour book

· miss playtime (to finish work etc.)

· sit on own at lunchtime - staff will allow reasonable time for pupils to eat drink and use the toilet.

· go home for lunch

· work sent home

· sent to another classroom

· sent to KS co-ordinator

· sent to Deputy Head

· parents contacted

· loss of privileges

· detention

· report

· special needs intervention / behavioural support

· exclusion period.

Unacceptable behaviour may include:- poor work, inappropriate noises, interrupting, challenging, confrontational attitude, disobedience, running in school, threats, fighting, bullying, bad manners, swearing, rudeness, racism, homophobia, destroying property, stealing.

In line with the summary document Ensuring good behaviour in schools DfE 2012 this policy acknowledges that:-

· Teachers have statutory authority to discipline pupils whose behaviour is unacceptable, who break the school rules or who fail to follow a reasonable instruction (Section 91 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006).

· The power also applies to all paid staff (unless the head teacher says otherwise) with responsibility for pupils, such as teaching assistants.

· Teachers can discipline pupils at any time the pupil is in school or elsewhere under the charge of a teacher, including on school visits.

· Teachers can also discipline pupils for misbehavior outside school.

· Teachers have a specific legal power to impose detention outside school hours.

· Teachers can confiscate pupils’ property

· Volunteers may be expected to intervene to prevent accidents or injury, they are expected to inform a paid member of staff of the incident.

Sanctions – conduct outside the school gates

This policy acknowledges that teachers have a statutory power to discipline pupils for misbehaving outside of school premises. Head teachers have a specific statutory power to regulate pupils'

behaviour in these circumstances 'to such an extent as is reasonable.'

In response to all non-criminal bad behaviour and bullying which occurs anywhere off the school

premises and is witnessed by a staff member or reported to the school, the Head Teacher will consider the sanctions and stage point of this policy.

Teachers may discipline for any misbehaviour when the pupil is:

Taking part in any school-organised or school-related activity or:-

· travelling to or from school or

· wearing the school uniform or

· in some other way identifiable as a pupil at the school.

The teacher may also discipline for misbehaviour at any time, whether or not the

conditions above apply, that:

· could have repercussions for the orderly running of the school or

· poses a threat to another pupil or member of the public or could adversely

affect the reputation of the school.

· School staff can search pupils with their consent for any item.

Head teachers and staff authorised by the head teacher have the power to search pupils or their possessions, without consent, where they suspect the pupil has a “prohibited item”.

Prohibited items are:

· knives and weapons

· alcohol

· illegal drugs

· stolen items

· tobacco and cigarette papers and e cigarettes

· fireworks

· pornographic images

· any article that has been or is likely to be used to commit an offence , cause personal injury or damage to property

· any item banned by the school rules which has been identified in the rules as an item which may be searched for.

Confiscated items will be returned to children if appropriate or the parents if not; with the exception weapons and knives and extreme or child pornography which will be handed to the Police. Otherwise it is for the teacher in consultation with the Head Teacher to decide if and when to return an item, or whether to dispose of it.

Use of reasonable force

All school staff have the power to use reasonable force to prevent pupils committing an offence, injuring themselves or others or damaging property, and to maintain good order and discipline in the classroom.

Force is usually used either to control or restrain. It must never be used as a punishment; this is always unlawful.

What is reasonable force?

The term ‘reasonable force’ covers the broad range of actions used by most teachers at some point in their career that involve a degree of physical contact with pupils.

Force is usually used either to control or restrain. This can range from guiding a pupil to safety by the arm through to more extreme circumstances such as breaking up a fight or where a pupil needs to be restrained to prevent violence or injury.

‘Reasonable in the circumstances’ means using no more force than is needed.

Schools generally use force to control pupils and to restrain them.

'Control' means either passive physical contact, such as standing between pupils or blocking a pupil's path, or active physical contact such as leading a pupil by the arm out of a classroom.

'Restraint' means to hold back physically or to bring a pupil under control. It is typically used in more extreme circumstances, for example when two pupils are fighting and refuse to separate without physical intervention. School staff should always try to avoid acting in a way that might cause injury, but in extreme cases it may not always be possible to avoid injuring the pupil.

Who can use reasonable force?

· All members of school staff have a legal power to use reasonable force.

· This power applies to any member of staff at the school. It can also apply to people whom the Head Teacher has temporarily put in charge of pupils such as unpaid volunteers or parents accompanying pupils on a school organised visit.

When can reasonable force be used?

Reasonable force can be used to prevent pupils from hurting themselves or others, from damaging property or from causing disorder.

To control pupils or to restrain them.

The decision on whether or not to physically intervene is down to the professional judgement of the staff member concerned and should always depend on the individual circumstances.

The following list is not exhaustive but provides some examples of situations where reasonable force can and cannot be used.

Schools can use reasonable force to:

· remove disruptive pupils from the classroom where they have refused to follow an instruction to do so;

· prevent a pupil behaving in a way that disrupts a school event or a school trip or visit;

· prevent a pupil leaving the classroom where allowing the pupil to leave would risk their safety or lead to behaviour that disrupts the behaviour of others;

· prevent a pupil from attacking a member of staff or another pupil, or to stop a fight in the playground; and restrain a pupil at risk of harming themselves through physical outbursts.

Read St John’s CE Primary School – Behaviour and Discipline Policy

What will happen if..?

Poor behaviour may be relatively minor or may be considered very serious. Where it is minor this would be classed as being at