Policy Statement for Behaviour 2009

 

 

 

Holymead Infant School

 

 

Policy Statement for Behaviour

 

 

2009

 

 

Rationale

This policy aims to promote continuity and progression in behaviour management throughout Holymead Infant and Junior Schools .  We will work together to promote a positive school atmosphere and a sense of community in which all members may have the opportunity to realise the highest standards of achievement and behaviour.  Children should become aware of their responsibilities to themselves, to others and to their environment leading to a culture of supportive and independent learning.

 

 

 

Purposes/aims

 

• To promote an atmosphere in which effective learning may take place
• To create a friendly, caring and secure environment in which our children may develop a sense of pride in themselves, their achievements and their school
• To ensure the promotion of equality of opportunity for all pupils
• To develop in our pupils a responsible attitude to themselves, other people and their property
• To ensure the safety of all members of both schools
• To promote respect for all members of both communities

 

 

 

Guidelines

• All staff need to be involved in ensuring that our children develop positive attitudes and modes of behaviour
• All staff must realise their position as a role model for appropriate behaviour
• All children need to be involved in maintaining the rules
• All rules should be seen to be fair and applied consistently yet flexibly, taking into account individual circumstances
• Expectations should be phrased positively e.g. “walk slowly” rather than “don’t run”
• Staff need to use a quiet and calm manner
• Expectations need to be high and surprise or disappointment when these are not realised can help build self-discipline
• Sanctions for inappropriate behaviour should be clear and applied consistently (see sanctions)
• Sanctions for work expectations should also be clear
• Sanctions should be appropriate, fair and relevant
• Punishment should not humiliate but allow the child to learn from their mistakes
• Allow time for discussion and reflection on what has happened

 

 

Code of Conduct

 

Pupils should be involved in the rule making process.  The rules need to cover the things such as:

• Listening to adults and each other
• Treating adults and each other with respect
• Being kind and tolerant
• Trying to do our best
• Helping others to learn
• Working appropriately e.g. quietly and sensibly/independently or collaboratively

   

• Playing appropriately e.g. sharing, not hurting others
• Keeping hands and feet to ourselves
• Looking after the school environment and respecting property
• Upholding the rules agreed
• Sanctions when the rules are broken

 

 

 

 

 

 

A child’s entitlement in school is:

• To feel safe and secure
• To be happy
• To have opportunities for positive learning and healthy development
• To have equal opportunities e.g. taking turns on the equipment
• To have own personal space and feel respected
• To have access to adults who can deal with issues in a fair and consistent manner
• In KS2 to have access to child mediators as well as adults

 

 

 

 

 

 

An adult’s entitlement in school

• To feel safe and secure
• To be happy
• To have opportunities for learning and development
• To have equal opportunities
• To feel respected
• To be supported appropriately
• To be able to carry out the duties relating to one’s job in an appropriate working environment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emergency Cards

An emergency card should be situated in every class room in order for help to be summoned quickly in the event of an emergency e.g. child out of control or a collapsed member of staff.

 

 

 

Rewards

 

Pupils should receive appropriate recognition for good work or behaviour.  Rewarding good behaviour is usually far more effective than punishing bad behaviour.  Rewards and praise are more effective when they are specific as they help the child to focus on how to do things better in the future e.g.  “I could hear every word that you read so clearly”, is better than “You read well”.  The following rewards are used in the infants and juniors:

• Verbal or written praise
• Stickers, smiley faces
• Individual certificates for work, attitudes, behaviour and attendance-receiving praise in assembly
• Specific class rewards given by individual teachers (not class certificates)
• Sent to the head teacher for doing something particularly well
• Parents spoken to/phone call home

In Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 children’s good work and behaviour is recorded in the praise book and the children receive recognition in assembly and a sticker to show parents. Children’s names are displayed on the achievement wall in the entrance hall.

In KS2 consistent good behaviour is regarded by invitation to the prestigious head teacher’s tea party which takes place in terms 2, 4 & 6.  All children receive 30 minutes Golden Time per week with rewards/activities to be negotiated between the class teachers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sanctions

The sanctions’ structure has been discussed and accepted by the whole school communities of the infant and junior schools.  We expect pupils to realise that good behaviour is rewarded and bad behaviour results in sanctions.

 

 

 

The nature and severity of a pupil’s breach of our Code of Conduct will determine at which level the child is reprimanded in the following guidelines for Sanctions.

 

 

 

Sanctions for class time

 

 

 

Step 1. The child is reminded of the Code of Conduct/School Rules and is reprimanded by the member of staff who witnessed the incident.  This member of staff should inform the child’s class teacher who may reinforce disapproval of the inappropriate behaviour.

 

 

 

Step 2.  If the child misbehaves again they can be moved to work by themselves and warned that they will be removed from the class if they misbehave again.  Foundation Stage, have a thinking mat to allow the child to consider their behaviour/actions for a period of two minutes.

 

 

 

Step 3.  A further infringement should result in the child being sent to a partner class.

In Foundation Stage and KS1 parents will be informed of the errant behaviour on that day.

 

 

 

Sanctions for lunch time in Foundation Stage and KS1 (infants)

 

 

 

Step 1.  Is the same as Step 1 above.

 

 

 

Step 2.  If the child misbehaves, he/she is sent to the head teacher and will lose his/her playtime.

 

 

 

Step 3.  If the child repeatedly misbehaves the child’s name is recorded in the head’s Behaviour Book.  If a child’s name repeatedly appears in the Behaviour Book then parents are contacted.

 

 

 

Step 4.  Severe breach of the Code of Conduct may result in lunch time exclusions.  These can be informal in the first instance arranged with parents but will follow the formal Bristol Exclusion Procedure if behaviour continues to be unacceptable or is particularly severe.

 

 

 

Sanctions for lunch time in KS2 (juniors)

 

 

 

Step 1.  Is the same as Step 1 above.

 

 

 

Step 2.  A system of lunch time detentions operates accordingly to a time-table which is clearly displayed around the school.  Children are sent to detention for the following reasons:

• Inappropriate behaviour on the playground
• A need for time out to calm down
• Behaviour issues during assembly
• Inappropriate eating habits/behaviour in the dining halls
• Any other issues relating to out of class situations

 

 

 

Step 3.  If a child receives two or more detention/yellow cards in one week a letter is sent home to inform parents of their misconduct.

 

 

 

Step 4.  If a child continues to receive multiple detentions/yellow cards over a short period of time a letter will be sent to the parents asking them to attend a formal meeting with the head teacher or behaviour co-ordinator and class teacher.  At this stage the child will be put on a behaviour card to monitor/encourage an improvement in the child’s behaviour.

 

 

 

Step 5.  Is the same as Step 4 for Foundation Stage KS1.  Severe breach of the Code of Conduct may result in lunch time exclusions.  These can be informal in the first instance arranged with parents but will follow the formal Bristol Exclusion Procedure if behaviour continues to be unacceptable or is particularly severe.

 

 

 

After School Detention

After school detention in the junior school (KS2) follows the local authority’s procedures for detaining children after school hours.  Parents will be informed in advance if their child is subject to an after school detention.  A copy of this procedure entitled ‘Advice and Guidance to Schools and Local Authorities on Managing Behaviour and Attendance: the legal framework for school discipline’ can be requested from the junior school office.

After school detention is not felt appropriate at infant level and therefore is not used as a sanction in the infant school (FS and KS1).

 

 

 

Exclusions

 

When a child verbally/physically abuses an adult/child or is involved in a serious incident the head teacher will follow the LA Guidance for exclusions.

 

 

 

Restraint

Holymead Infant and Junior Schools have adopted the local authority ‘Policy and Procedures for Dealing with Unacceptable Behaviour and Positive Handling’.  Under recent legislation staff may use ‘reasonable force’ to restrain children or adults who are causing or likely to cause harm to themselves or others.  Adults in school are expected to be trained in appropriate ways to handle and restrain children and defend themselves against aggressive adults.  The following guidelines are a brief summary of the local authority guidelines on touch and restraint:

• Physical intervention should be to avert an immediate danger of injury to any person or immediate danger to the property of any person
• No more force should be used than is reasonably necessary in the circumstances
• Physical restraint should only be used when all other alternatives have failed
• The head teacher or senior teacher should be summoned as soon as possible
• The level and duration of restraint should be as little as necessary to restore safety in the situation.
• There must be no deliberate hitting or inflicting of pain
• There must be no pressure to the throat or chest.  Handling must not restrict breathing
• Weight must not be applied to the spine, across the chest or in the abdominal area
• There must be no touching in the chest, buttocks or genital areas
• Verbal reassurance should be continually offered to lower the person’s anger or distress
• Children should not be restrained on the ground but rather between two adults on chairs as demonstrated in training

 

 

 

Any incident of restraint should be reported to the head teacher and a record made.  The record should include:

• Details of when and where the incident took place
• Circumstances/factors which led to the incident
• The duration and nature of physical restraint
• The names of anyone involved including witnesses
• A description of any injury sustained by pupils or adults and any medical attention needed
• A description of any action taken after the incident

 

 

 

Touch

It may be appropriate to touch or hold a child at certain times.  It would be deemed appropriate to touch pupils in the following circumstances:

• Giving a hug or cuddle if a child is in distress or unwell
• When a child needs help dressing e.g. for PE
• Changing a child when they’ve had an accident (under the supervision of two members of staff)
• Guiding a child to a space
• When a child’s attention needs to be directed
• When first aid needs to be given

 

 

 

It would be deemed unacceptable to touch a child

• In genital or private areas
• If they don’t want physical contact
• If there have been previous issues with physical contact
• If cultural background prohibits it

 

 

 

Children need to be informed that there are acceptable and unacceptable ways to touch adults or other children, including not hitting, kicking or touching in private areas.

 

 

 

In the event of restraint or inappropriate touch, the head teacher/chair of governors will determine whether there should be further action.  The head teacher should inform parents/carers and the chair of governors where necessary, and the subsequent outcome recorded.  Child Protection Procedures should be followed.

 

 

 

Monitoring and Evaluating the Policy

Comparing the monitoring to the purposes and guidelines ensures the effectiveness of the policy.  Ways of monitoring the policy are set out here:

• Seek pupils’ views e.g.. through circle time, assembly, school council meetings
• Report pupils’ and adults’ views at staff meetings
• Monitor children’s behaviour and work and give age appropriate feedback-verbal at infants and written in juniors where necessary
• Monitoring children’s appearance in Praise Book or Behaviour Book etc
• Training to use appropriate methods of restraint and touch needs to be continuously updated and practised

 

 

 

Discussed at combined staff meetings of Infant and Junior Schools 2008.

Updated 2009