School Behaviour Policy

Statement of Intent

The law requires schools to have a written behaviour policy; our aim is to apply it fairly and consistently so that it underpins the social, academic and emotional development of the pupils in our care. Our purpose is to ensure that staff can work with pupils in a caring, stimulating and secure environment so that pupils can learn and develop safely. We encourage parents/carers to be involved in this process and consider this behaviour policy to be owned by all stakeholders. We believe that poor behaviour has to be tackled in order that pupils have the opportunity to learn and that all members of our school community have the right to be working alongside each other in a safe, respectful environment.

Process

  • We consult with and take feedback from parents, pupils, staff and governors, as well as reference any national and local guidance that is relevant (eg. Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021, Thurrock Safeguarding Partnership, SEND Code of Practice 2015);
  • We ensure that our policy is evidenced based, with specific reference to whole school staff training, School Wellbeing Service staff training, Education Endowment Fund Behaviour Toolkit and Department for Education guidance;
  • We use the assess, plan, do, review model – this ensures that we have a robust system for identifying concerning behaviours and keeping appropriate documentation, planning and delivering appropriate interventions (sanctions and support), and reviewing in a timely fashion.

 

School Values

We are Respectful; We are Resilient; We are Curious; We are Conscientious

 

Behaviour expectations – pupils, staff and parent feedback has shaped a set of core expectations which require pupils to :

  • Promote equality and demonstrate respect towards everyone;
  • Refuse to engage in or accept bullying of any sort;
  • Respect the environment, indoors and out, and equipment within the school;
  • Maintain a ‘hands off’ approach to physical contact, and be responsible for ensuring that behaviour is never dangerous for ourselves or others;
  • Always work to the best of their ability across the curriculum, and engage in the opportunities offered to them;
  • Be punctual to school and lessons;
  • Wear the correct uniform and abide by the rules regarding jewellery;
  • Ensure that headphones are never worn in school, and that phones are never accessed during lessons unless specifically instructed by a member of staff;
  • Engage with Googleclassrooms appropriately – completing homework and blended learning through this platform.

A revised Home School Agreement is being developed for September 2022.

Expectations are summarised as follows :

Staff and Trust Pupils Parents
 

To lead by example and model appropriate behaviours.

 

 

To respect, support and care for each other, both in school & the wider community.

 

 

To be aware of and support the school’s values and expectations.

 

To be consistent and fair in dealing with pupils

 

 

To listen to others and respect their opinions, showing empathy and understanding.

 

 

To ensure that pupils come to school regularly, on time, with the appropriate equipment.

 

To encourage pupils to promote the aims and values of the school in their daily lives & community.

 

 

To attend school regularly, on time, ready and equipped to learn and take part in school activities.

 

To keep pupils at home if they are ill and provide the school with a written explanation of the reasons for any absence.

 

 

To have high expectations of all pupils.

 

 

To take responsibility for their own actions and behaviour and fully understand the consequences of poor behaviour on their own and others’ learning experiences.

 

 

To take an active & supportive interest in their child’s work and progress, and to attend arranged meetings at school.

 

To meet the educational, social and emotional needs of the pupils through delivering an appropriate curriculum and individual support where possible.

 

 

To do as instructed by all members of staff (teaching and non teaching) throughout the school day.

 

To provide the school with an emergency contact number and any relevant information to ensure the correct support can be put in place by the school – eg. medical information.

 

 

To encourage regular communication between home and school.

 

 

To be accepting & respectful of others, irrespective of any difference –eg. race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or age.

 

 

To refrain from making any negative comments about the school to pupils or the wider community, including via social media. Please come and speak to us directly if you have a concern or complaint.

 

 

 

Protocols and Practices

  • Behaviour expectations begin before the child arrives at school, and are relevant within the local community on the way to and from school, as well as on the school site and during any fixtures, trips or visits. These expectations include uniform, use of mobile phones/headphones, litter, respectful behaviour towards others and property. Incidents that occur beyond the school site may receive consequences in school if deemed appropriate, and we will always cooperate with the Police and external services in providing any information they require;
  • Pupils are expected to be punctual to school and to individual lessons. Avoidable lateness disrupts learning and therefore sanctions will be applied;
  • Our behaviour expectations are supported by accessible and engaging classroom teaching, alongside appropriate SEND and / or pastoral support. Challenging pupils to be the best versions of themselves, and encouraging them to develop learning resilience by always striving to make a positive effort underlies our ethos and school values. Protected characteristics will always be taken into account if incidents or issues arise, and an appropriate course of action will be based on the needs of the individual and any concern about safety risks;
  • As part of the re-structuring of the behaviour policy we have worked with Student Voice representatives to establish an agreed set of behaviour expectations and a published list of support mechanisms available to pupils, and also sanctions. We have agreed a broad tariff system for sanctions, but will retain the opportunity to personalise interventions for any young person based on their individual circumstances;
  • Student Voice representatives are part of the delivery model for behaviour and emotional support. They act as peer mentors, Wellbeing and Mental Health Champions (following training by the School Wellbeing Service), and Anti Bullying Ambassadors. Pupil responses to the School Wellbeing Service annual survey  also feeds into support & curriculum planning;
  • PSHE – in order that all pupils develop the tools to keep safe, behave appropriately and make informed decisions we have constructed a PSHE/RSE spiral curriculum that gives a wide range of opportunities for personal development. This includes contextual safeguarding measures, knowing how to access support across a range of contexts, and interaction with external services and providers;
  • Staff use Classcharts to maintain appropriate seating plans, and also log positive and negative behaviour points, request on call, record contact with parents and detentions. Parents/carers can access the behaviour points information live via the Classcharts app. We value positive reinforcement as a tool for developing pupils’ self awareness and confidence, and use a range of means to deliver praise – eg. verbal praise, subject reward systems, positive behaviour points, positive contact home, pupil of the week, positions of responsibility & leadership; also, by display of pupil achievements and recognition through the pupil newsletter, and reward events;
  • Interventions to support pupils who may be experiencing difficulty with behaviour management for a wide range of reasons will include time limited interventions such as emotional regulation programmes, self esteem and confidence building, National Online Safety courses, positive relationships programmes, consequential thinking, anxiety programmes and supervised mediation. These programmes may be delivered through a variety of models, by staff such as the Pastoral Managers, Youth Worker, Family Support Worker, SEND staff and the Behaviour Team. Other interventions such as in house counselling and external agency support mechanisms will require referrals which parents will need to give permission for;
  • Staff training – all staff carrying out direct work with pupils have been trained recently in emotion coaching and using trauma and attachment based approaches to learning. We also practise classroom culture strategies which have been developed by staff through the Teaching & Learning team CPD;
  • Parent hub – this has been developed to help parents access information that they can use to support their children. It includes National Online Safety materials, as well as loomed presentations about strategies for supporting young people with protected characteristics;
  • Certain categories of behaviour incidents are monitored and reported to the Trust at regular intervals. These include harmful sexual behaviours (using Hackett’s Traffic Light Risk Tool), peer on peer abuse, bullying, homophobia and Interventions are planned on an individual basis. Safeguarding reports regarding any Prevent, Child Criminal Exploitation or Child Sexual Exploitation concerns are also included in this report;
  • Vertical tutor groups and the programme of learning within them are intended to support growth mindset development, behaviour for learning, social skills development and confidence;
  • Detentions may be used as a sanction by class teachers and House staff. Detentions at breaktime or for up to 10 minutes at the end of the school day may not be communicated to parents, but longer detentions after school will be;
  • Staff will use the ‘On Call’ facility for serious behaviour issues that occur in lessons. The member of the leadership team who attends the call will assess the situation and manage it accordingly. Teaching staff will record the incident on Classcharts and inform the parent/carer;
  • Any items which contravene school expectations or are deemed to be dangerous or disrupt the learning environment may be confiscated, and in some cases will only be returned to a parent/carer;
  • Pupils are expected to use school resources and equipment safely and for its intended purpose. Any concerns about inappropriate use of IT equipment / online resources may lead to a pupil having their access rights removed and, in extreme cases the Police or external services being informed. In the case of school property being damaged, there may be a request for payment if the damage was intentional or due to inappropriate behaviour;
  • Pupils who are demonstrating challenging behaviour will be tracked and reviewed regularly. The report system is used to help a pupil focus on specific areas of behaviour which have been identified as negative, and monitor their progress in changing that behaviour. The reports run alongside interventions where appropriate, and have criteria used by House Leaders to reference the various stages (Tutor report, House Leader report, SLT report). We may also use more specific reports for attendance or uniform issues, and also to support positive behaviours;
  • For a very small number of pupils, more severe sanctions are unfortunately needed. These include isolation with the Behaviour Team (during which time the specific behaviours are addressed), the use of bespoke Behaviour Support Plans (for those at risk of exclusion), and ultimately fixed term exclusions. If a pupil demonstrates persistently disruptive or defiant behaviour they may be required to attend a ROPE (risk of permanent exclusion) meeting, and ultimately may face permanent exclusion. In some cases, a single event (such as the use or distribution of drugs, possession of a weapon in school, or serious physical assault) may lead to permanent exclusion (The school has a separate ‘Exclusions Policy’);
  • Searching a pupil for dangerous items – whilst it is rarely necessary, it is important that we have clear protocols in place in order to keep everyone safe. Pupils may be asked to enable staff to search their belongings and clothing for dangerous items. If this is the case, there will always be 2 members of staff in attendance, and no physical contact. If dangerous items are found, or we suspect they are being concealed, we will contact the Police for assistance immediately. The school has a separate ‘Searching, Screening & Confiscation Policy’;
  • Restraining a pupil for control purposes – staff may need to restrain a pupil in extreme circumstances, where the safety of the pupil or other people is at risk. Staff will always follow the ‘use of reasonable force’ guidance published by the DfE;
  • Managed moves are, on rare occasions, possible and may be offered if the school deems it an appropriate measure for the situation. The LA Inclusion Panel does allow for the school to request a managed move to another school in some circumstances, but there are very specific criteria that have to be met, and there is never any guarantee that another school will offer a place;
  • House Leaders and the safeguarding team maintain the overview of pupils believed to be at risk of CME, identify ‘red flag’ pupils whose behaviours are considered to be escalating / of significant risk, and develop case studies to look for patterns and carry out reflective practice;
  • We always welcome parents/carers to speak to us directly as a timely conversation can result in a situation being resolved before it develops into a more serious issue. We do ask parents to make appointments to see staff face to face so that pupils’ learning is not interrupted , and staff will also contact parents to arrange a meeting if they have concerns about a pupil.

 

Hierarchy of Sanctions

In line with Classcharts, behaviour points are categorised as follows :

  • Level 1 Classroom Behaviours

Late to tutor more than twice

Late to lesson

Eating in lessons

Breach of Covid rules

Silly / immature behaviour

Rudeness

Defiance

Uniform issue

Phone / headphones

Disruption 1 lesson

Lack of work produced in lesson

X on report

  • Level 2 Persistent / Behaviour Causing Concern

Left lesson without permission

Swearing

Verbal abuse of a pupil

Detention missed

Persistent disruption more than 1 lesson

Damage to equipment

  • Level 3 Serious Behaviours

Bringing the school into disrepute

Illicit substances

Truancy

Theft

Verbal abuse of a teacher

Selling good

Fighting / physical aggression

  • ON CALL from lesson
  • Incomplete Homework
  • PE

PE kit issue 1

PE kit issue 2

PE kit issue detention

 

TARIFFS

These remain flexible, and at the discretion of staff according to circumstances:

Level 1 – Classroom behaviours Level 2 – Persistent / Behaviours causing concern Level 3 – Serious Behaviours
Detention at teacher discretion 30 minute minimum detention 60 minute minimum detention

 

Rewards

The rewards policy is a separate document.

 

Evidenced based development

  • Childhood Trauma and Attachment training (AC Education) – booklet & sheet
  • Bill Rogers – Tactical response to secondary behaviour, tactical use of positive corrective language, workable entry and exit strategy procedure, tactical pausing
  • EEF – Use of 6 Recommendations, Charlie Taylor’s Checklists, and Behaviour Implementation Model

Character Education Framework Guidance (D

WES-Behaviour-Policy-March 2022
WES-Anti-Bullying-Policy-May 2022
Exclusion Policy
Appendix to Behaviour Policy for Covid 19
WES Child on Child Abuse Policy September 22
Searching_Screening and Confiscation Policy Sept 2021