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Pupil Behaviour Policy

2023

Principles

The Governors at Calverley CE Primary, believe that high standards of behaviour lie at the heart of a successful school that enable children to make the best possible progress in all aspects of their school life.

At Calverley CE Primary School, we value everyone as an individual, capable of growth, change and development. Our relationships are underpinned by the gospel principles of justice, equality, mutual respect, fairness and consistency. We have high expectations that support the development of our pupils as effective and responsible citizens.

Aims

“Children do well if they can” (Ros Green, 2005)

The aim of our behaviour policy is to support an environment where all children can succeed, academically, socially, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  At Calverley CE School we use the Zones of Regulation to enable and equip children to talk about their thoughts, feelings and behaviours and to help them to self-regulate so that they can be in the ‘expected zone’ at the right time.

Feelings are complicated. They come in different sizes, intensities, and levels of energy that are unique within our brains and bodies. To make them easier to talk about, think about, and regulate, The Zones of Regulation organizes our feelings, states of alertness, and energy levels into four coloured Zones – Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red. The simple, common language and visual structure of The Zones of Regulation helps make the complex skill of regulation more concrete for learners and those who support them. We learn to regulate our Zones to meet our goals and task demands, as well as support our overall well-being. (www.zonesofregulation.com)

Zones of reg

It is important to note that the Zone of Regulation does not identify any feeling or emotion as wrong.  Simply that some feelings might not be the right behaviour in the context.

Parent Partners We are committed to working in partnership with parents to fulfil the aims of this policy.  We welcome the opportunity to discuss issues or incidents with parents where necessary and commit to open and honest communication.  In response, we expect parents, by enrolling their child at our school, to support the implementation of this policy and to model our school rules in their own behaviour.

Our School Rules 

These are the expected behaviours in our school:

Love: We listen to each other and are kind to everyone.

Learn: We follow instructions and make sure everyone can learn.

Care: We try our best, stay safe and show respect to everyone and everything.

These can be simplified as:

Love: Listen and be kind

Learn: Follow instructions

Care: Try your best, stay safe, show respect

Rewards

We believe in the importance of raising children to be intrinsically motivated to behave well – that ultimately good behaviour is its own reward.  However, we also recognise that as children are developing this intrinsic motivation, extrinsic rewards and affirmation play an important role in establishing expected behaviours.  Staff should not purchase rewards for individual classes or pupils.  Positive rewards include:

  • Verbal positive praise and affirmation
  • House points:  all children will be placed in a house and can earn point towards house rewards and ultimately the end of year House Cup.  House points are counted using the Class Dojo app.  Dojos and House Points are the same thing.  House Points/ Dojos will have a reason attached to them so children can see what behaviour they are being rewarded for.
  • Whole Class rewards: to gain whole class buy in to particular behaviours, teachers may use whole class rewards for reasons that suit their class.  These would normally be whole class house/dojo points for showing a specific behaviour.  Teachers may also use additional playtime or golden time as a reward, usually where the whole class has worked particularly hard on some aspect of their learning.  This should not normally be more than 20 minutes in any one week.
  • Friday Celebration Assembly awards:  Each week there will be two awards per class.  One will be for an aspect of one of the 12 Christian Values identified by the school.  The other will be for the Learning Superstar of the week.  Children should normally expect to get at least one of these awards over the course of the year.
  • Lunchtime awards: children can be given a housepoint token at lunchtime which can be added by their teacher when they return to class.  One class from each key stage will receive the lunchtime cup for the best behaviour over lunchtime.
  • Attendance and punctuality awards: Here Every Day Ready Ontime (HERO).  The class with the best attendance in each key stage each week will receive a HERO award.  When they reach 6 HERO certificates they will be rewarded with 15 minutes extra playtime.  Every child who is at school on time each day will receive a HERO housepoint.

Sanctions

When children arrive for the day they self check and place their name on the zone of regulation which best fits their mood – this can be done privately or publicly as fits the needs of the class or individual child.  Staff should check in with any pupil whose zone may benefit from changing.  This check in can be repeated at different points in the day for whole classes or individuals as teachers deem necessary.

If a child displays an unexpected behaviour and breaks a school rule they will be:

  • Given a verbal reminder about the expected behaviour they are not showing
  • Asked if they feel they are in the right zone
  • Supported/reminded to use a regulation tool to move back into the right zone

If the child persists in not choosing the expected behaviour they will move through a series of steps:

  1. Recorded warning (written on a behaviour slip kept privately on the teacher’s desk)
  2. 10 minutes time out on their own in the classroom or nearby – children can be helped to regulate using zone tools
  3. Miss next playtime.  Children will use this time to complete any work missed or complete a reflection sheet.  They will go to a supervised classroom and a record will be kept of which pupils have attended.
  4. See head of house.  Children will be accompanied by an adult (or another child with a written note if no other adult is available) to ensure they do not get misplaced around school.  A ‘change of face’ can be a useful strategy for children at this point. Children who struggle with this can be encouraged along the lines of ‘I can see me being here is tricky for you, let’s go and find XXXX’ 
  5. Report to Head Teacher or Deputy.
  • Teachers will keep a record of which children are on which step on their desk.  Children who reach step 3 after their last playtime of the day will miss playtime the following day.
  • Throughout this process staff should talk to children about which zone they are in and which tools they can use to get back into a better zone for learning and reminding them about the choices they are making. Adults can also use the PACE approach using Playful language, Alternative choices, Curiosity about and Empathy with how children who are struggling to behave in the expected way might be feeling.
  • The steps reset for a fresh start each day and also after lunch for EYFS/KS1.
  • Very serious or dangerous behaviour such as swearing, absconding, fighting, racist, homophobic or other ‘hate’ incidents and deliberately hurting others will lead to an escalation of the steps.
  • Incidents of Step 3 and above to be recorded on CPOMS.  Parents will be informed of incidents at Step 4 (face to face if possible, of not by telephone from class teacher or other member of staff) or above and of 3 x Step 3s in a week.
  • Parents should talk to and work with class teachers, support staff and/ or the Pastoral Lead if there are any particular issues which they feel may be affecting their child’s behaviour.

Lunchtime Steps

  • Verbal warning
  • 5 minutes time out: standing against the church wall children will be given a choice about where and how they complete this (e.g. standing in a quiet place, holding an adult’s hand)
  • 15 minutes isolation off the playground in the dining hall
  • Send to SLT for a yellow card.  Following investigation of the incident, a yellow card may be issued.  A yellow card is a full missed playtime of between one and 4 days depending on the severity, to be spent in the HT office.  Lunch will also be eaten in the office.
  • 2 yellow cards in any 2 week period will be an automatic red card: 5 days missed playtime.
  • 2 red cards in a term is likely to result in a lunchtime fixed term exclusion.

If a pupil is struggling to regulate their behaviour consistently during lunchtime a Playtime Passport may be considered where the pupil has restricted time on the playground and uses a specific set of targets and earn more time out as they demonstrate their ability to keep their targets.

Restorative Practice

In line with our Christian ethos, we believe that displaying unexpected behaviours can cause damage to relationships and that wherever possible these should be restored.  Restorative conversations will be held with children to help them understand the consequences of their actions and choices and to find ways to make amends.  All people who may have been upset or damaged by an incident will be given opportunity to express how the incident has made them feel and a mutually agreed way forward will be sought.  Children will be encouraged, though never forced, to forgive one another and adults will model this attitude.  Adults will also ensure that they reconnect with a child after any incident where they have imposed a sanction or consequence and always reiterate positive regard for the child and that any displeasure is directed at the behaviour and not the child.  Adults need to communicate to children that they (as the adult) remain in control and are able to deal with the child and their behaviour – however that presents itself - and that once dealt with the incident is over and finished.

Children with Special Educational Needs which affect their behaviour

The majority of children will be able to use the school-wide system of rewards and sanctions in conjunction with the Zones of Regulation to behave in line with our expected behaviours.

Some children will need ‘reasonable adjustments’ to help them with their regulation and these might include:

  • Morning meet and greet
  • Access to sensory equipment
  • Timers to allow take up or processing time
  • Time out cards
  • Additional Zones of Regulation input

However, some children will need a more personalised plan, just as some children need personalised plans for curriculum subjects.  Where children move onto a personalised plan, this should be discussed with class teachers, the SENCO and parents and should be communicated to all staff who work with the pupil.  Plans should be recorded and reviewed as part of the pupil’s overall learning plan.  Personalised plans might include but are not limited to:

  • Target based reward systems
  • Regulation plans
  • Report cards (sessions of the day are scored and a check in with SLT at the end of the day)
  • Other plans as recommended by external agencies

A full range of strategies must be trialled and reviewed as part of a graduated approach.  The graduated approach means that if in-school strategies have been tried and pupils still struggle to display expected behaviours, external support may be sought.

Individual Pupil Risk Assessment and the use of Restrictive Force

An IPRA will be put in place for pupils whose behaviour is considered a risk to the health and safety or themselves or others.  This may detail the use of restrictive physical intervention which may be needed and will list the most effective strategies to try as well as the safest places for children to go if they are dysregulated.  There will be staff-wide training in the use of Positive Handling techniques (Team Teach) and staff who are Team Teach trained should be the called upon wherever possible to intervene in such circumstances.  Please refer to separate policy on Positive Handling

Harmful Sexualised Behaviour

At our school, we have a zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence and sexual harassment or any abuse against children; it is never acceptable, and it will not be tolerated. All incidents are met with a suitable response and are never ignored.

Our staff will follow our child protection policy and procedures, acting immediately when met by any concerns and ensuring that we support both the perpetrator and the victim.

Our pupils are encouraged to report anything that makes them uncomfortable, no matter how ‘small’ they feel it might be. The school’s response will be proportionate, considered, supportive and decided on a case by case basis.

When responding to an allegation, our staff will carry out a risk assessment (an AIM Checklist) to determine whether to: 1) Manage the incident internally 2) Refer to early help 3) Conduct a RAMP risk assessment 4) Refer to children’s social care 5) Report to the police.

Children who have/may have sexually harmed others will be responded to in a way that meets their needs as well as protecting others within the school community through a multi-agency risk assessment management plan (RAMP).

The staff:

• Ask children outright if they’ve been harmed

• Listen and reassure

• Reflect back their language

• Make a written record as soon as possible

• Contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

Staff do not:

• Dismiss the incident as banter

• Ask leading questions

• Promise confidentiality

• View videos or photos

• Share the disclosure with anyone other than the named person

We will ensure that children are taught about safeguarding, including online safety, and recognise that a one size fits all approach may not be appropriate for all children, and a more personalised or contextualised approach for more vulnerable children, victims of abuse and some SEND children may be needed.

As part of providing a broad and balanced curriculum, relevant issues will be addressed through the PSHE curriculum, including self-esteem, emotional literacy, assertiveness, power, relationship and sex education, online safety, online bullying, sexting, child exploitation (CSE/CCE), sharing nudes and semi-nudes, female genital mutilation (FGM), preventing radicalisation, peer on peer abuse, consent, online safety, anti- bullying, unhealthy and abusive family relationships. The curriculum will reflect the statutory Relationship Education, Relationship and Sex Education and Health Education.

Exclusion

Exclusion is seen as a last resort to continued inappropriate behaviour and/or behaviour which endangers the health and safety of staff or pupils (including the pupil him/herself).  Pupils at risk of exclusion should have a personalised plan in place.  Exclusion could result from:

•Deliberate and aggressive physical or verbal abuse towards other pupils.

•Deliberate and aggressive physical or verbal abuse towards staff.

•Seriously disruptive behaviour that interferes with the learning opportunities for others.

•Risk to health and safety of others.

•Incidents involving sustained or serious bullying.

•Deliberate and intentional abuse that is offensive to those with protected characteristics.

•Deliberate damage to property or belongings.

Types of exclusion

A pupil may only be excluded by the Headteacher or the Deputy Headteacher in her absence after due consideration.  The Chair of Governors will be informed of any exclusion.  The school will follow the latest guidance regarding exclusions from the DfE.

Internal Exclusion

At Step 5 the head teacher may deem it necessary or beneficial for the pupil to spend some time away from their peers and out of class.  In the instance they will be issued with an Internal Exclusion and will spend a period of time (usually the rest of the day or the following day) completing their work away from their class, either in the HT office or another suitable place in school.  Parents will be informed.

Fixed Term Exclusion

The headteacher may exclude a pupil for up to 45 days in any school year.  This type of exclusion should be regarded as a cooling off period.  The intention is that the pupil will return to school at the end of the period.  If a child is excluded for more than 5 school days, an alternative place to attend school will be found.  This is the responsibility of the school.  There will be a return to school meeting before with parents before the child returns.  Exclusion from lunchtimes counts as a half day fixed term exclusion per lunchtime.

If a child is excluded for more than a day, arrangements must be made for the child to receive school work to be completed at home and marked at school. 

If the behaviour of the child continues to cause us great concern, advice and help from outside agencies will be sought and a formal assessment will take place.

Permanent Exclusion

Permanent exclusion will be used when the Head teacher decides the pupil should not return to school.  This is a rare event and a whole range of alternatives need to be explored before this is considered. 

However, if there is a single very serious incident e.g. extreme violence against a member of staff or towards another pupil, threats from weapons, persistent bullying which does not respond to significant intervention work, then permanent exclusion will be considered.  It is also possible, if a pupil over a period of time, fails to respond to our code of behaviour and is deemed to be beyond our control, or is at risk and a danger to their own health and safety, or to others’ health and safety.

A warning of permanent exclusion will be given to parents, either through a meeting with the Head teacher and a representative of the Governing Body, or in writing if this is not possible. 

A meeting of Governors will be convened to review all permanent exclusions from school and all fixed term exclusions that would lead to a pupil being excluded for over 15 days in a school term.

Parents have the right to make representation to the Governing Body whenever a child is excluded.