Behaviour Policy

Behaviour Policy 21

Behaviour Policy - Updated September 2021

Aims

• To promote positive behaviour.
• To aid the development of mutual respect between all members of our Community (Pupils, staff, parents and the wider community)
• To promote moral values, independence and self-discipline.
• To provide clarity over rewards and sanctions used at Jurby School.

Role of Teachers and Support Staff

All Teachers and Support Staff must ensure that this policy is understood and followed by all.

The word ‘teacher’ in this policy should be taken to include support staff and other adults working with the children at the direction of the Head Teacher or Class Teacher.

Role of Parents and the Wider Community

Parents and the wider community are expected to support the principles of this policy, including sanctions when appropriate. If this is not possible it is expected that they discuss their concerns with the Headteacher in a face-to-face meeting with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable compromise.

Development of this Policy

This policy was written by the school following consultation with Parents during a meeting on 27th April 2017, consultation with children in house meetings and individual discussions and after consulting a range of other schools policies both on and off Island.

The policy was then presented to Governors and agreed by them in September 2017.

It was then reviewed by Staff on 18th September 2019 and agreed by the Governors on 15th October 2019

It was then reviewed again by Staff on 20th October 2021 and agreed by the Governors on 9th November 2021

Review of the Policy

The Policy will be reviewed in September 23

The School Vision

At Jurby School we feel the following values are at the heart of our school, and thus form the backbone of our behaviour policy:

Care, honesty, inclusion, trust, respect, responsibility and compassion.

At Jurby, we feel it is important for us to model good behaviour and show children clear boundaries to help them to become happy learners. Therefore, we promote the following key principles:

• We praise good behaviour.
• We never ignore children’s behaviour- all adults are responsible for the behaviour of any child, at any time - to ignore is to condone. (Unless this is a pre agreed strategy.)
• We challenge poor behaviour in an atmosphere of kindness, patience and understanding.
• We regularly inform parents/carers about the behaviour of their children either face to face (in the mornings or after school) or via the telephone.
• We make rewards, sanctions and consequences clear.
• We recognise that all children have the right to be heard, irrespective of their age, understanding and ability.
• We are committed to a partnership between staff, pupils, parents, carers and the community.
• We actively support the principle of inclusion.
• We provide opportunities for pupils to develop self-discipline and the desire to strive towards their own high expectations and standards.
• No problem is too small - if you or your child is unhappy, please come and discuss it with us - we may be able to help.
• We treat each day as a new day.

All members of our community are responsible for:

• Treating each other in a polite and respectful way.
• Listening to another person’s point of view and finding common ground. If this is not possible, then taking part in mediation and finally agreeing to disagree in a polite and civilised fashion.
• Never using, encouraging or condoning verbal or physical anti-social behaviour.
• Punctuality, both at the start and end of the day, and at the start of every lesson.
• Always trying their best, even when it is something they do not want to do.

All adults working in our school, employed and voluntary, are responsible for:

• Explaining and modelling good behaviour.
• Encouraging children to take responsibility for their own behaviour.
• Recognising and highlighting good and bad behaviour, as appropriate.
• Ensuring that criticism is constructive.
• Key workers are to inform parents about children’s behaviour.
• Ensure that all children are treated positively, fairly and consistently.
• Creating a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
• Encouraging children with positive praise.
• Ensuring the safety of our children around school and on the playground during school time.
• Informing the Headteacher and SENCo of repeated behavioural issues.
• Documenting any incidents which involve Team Teach techniques in the bound and numbered book.
• Documenting any behaviour incidents, either directly on Arbor or using the appropriate form.

Parents and Carers are responsible for:

• Letting us know of any behaviour difficulties they may be experiencing at home.
• Informing us of any change which may affect their child’s performance or behaviour at school.
• Reinforcing the school’s ethos of good behaviour and to stress not to fight back if hurt by another child. Ask the children to tell a teacher if they are upset (on the same day) so that the teacher can investigate the incident.
• Supporting the school with our behaviour policy, including supporting the school sanctions.
• Promoting age-appropriate play and ensuring that children do not have access to games and films with an age rating higher than the age of their child.
• Ensuring their child arrives at school on time and attends every day.
• Ensuring their child comes to school in the correct school uniform every day. (Guidance on this is in our School Handbook.)
• Ensuring their child comes to school rested and ready to learn having had breakfast either at home or at Breakfast Club.
• Supporting their child in ensuring they have everything they need for school every day. This includes book bags with reading books in, a PE kit, trainers for the daily run, a water bottle and a healthy snack.
• Ensuring that everything their child brings to school, including clothing, is named.
• Ensuring that school has up to date emergency contact numbers for at least two adults who can collect their child during the day should the need arise.

Children are Responsible for:

• Their own behaviour and actions.
• Treating others as they would like to be treated.
• Always trying their best and not refusing to do work as they don’t feel like it.
• Being polite to all members of our School Community.
• Taking responsibility for their actions and if it goes wrong being honest and owning up.
• Once they are old enough, taking responsibility for bringing everything they need to school every day.
• Completing their homework on time.

All of these responsibilities are summed up in our 10 Golden Rules - See Appendix A

Guidelines for parents who are concerned about their child’s behaviour:

We recognise the importance of Pupils, Parents and Staff working collaboratively, in order to support and encourage our pupil’s behaviour. As part of our open-door policy, if any parents/carers are concerned about the behaviour of their child, they should follow the steps below.

• Contact their child’s class teacher. This can be an informal chat, before or after school on the playground, or a phone call to the school. (We are of course unable to meet with parents unannounced between 9.00am and 3.30pm. If you need to speak to your child’s teacher during this time, please arrange it through the school office.) A more formal meeting may be required depending on the needs of the pupil concerned, in order to ensure the most appropriate support can be given. In this case, please call the school to arrange a suitable time.
• Should concerns still be evident, the Headteacher will then become involved. A formal meeting will be arranged where appropriate, in order to support the pupil, parents and staff involved. At this point the school may recommend that advice from outside professionals is asked for e.g. The Education Support Centre, Educational Psychologists, or the Early Help and Support Team.

Levels of Behaviour

As a school we try to split incidents into several different levels. This is not an exact science, and we consider a range of factors with this including age and maturity of the child, if the child was provoked, if it was a first offence etc.

Positive Behaviour - Above the expected behaviour level

Examples of positive behaviour above the expected level include offering to do a job for a member of staff without being asked, completing additional work in their own time, exceptional manners, comforting an upset or injured child etc.

Rewards for this level of behaviour would include a Golden Point, or a small amount of additional Golden Time.

Positive Behaviour - Significantly above the expected behaviour level

Examples of positive behaviour significantly above the expected level would include an exceptional piece of work, a high level of good manners over sustained period, regularly completing homework to a high standard, showing exceptional kindness to another child etc.

Rewards for this level of behaviour would include a Certificate in Assembly, additional Golden Time or play time, a cookery session or other reward.

Negative behaviour – Level 1

Minor incidents shouldn’t be ignored, unless it is part of an agreed plan, as they tend to result in low-level disruption during teaching and learning which prevents the child, or their peers from achieving their full potential.

What is Level 1 behaviour:

The following list is not exhaustive but includes: throwing stones aimlessly, throwing pen tops, chatting ‘off-task’, scribbling in workbooks, making silly noises, not following a teacher's instructions fully, play fighting that doesn’t cause injury or distress, excluding others, rudeness to another child followed by an immediate apology etc.

Sanctions for Level 1 include:

• A verbal reminder and explanation of how to behave appropriately.
• The child may be moved within the class to help their concentration and behaviour.
• Verbal warning.
• Time out or working in another room.
• Loss of some Golden Time/break -time/ jobs/privileges, ‘High Supervision’ break-times (e.g., children to spend break-times with an adult), group sanctions (e.g., to tidy a messy classroom, etc.)

Negative behaviour – Level 2

Major incidents are considered more serious and disruptive to the ethos of the school (this type of incident MUST be acted on immediately and shared with the class teacher).

What is a Level 2 Incident:

The following list is not exhaustive, but includes: Disobeying a direct instruction from an adult, play fighting that causes injury or distress, a scuffle with another child, using sexually explicit language, throwing stones at cars/people, defiance, defacing work books or materials, throwing objects in class to distress others (at a teacher or child), excluding others by involving other children, absconding from the classroom, (unless it is part of a pre-planned strategy) rudeness to an adult, showing disrespect, Cyber-bullying (may occur in or outside school), wilfully damaging school property.

• Sanctions for Level 2 include:
  In the event of a Level 2 incident, the child should be given a warning and the teacher will model how to behave. At this stage the child must apologise.
  · Time out from the rest of the class for a period of reflection. This may include completing their work in a quiet area where they can concentrate and think about their behaviour (for a maximum of a day).
  · Spending break time with a member of staff, either in a classroom, or on the playground with the member of staff on duty.
  · Loss of all their Golden time or choosing time for the day or week.
  · Loss of privileges e.g., attending clubs, representing the school in a competition, being a playground buddy or Librarian etc.

If a child has a Level 2 incident a Yellow Card will be given.

Level 3 Behaviour:

Level 3 behaviour can cause an uncomfortable environment for both students and members of staff. At this stage, it is believed that serious harm may come to either a student or member of staff (This type of incident MUST be acted on immediately e.g., recorded and reported directly to the Headteacher).

What is a Level 3 behaviour incident:

The following list is not exhaustive but includes: a pre-meditated attack on another child, fighting, any violence towards a member of staff, racist/homophobic/sexist/disablist behaviour, threatening behaviour (verbal or physical) to anyone.

Sanctions for Level 3 behaviour incidents include:

• In the event of Level 3 behaviour, the child’s parent(s) may be called immediately, and the child will be sent home for the rest of the day.

In the event that the parent is unable to collect their child from school when a Level 3 incident takes place, the Headteacher will then take advice from the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and Social Care as to who will collect or supervise the child. It is expected that if a child is behaving in such a way that they are being sent home that they will be collected within 30 minutes. If a parent knows that their child may need to be sent home for dangerous behaviour and it is unlikely that they or a friend will be able to collect the child within this time frame, then a plan should be agreed with the Headteacher in advance.

In the event that the child refuses to leave when the parent arrives, the police will be called to escort the child (with the parent) off the premises.

The following morning, the parent(s) should meet with the Head Teacher or Teacher-in-charge for a meeting to discuss a positive way forward and for the child to apologise if they have not already done so. If the child is not ready to apologise for their actions it is our view that they are not yet ready to return to school and they will need to go back home again for a further day.

The child will normally spend the first day back working with a S/ESO, with limited interaction with others children. During this time the child will work through reflection activities.

A child who has a Level 3 incident will miss the next class trip or treat, and instead will complete some extra work. (In the event that the child is absent from school when this is due to take place it will be carried forward to the next opportunity.)

When a Level3 incident takes place, a ‘red card’ will be given to the child.

In exceptional circumstances a child may be formally suspended from school for a maximum of 10 days. In the event of a suspension, The Department of Education Sport and Culture and the School Governors will be informed. Parents have the right to appeal against a suspension. The appeal will be heard by the Chair of Governors.

Leaving the School Grounds

In the event of a child leaving the school grounds we will immediately attempt to make contact with the child’s parents. At the same time a member of staff will attempt to keep sight of the child, without directly pursuing them. If we are unable to keep the child in sight, or feel that the child is putting themselves in danger, or no parent is at home, then the school will call the Police.

Once the child is in a calmer state of mind (either that day or the next day) we will review the incident with the child, and discuss what sanctions are appropriate. (Past incidents have shown us that sometimes a child leaves the school as they know that they are reaching the point where they will become violent towards another pupil or adult and so have removed themselves from the situation to avoid injuring another person. It is our view that whilst they may not have chosen the best option by leaving the school, they have attempted to self regulate and avoided a bigger incident, and so credit should be given to them for this.)

Red and Yellow Cards

Depending on the severity of the incident a child will be given a Red or Yellow Card. This is a warning that their behaviour is not acceptable and that they need to make a real effort to change how they are behaving.

If a child receives three Red Cards within a term they will be formally suspended. This is a clear message that their behaviour will not be tolerated by the School or Community and that it must improve. All formal suspensions are discussed with both the School Governors and Department of Education to review what support is in place for the child and family and what additional support may be needed. This could include a referral to the Education Support Centre, Educational Psychologists or the Early Help and Support Team provided by the Department of Health and Social Care.

If a child receives three Yellow Cards within a term, then the third incident will attract a larger consequence. These consequences include missing out on a class trip, missing a social event e.g., Disco, a longer period of working away from their peers, missing a fun activity in school.

N.B. Following feedback from Parents we will endeavour to ensure that this consequence takes place as soon as possible after the Yellow Card has been given. In addition, we are aware that what one child may see has a major punishment e.g., missing a disco another may not be so worried about. For this reason, a range of consequences will be used to try and ensure a ‘best fit’.

Suspensions and Time to Cool off

In the event of exceptionally poor behaviour a child will be formally suspended. Examples of this include attacking a member of staff, repeatedly refusing to follow a clear instruction, deliberately preventing other children from learning.

At times we may suggest that a child is sent home early to allow them to cool off. This normally takes place when we believe that if a child remains in school their behaviour will lead them to being suspended, but they have not reached this point yet.

On the day that a child returns to school following a suspension, the parent(s) should meet with the Head Teacher or Teacher-in-charge to discuss a positive way forward and for the child to apologise if they have not already done so. If the child is not ready to apologise for their actions, it is our view that they are not yet ready to return to school and they will need to go back home again for a further day.

A child who has been suspended will miss the next class trip of treat, and instead will complete some extra work. (In the event that the child is absent from school when this is due to take place it will be carried forward to the next opportunity.)

Lunchtimes

Children are expected to have the same high standards of behaviour at lunchtime as at any other time of the school day. In the event of unacceptable behaviour at lunchtime, the incident will be recorded by the Lunchtime Assistants, and a warning letter sent home detailing the incident. If a child receives three warning letters, then they will be required to go home at lunchtime for the next 10 school days. If there is a school holiday during these 10 days, then it will continue after the holiday until the 10 school days are up.

Positive Handling:

Some staff members are trained by Team Teach to use positive handling techniques (restraining a child) for certain situations. All positive handling incidents must be recorded in the ‘Bound and Numbered’ book in the main office. Parents/carers must be informed if these techniques have been used and parents/carers advised to seek medical advice should there be any concerns about the child.

Team-Teach techniques seek to avoid injury to the child and adult, but it is possible that bruising or scratching may occur accidentally, and these are not to be seen necessarily as a failure of professional technique, but a regrettable and infrequent side effect of ensuring that all pupils and adults remain safe.

The law allows all adults employed by the school to physically intervene if in their professional opinion a child is in danger. The physical intervention must be timely and proportionate to the level of danger e.g. ‘grabbing’ a child’s arm who is about to step in front of a car, or taking a child by the arm and leading them away from another child who they are angry with.

No adult is allowed to use any form of physical intervention as a form of punishment.

Equal Opportunities

This policy applies to all members of Jurby Community School, adults and children, regardless of age or gender. If a child has significant additional needs and these dictate that a slightly different path should be followed (e.g. sending a child home before they reach a Red Card Level as a pre-emptive step) then this must be agreed by the Headteacher, following a discussion with the SENCO, child’s key worker, parents and any other professionals involved. Any changes to the behaviour policy for the child should be clearly outlined in their IEP.

This policy applies at all times a child is in the care of the school, including when at before and after school clubs and events.

Safety of Staff

We will not tolerate verbal or physical abuse of members of staff or the school either face to face, on the telephone or through or via any social media platform. We will always discuss issues with parents but will only do so in a calm and quiet atmosphere. The school will terminate any meeting immediately if a parent uses threatening or abusive language or the member of staff feels intimidated.

The school will, if necessary, take legal advice and contact the Police if threats or abuse are posted online either about the school or a member of staff. Further details of our stance on this are contained in the document ‘Policy and Procedures for Dealing with Unacceptable Behaviour by Parents and Visitors on the School Premises’. A copy of this is available from the School Office.

Appendix A

Jurby School Golden Rules

• I am polite at all times.
• I am truthful and honest.
• I treat everybody with respect.
• I always try my best and take part in every lesson.
• I make sure I have everything I need with me every day.
• I make sure I wear my school uniform every day.
• I listen to instructions and do not talk when somebody else is.
• I take myself away from a problem if I feel myself getting angry.
• I am not physically or verbally aggressive to anybody.
• I am gentle with equipment so it does not get damaged.

Appendix B

How to behave at Playtime and Lunchtime

This guide was written following consultation with the pupils of the school.

• Go outside promptly and stay outside.
• Ask if you need to go inside.
• Treat others how you would like to be treated.
• Be honest, if you are ‘tagged’ in the game, accept it. Remember it is only a game!
• The quiet area is for quiet activities, not running about in.
• The ‘Junk’ and playground equipment is for sharing.
• The ‘Junk’ and playground equipment items should not be used as weapons.
• Think about how your game looks to others. A game of Star Wars which involves holding your friends' hands behind their back may look like a fight to somebody else.
• At the end of play stand still when the bell goes.

Appendix C

Rewards and Sanctions used at Jurby School

Rewards used at Jurby School

• Golden Points - See attached poster for list of ‘prizes’
• Extra Golden time / play time
• Letter / certificate home
• Edible treat
• Cookery Session
• Opportunity to do ‘Fun’ jobs or activities e.g., helping with large scale art projects.

Sanctions Used at Jurby School

This is a list of sanctions that are used at Jurby school. They are not in any particular order, and one or more of them will be used when a child misbehaves.

As a school we are aware that different children will react differently to different punishments, and therefore there will be occasions when different children are given different punishments for similar levels of behaviour. Whilst we will listen to parent’s views on the suitability of a punishment the final decision will be made by the Head Teacher. In the event of a disagreement then the Parents have the right to appeal to the Chair of Governors or the Department of Education Sport and Culture for a final binding decision.

• Standing with the teacher on duty at playtime.
• Standing outside the Staff Room at playtime.
• Working on their own either inside or outside the classroom.
• Working in a different classroom.
• Missing a trip.
• Missing some, or all, of Golden Time.
• Writing a letter of apology.
• Being sent home. (Informal suspension)
• Formal Suspension.
• Completing work during break time or at home that was not completed in class.
• Tidying up the mess they have made.
• Missing extra-curricular events e.g., FOJS Disco
• Home - School Behaviour Book
• Going home for lunch times