Behaviour Policy 2023 - 2024

Behaviour Policy 2023 - 2024

“Find one person who does what is right and tries to be faithful to God...

the Lord will forgive.   

 (Jer 5:1)        

This policy has been approved and adopted by the Governing Body in November 2023 and will be reviewed in November 2024.

We aim to:

• Create a culture of exceptionally good behaviour: for learning, for the community, for life;
• Help learners take control over their behaviour and be responsible for the consequences of it;
• Build a community which values kindness, care, good humour, good temper, obedience and empathy.
• Encourage increasing independence and self-discipline so that each child learns to accept responsibility for their own behaviour;
• Promote community cohesion through improved relationships;

                                                                                                                                                                                                Purpose of the Policy:

To provide simple, practical procedures for staff and learners that:

• Recognise behavioural norms;
• Positively reinforce behavioural norms:
• Promote self-esteem and self-discipline;
• Teach appropriate behaviour through positive interventions.

Expectations of Adults:

At SJB, we expect every adult to:

1. Meet and greet at the door;
2. Be a visible presence around the school to encourage appropriate conduct
3. Refer to “Ready, respectful, safe”
4. Model positive behaviours and build relationships;
5. Plan lessons that engage, challenge and meet the needs of all learners;
6. Support learners by Relating, Regulating, Reasoning
7. Be calm and give “take up time” when going through the steps – Prevent before Sanction
8. Follow up every time, retain ownership and engage in reflective dialogue with learners
9. Never ignore or walk past learners who are making poor behaviour choices

Senior Leaders will:

1. Take time to welcome learners at the start of the day;
2. Be a visible presence around the school and especially at transition times;
3. Regularly share good practice;
4. Support staff in managing leaners with more complex or entrenched negative behaviours
5. Use behaviour data to target and assess school wide behaviour policy and practice
6. Regularly review provision for leaners who fall beyond the range of written policies

Recognition and Rewards for Effort

We recognise and reward learners who meet and exceed our expectations. At SJB we recognise that the use of praise in developing a positive relationship and atmosphere in the classroom cannot be underestimated and a quiet word of personal praise can be as effective as a larger, more public reward. It is the key to developing positive relationships, including with those learners who are hardest to reach.

Positive rewards include positive messages home for behaviour that is ‘over and above’. This may take the form of a positive note home, a phone call, email or a face to face chat.

Rewards and recognition of achievement include:
• House Points;
• Stickers,
• Mission Leaves,
• Golden Mission Leaves,
• CST Certificates
• Caritas Cup

Managing Behaviour

Engagement with learning is always our primary aim at SJB. For the vast majority of our learners a gentle reminder is all that is needed. Although there are some occasions when it is necessary for a child to leave their classroom for a short period of time, however steps should always be gone through with care and consideration, taking individual needs into account where necessary.

• Praise the behaviour you want to see.
• Relate, Regulate, Reason
• All learners must be given ‘take up time’ in between steps.
• It is not possible to leap or accelerate steps for repeated low-level disruption.

Practical steps in managing and modifying behaviour

• Learners are supported to recognise their responsibility for their behaviour.
• Staff will manage behaviour without delegating
• Staff will follow the stepped approach to manage and respond to behaviour

Aspects of behaviour that do not meet our SJB rules “Ready, Respectful, Safe” have a clear and consistent consequence. The steps below, alongside a visual representation of the rewards on offer for positive behaviour, supports children to understand that “your behaviour is your choice” and so too are the related rewards or consequences.

Every lesson is a new start for every child - ensuring that children are quickly able to adopt the correct behaviour choices and make a good start every time.

Reasonable adjustments will be made for children who require additional support, for example when a child has significant emotional needs or special educational needs. Such adjustments will be discussed with the Senior Leadership Team and the child’s parents or guardian, but will not distract away from the ultimate purpose of this policy.

The five steps are described below, followed by the script used by an adult at each stage. The script is delivered calmly and clearly and is designed to not distract from the learning of others. The steps progress within a lesson / play or lunchtime, where the child is choosing to repeat the unwanted behaviour, or where they choose to show other unwanted behaviours which do not follow our school rules.

The SJB Way!

We expect everyone to be ready, respectful and safe.

When following school rules, a child can access all the wonderful rewards for displaying our school values.
We are all human and therefore everyone might need a reminder from time to time.

Redirection/ Reminder – A positive encouragement to follow our school rules

Script: Name, I am giving you a rule reminder.
When you (describe behaviour here) you are not showing us that you are ready/respectful/safe (refer to the appropriate rule)

Warning

A clear verbal warning delivered privately wherever possible, making the learner aware of their behaviour and clearly outlining the consequences if they continue.

“Your behaviour…. your choice”

Learners will be reminded of their previous good conduct to prove that they can make good choices.
Adults use Relate, Regulate and Reason as well as take-up time to help the child return to being ready, respectful and safe.

Script: NAME, I am giving you time to think now. When you (describe behaviour here) you are not following our rule of (name rule here). Do you remember when (description of previously displayed positive behaviour by adult). That is the behaviour I would like to see. Thank you.

Time Out

If the behaviour continues the adult may decide that “time out” away from the distraction is necessary. This may be within their own classroom, in another classroom or in another room supervised by an adult. During “time out” the child will be expected to continue their learning and once this is complete, to show that they are ready, respectful and safe. Time-out is always adult supervised.

Script (as used by adults): NAME, you have been asked to … but you are not following our rule of (name rule here). We will discuss this later. You need to take some time out to think about your choices.

Parents will be informed of time out of the classroom by phone or in person.

At this point, the child will receive a loss of privilege soon after e.g. five minutes of playtime. This will be led by the person who has issued the warning.

A restorative conversation will be had with any child reaching Time Out. Children will be expected to have a reflective dialogue during their loss of privilege time.

Restorative Conversation

5 questions (KS2)/3 questions * (KS1) is usually enough from the following:

•           What happened? *

•           What were you thinking at the time?

•           What have you thought since?

•           How did this make people feel? *

•           Who has been directly affected?

•           How have they been affected?

•           What should we do to put things right? *

•           How can we do things differently in the future?

Reflection time/Loss of privileges

If the rule or rules continue to not be followed, or for serious breaches of behaviour, the child will be removed from the classroom to ensure that effective learning is able to continue.

The child will be escorted to a senior leader. The Senior Leader involved will complete a Reflection Time sheet, and will decide on a necessary consequence and loss of privilege.

This is a time when children will sit away from the remainder of their class and will complete a reflection about their behaviour choice as well as continuing with their work independently.

This reflection will be appropriate to their age and understanding and generally is led by an adult. The aim is to offer a restorative and reflective approach to their behaviour choices and re-emphasises their capacity to make excellent behaviour choices.

There will be a consequence for their choices in the form of loss of privilege (longer periods of break/lunchtime lost, exclusions from activities) plus any missed/unfinished work will need to be completed at home that evening.

Loss of privilege will be with a member of SLT.

Script: NAME, because you are not following our rule of (name rule here) you are now choosing reflection time. I will now ask an adult to take you to another room so that we can continue to enjoying our learning in class.

Parents will be invited in to discuss the child’s behaviour.

The reflection sheet will be scanned onto CPOMS.

A restorative conversation will be had with any child reaching stage 4 by the person who has issued it and the SLT member together.

5 questions (KS2)/3 questions * (KS1) is usually enough from the following:

• What happened? *

• What were you thinking at the time?

• What have you thought since?

• How did this make people feel? *

• Who has been directly affected?

• How have they been affected?

• What should we do to put things right? *

• How can we do things differently in the future?

Behaviour Management Support Plan/Crisis Plan

Behaviour management plans are created for children who need more guidance on a daily basis and where class-based support and intervention has not been successful.

Behaviour management plans use clear targets, set in conjunction with parents, and daily communication between home and school to support the child to make positive changes.

Behaviour Management Support:

Where a child’s behaviour becomes a concern, behaviour management support commences. Behaviour becoming a concern is defined at SJB as:

• Aspects of a child’s behaviour regularly impacting negatively on their learning, well-being of themselves and potential to flourish to the best of their ability and may be shown by:
• A child reaching Time Out two to three times a week for a period of time or Reflection Time more than twice in a half term.

Structure of Behaviour Management Support:
 

• Behaviour tick sheets and ABCC records will be kept weekly by the class teacher. These will be recorded and analysed by the SENCO (for children with additional needs) or a member of SLT. A summary will be discussed with parents at the end of each term.
• Behaviour Chart If appropriate, the child and teacher will meet with a Senior Leader to discuss the behaviours of concern and their impact.

A Behaviour Support Chart will be established which sets achievable behaviour targets for the child. A meeting will be held by the class teacher with the child’s parents to discuss the above.

The Behaviour Support Chart will be shown to the key stage lead at the end of each day and also taken home and signed.
This will be reviewed an agreed period (minimum of one week). Where improvements are seen, the child will be rewarded and the behaviour support stopped. Where improvements are not seen, additional interventions will be considered.

• ELSA/Thrive support will be offered as an intervention to address any underlying causes of challenging behaviour. This will be discussed and agreed between the class teacher, SENCO and parents.
• Individual Behaviour Management Plan (IBMP) This will be written by the SENCO with input from the class teacher, parents and child. The IBMP will be shared with all staff supporting the child and will be reviewed every six weeks.
• Access Arrangements – SENCO to review existing access arrangements used in the classroom (i.e. visual timetables, now and next, quiet/calm spaces) and support class staff to maintain or implement new arrangements.

Behaviour Management Crisis:

Where a child’s behaviour becomes a significant concern, behaviour management crisis plan commences.
Behaviour which is reaching a crisis is defined at SJB as:

Aspects of a child’s behaviour consistently impacting negatively on the learning and well-being of themselves and those around them and may be shown by:

• Positive changes following the use of a Behaviour Support Chart not being seen after one term.
• A child displaying violent or aggressive behaviours which put themselves, children or adults at harm, or at risk of harm.
• A child creating a climate of fear around themselves through consistently dominant or intimidating behaviour.
• A child whose behaviour puts them at risk of suspension or exclusion.

As detailed previously, there may be cases where the child’s individual needs are such that adapted arrangements may be put in place. This will be recorded either on the child’s SEND record or their IBMP which will record the strategies and approaches that will support the child. When these reasonable adjustments are in place, the above definition of concern may still apply.

Structure of Behaviour Management Crisis Plan:

• Daily Communication book – between class staff and parents
• Challenging Behaviour Risk Assessment – completed by SLT, class teacher and parents to identify risks and reasonable adjustments.
• Individual Behaviour Management Plan (IBMP) – updated to reflect the Challenging Behaviour Risk Assessment
• Positive Handling/Team Teach training – staff supporting the child may need to complete an earlier refresher course
• Primary Behaviour Support – SENCO will seek parental permission to access support through PBS.
• Access Arrangements – SENCO to review existing access arrangements used in the classroom in response to PBS advice (i.e. visual timetables, now and next, quiet/calm spaces) and support class staff to maintain or implement new arrangements.
• Educational Psychologist - SENCO will seek parental permission to access support.
• Reduced Hours Provision – may be considered in the short-term to support positive change
• Alternative Provision – may be considered to reduce the risk of permanent exclusion

It is important that as behaviours are repeated and escalate, so do the consequences given. A restorative approach will be utilised in all of the steps below, alongside an acknowledgement that the education, safety and well-being of all children and teachers is paramount.

Crisis Phase 1: The Crisis Plan is established between home and school. Daily communication between the class teacher and parents. It will be reviewed with a member of SLT at the end of the week.

Crisis Phase 2: If the child reaches Time Out more than once whilst on their crisis plan they will be educated outside the classroom for half a day with a member of the Senior Leadership Team

Crisis Phase 3: If Reflection Time is reached more than once, they will be formally internally suspended for a day with the Headteacher. This suspension is placed on their educational record.

Crisis Phase 4: If this behaviour continues the child will receive a fixed-term external suspension for a given period. This suspension is placed on their educational record.

Crisis Phase 5: If crisis stage 4 is reached repeatedly they will be at risk of permanent exclusion.

The Headteacher reserves the right to adapt the stages of the Crisis Plan at any point with the interests of staff and children’s wellbeing and education as paramount.