Behaviour Policy 

This Policy is approved by the Governing Body of Mere’s Edge Federation and complies with section 89 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the 2010 Equality Act.  

Behaviour Statement: 

This policy promotes self-discipline and proper regard for authority.  It recognises that we are a learning community and we should respect and listen to one another.  Our school mission is to provide an environment where all can ‘Achieve, Believe and Celebrate’ underpinned by the Biblical teaching in Jeremiah 29v11. 

The guidance in this policy is used by all staff to ensure that all pupils are treated fairly and know that their voice is important. We believe that good all-round behaviour is developed through:  good learning behaviour; co-operation with everyone; knowing that it is acceptable to make mistakes whilst all the time developing integrity.  This ensures that all our pupils move on to their next stage of education confident with their own conduct, attitude to others and learning.  

It is our aim that by the time pupils leave our care they are able to self-regulate their behaviour and develop an attitude where they will go into the world and make a difference with their life.  

We believe that behaviour is communication.  The remainder of the policy outlines how we should deal with behaviour which is not in keeping with the school ethos and how we reward good behaviour in our school.  

Promoting positive behaviour: 

We want all our children to enjoy coming to school.  We want them to be happy, feel safe and therefore learn.  We involve our pupils in establishing classroom rules, planning rewards and sanctions.  We want our pupils to understand that acceptable behaviour is when pupils take responsibility for their own actions and their own learning. We have a number of reward systems in place: 

• House points – this reward is about the ‘team’ and the winning team is rewarded each term; 

• Class Dojo – this rewards individual achievement and learning behaviour.  It can also be used as a visual sanction for a child to understand the impact of their actions – positive or negative.  

• Creating meaningful links to our School Values which promote positive behaviour both inside and outside of school. 

• Community celebration – rewards are given with certificates and badges to commend pupils for their hard work and effort.  The focus of certificates changes as the school year develops.  

• Visual rewards – these include, stickers, notes home, postcards home and badges for star behaviour including the demonstration of Christian Values in school. 

Dealing with inappropriate behaviour: 

All staff will have the same expectations for behaviour, whether it is in class moving around the school, lunchtime or in free playtime. If an incident occurs staff will follow this simple procedure: 

• A member of staff will meet with the pupil and find out what has happened.  If a child is upset, we will allow time for the child to calm down before talking to them.  

• Staff will talk to the pupils about the ‘choices’ they have made and use the language of our School Values to support the discussion.  Our School Values are:  Respect, Perseverance, Creativity, Forgiveness, Courage and Friendship.  

• Staff members will discuss the incident in a calm manner and talk to the child/children about the outcomes.  Staff will agree sanctions with the child, and this will be fed back to the class teacher (if it has been dealt with by another member of staff).  

• We expect all pupils to show respect to staff, if they do not the incident will be escalated to a more senior member of staff.  

• We use the online My Concern Website to track and record behaviour incidents. 

Behaviour sanctions work when pupils care.  Pupils need to have conversations about behaviour so that good conduct becomes learnt behaviour.  A child’s behaviour is meaningful; all staff need to support pupils to develop integrity.  Staff need to: listen, teach, model and understand.  

Some pupils may need extra support for behaviour, and we should see this as a learning need.  We have a learning mentor in place for timely interventions which pupils can be referred to by the class teacher.  

Behaviour which requires planned intervention: 

Some pupils struggle more with behaviour due to variety of reasons.  We work closely with parents/carers to put in place plans to support children.  Where a pupil is on a behaviour plan, regular meetings will be set up with the parent/carer to monitor the behaviour closely.  We may involve outside agencies including: CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services); Woodlands Outreach Service; The Educational Psychologist Team; Behaviour Support Team; inclusion and other agencies accessed through COMPASS. 

Serious incidents: 

Staff, pupils and parents/carers must be aware that serious offences will require the involvement of parents immediately.  All parties will then discuss the incident/problem and look for solutions.  The school will endeavour to support the child and parents/carers. In return we expect the support of the parents/carers and the pupil for any action that may be required. If an exclusion is required all procedures outlined by the local authority will be followed.  

Physical restraint:  

It is unusual for the school staff at Criftins to make use of physical intervention.  However, all members of school staff may have to use reasonable physical contact and reasonable force to control, restrain, or direct pupils to protect those pupils from hurting themselves, hurting others or damaging school property. The school works in line with the DfE guidance published in 2012 on ‘Use of Reasonable Force’.   

What is reasonable force? 

• The term ‘reasonable force’ covers the broad range of actions used by most teachers at some point in their career that involve a degree of physical contact with pupils.  

• Force is either used to control or restrain.  This can range from guiding a pupil to safety by the arm through to more extreme circumstances such as breaking up a fight or where a pupil needs to be restrained to prevent violence or injury.  

• ‘Reasonable in the circumstances’ means using no more force than is needed. 

• As mentioned above, schools generally use force to control pupils and to restrain them.  Control means either passive physical contact, such as standing between pupils or blocking a pupil’s path, or active physical contact, such as leading a pupil by the arm out of a classroom.  

• Restraint means to hold back physically or to bring a pupil under control.  It is typically used in more extreme circumstances, for example when two pupils are fighting and refuse to separate without physical intervention.  

• School staff should always try to avoid acting in a way that might cause injury, but in extreme cases it may not always be possible to avoid injury.  

We have members of staff who are qualified in Team Teach (recommended by the local authority). We re-evaluate the need for training annually.  

When can reasonable force be used? 

• Reasonable force can be used to prevent pupils form hurting themselves or others, from damaging property or from causing disorder, 

• In a school, force is used for two main purposes – to control pupils or to restrain them.  

• The decision on whether or not to physically intervene is down to the professional judgement of the staff member concerned and should always depend on the individual circumstances. 

Schools CANNOT use force as a punishment – it is unlawful to use force as a punishment. 

The role of governors 

The Executive Head Teacher has the day-to-day responsibility of managing the school. However, the governing body has the responsibility of agreeing principles and standards of behaviour, and of reviewing their effectiveness. The governors support the Executive Head Teacher in carrying out these standards. 

Fixed-term and permanent exclusions 

Only the Executive Head Teacher has the power to exclude a pupil from school. The procedures laid out by Shropshire Local Authority are followed for all exclusions. The Executive Head Teacher may exclude a pupil for one or more fixed periods, for up to 45 days in any one school year. The Executive Head Teacher may also exclude a pupil permanently. It is also possible for the Executive Head Teacher to convert a fixed-term exclusion into a permanent exclusion, if the circumstances warrant this. 

If the Executive Head Teacher excludes a pupil, she informs the parents immediately, giving reasons for the exclusion. In most cases, pupils likely to be excluded will have undergone behaviour support which has failed to address and support the child. Discussions with parents will already have taken place and these discussions will have included the possibility of exclusion taking place if the behaviour displayed does not improve. At the same time, the Executive Head Teacher makes it clear to the parents that they can, if they wish, appeal against the exclusion to the governing body. The school informs the parents how to make any such appeal. 

The Executive Head Teacher informs the LA and the governing body about any permanent exclusion, and about any fixed-term exclusions beyond five days in any one term.  The governing body itself cannot either exclude a pupil or extend the exclusion period made by the Executive Head Teacher. 

The governing body has a pupil discipline committee. This committee considers any exclusion appeals on behalf of the governors. When an appeals panel meets to consider an exclusion, they consider the circumstances in which the pupil was excluded, consider any representation by parents and the LA, and consider whether the pupil should be reinstated.  If the governors’ appeals panel decides that a pupil should be reinstated, the Executive Head Teacher must comply with this ruling. 

Screening, confiscation and searching pupils 

It is not usual for staff to need to search or screen pupils. The Executive Headteacher and teaching staff have the right to search any pupils' belongings if they have reasonable grounds to believe they are hiding any items which should be confiscated since they are harmful or inappropriate. School works in line with DfE guidance published in 2012 ‘Screening, Searching and Confiscation.’  

Power to discipline beyond the school gate 

The governing body confirm that the Executive Head Teacher and staff are authorised to use the strategies outlined in this policy to cover the following areas:  

•  Pupils taking part in school visits;  

•  Pupils taking part in school organised after-school activities away from the school site;  

•  Pupils taking part in residential visits;  

•  Pupils travelling to and from school wearing school uniform and in anyway identifiable as a pupil of the school.  

In Criftins CE Primary School pupils are well supported, listened to and cared for.  Incidents of poor behaviour are few. We believe in forgiveness and that all pupils can change, grow and develop.  We believe that incidents of poor behaviour are junction points for learning and that every day is a NEW DAY. Behaviour should be dealt with on the day it occurs (where possible) and everyone deserves to have a fresh start! 

This policy was amended September 2022 and approved by the Governing body. 

This policy is reviewed annually by the Governing Body and school staff taking into account training and research around behaviour.  

Review Date : September, 2023.