Date created: September 2022

Date reviewed: Oct 2023

Staff consultation: 14.9.2022

Pupil consultation: 18.9.2022

Parent consultation: 12.10.2022

Governor ratification: 12.10.22

To be reviewed: Aut 2024

Introduction

Staff at Beckfield have an understanding that behaviour is something that needs to be a fundamental part of our curriculum and that we have a responsibility to teach children how to behave in a way that will equip them for future phases in their life and to build their resilience when faced with challenges.

Classroom management

Teaching staff have a responsibility to ensure that their classrooms are safe and supportive, and conducive to high-quality teaching and learning. This means that the following are in place:

• Clear, consistent routines for every day
• A space that is clean, clear and free from over stimulating or dangerous objects
• A positive culture, that supports children to express themselves, respectfully challenge each other and to take risks
• A shared understanding of non-negotiables and a reliability that the pupil Code of Conduct will be upheld
• A mutual respect for each other and a right to learn in whatever ways are best for each individual

Rewards and recognition

There is a strong culture of reward at Beckfield and children are recognised for following our Code of Conduct and prioritising learning.

During lesson time, teaching staff will use praise to motivate and reward children who are doing as they have been asked to, or who are going above and beyond. Children will also be given Co-op coins throughout the day for their efforts in learning and conducting themselves in line with our Ways of Being.

Children are also rewarded in our weekly celebration assembly with certificates in four areas and for showing that they have worked hard on developing their key skills - linked to our Skills Builder initiative.

One child each week is also recognised with our Headteacher’s Award.

At lunchtime, children are rewarded with lunchtime stickers, which they convert into Co-op coins when they are back in the classroom. We have appointed Play Leaders from our Y6 class to support with guiding children in constructive play. Each week, the lunch staff select one child from each class to sit on the ‘Golden Table’ on Friday with a member of staff. Children are chosen based on their positive play and attitude during lunch times.

Early Warning Signs (EWS)

There are some children for whom emotional regulation is difficult and they develop adverse strategies for dealing with stressors. By targeting relationships with these children and getting to know them early on, adults will be able to identify EWS for them. EWS vary from child to child but there are some that present more frequently.

The child may:

• appear to frown or push their eyebrows down
• have closed body language or be slumped over
• push away their work or not want to pick up a pen or pencil
• be much quieter than usual
• struggle with transition between activities (e.g. from break/lunch time to class)
• start to fidget or fiddle with an object

EWS will be identified within the first half-term and teaching staff will work with children in a collaborative way to identify these and develop strategies to intervene and stop them from turning into unwanted disruptions.

Teaching children to use more positive strategies

Adults in school will guide and teach children to change the way that they respond to stressful situations. They will use a variety of strategies to do this, including the use of but not limited to:

• Feeling and response cards
• Positive choices card
• Sensory items such as therabands and wobble cushions

Unwanted disruptions (UDs)

These kinds of behaviours are those that disrupt learning. Although some may seem minor, they can have a significant impact on other children and the class as a whole, and therefore need to be addressed at the earliest opportunity, to prevent escalation and to ensure that every child’s needs are met.

The teaching staff inside the classroom are the very best people to address UDs because they are the ones who need to build a supportive, positive, trusting relationship with the child and to set boundaries and expectations.

Step 2: script for responding to children who need support or UDs when Step 1 has not worked.

Prompt card (for staff to carry)

Significant adverse behaviour

These are behaviours that have a significant impact on learning or the well-being of the child or others. They can indicate that previous disruptive behaviours have not been adequately addressed or that the child has not been supported in the right way to manage their feelings. These behaviours must be addressed immediately to prevent harm. A member of the pastoral and senior leadership team will need to be called on to support. All of these incidents need to be reported on ClassCharts as a Support 2 (S2).

*Racist, homophobic or otherwise derogatory language is not acceptable and there is a strong, consistent message that comments of this nature will prompt a phone call to both parents and some time with a member of the senior leadership team to reflect on the impact of their words.

Script for supporting children who have shown significant adverse behaviour (SAB)

Prompt card (for staff to carry)

Consequences for unwanted and adverse behaviour

We want children to understand that there are consequences for the choices they make, and that us as adults make too. Often, there will be natural consequences that occur as a result of an action. For example, if something is destroyed in anger then it will need to be fixed or the mess cleared up. If the poor choice is around conflict with another person, then the consequences are around restoring damage to the relationship and ultimately, saying sorry and acknowledging poor choices. It might be that the consequence is more around spending time reflecting on poor behaviour, thinking about feelings and putting in place strategies to avoid further occurrences. This will always be decided on a child-by-child basis and in most cases, should be facilitated by the person who was with the child at the time. This will often be done during break/lunch time so that interruptions to learning for the class are kept to an absolute minimum.

Reporting to parents

Parents will always be informed when a child has shown a SAB. This will always be done by the class teacher, but in some circumstances, the Pastoral Manager, Assistant Head or Head of Academy may also contact parents to discuss the incident.

Parents may be asked to come into school to discuss the incident and restorative work done, with a view to putting together a plan to prevent further incidents of a similar nature.

Accountability and monitoring

All staff at Beckfield are expected to follow these approaches and to support each other in their implementation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they understand how to use the approaches and if not, to seek support in doing so. All staff understand that it is imperative to have a consistent approach to the way we support children with their behaviour so that we can get the best outcomes for the children, increase learning time and effectively evaluate our strategies.

Leaders will monitor the implementation of these approaches throughout the year, using a variety of methods, including classroom drop-ins, formal learning walks, lesson observations and meetings with teaching staff.