Behaviour

‘Too often we forget that discipline really means to teach, not to punish. A disciple is a student, not a recipient of behavioural consequences’​

-Daniel Siegel​

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Behaviour, at all times and by everyone in the school, needs to support learning and have a positive impact on pupil progress. We want children to show how they demonstrate the school values in their everyday behaviour. We aim to develop a culture and climate that fosters connection, inclusion, respect and value for all members of the school community and do not accept prejudice in any form.​

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We know that being ‘fair’ is not about getting the same (equality) but about everyone getting what they need (equity).​

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We recognise that understanding emotions and having a trauma-informed approach is a key aspect of understanding and managing behaviour. Behaviour is a form of communication, so we strive to ‘listen’ to what a child may be telling us through their behaviour. We take time to build good relationships between pupils and staff. Children need to feel their teachers care about them. We take a non-judgemental, curious and empathic attitude towards behaviour, encouraging all adults in the school to respond in  a way that focuses on the feelings and emotions that might drive behaviour, rather than the behaviour itself.​

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We have clear boundaries and expectations around behaviour to help children feel safe and ready to learn. These boundaries and expectations are taught explicitly to all children and upheld by all members of staff. There are predictable routines, expectations and responses to behaviour. Rewards and consequences that follow certain behaviours are made explicit, without the need to enforce sanctions that can shame and ostracise children, leading to potentially more negative behaviour.​

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Parents and carers are vital partners in supporting their child’s behaviour and need to feel supported and listened to by the school. We understand that part of our role, in partnership with home, is to help pupils to understand what is right and wrong and so encourage reflective thinking and a restorative approach to dealing with incidents. Ultimately, we wish to give our children confidence about their capacity to think for themselves and to make sense of their own lives and experiences. We hope they will live the values of respect, compassion, commitment and joy beyond school and into the ‘real’ world.​

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Click here to read the full Behaviour Policy