Behaviour Policy

Statement of Behaviour Principles at Cononley Primary School

The Governors at Cononley Primary School believe that high standards of behaviour are imperative to ensuring the best possible learning environment in which all children can reach their potential. The principles which define our Behaviour Policy are listed below.

• All pupils and staff have the right to feel safe in school
• Pupils understand they have the right to feel valued and respected, and learn free from the disruption of others
• All members of the school community should be free from discrimination of any sort (as laid down in the Equality Act, 2010).
• Staff and volunteers set an excellent example to pupils at all times
• Rewards, consequences and reasonable force are used consistently by staff, in line with the Behaviour Policy
• The Behaviour Policy is understood by pupils and staff
• Exclusions will only be used as a last resort
• Pupils are helped to take responsibility for their actions
• Families are involved in behaviour incidents to foster good relationships between the school and pupils’ home life and to help pupils to take responsibility for their actions

The governing board also emphasises that violence or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated in any circumstances. This written statement of behaviour principles is reviewed and approved annually by the Full Governing Body.

PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR: SCHOOL SYSTEMS 

School Rules 

At Cononley Primary School, we promote positive behaviour and respect for one another. We provide a calm and safe environment for pupils and establish clear boundaries so that pupils feel safe and ready to learn. This is reflected in our school rules, which were developed by the School Council, pupils, staff and governors. They support our vision and values.  

Follow adult instructions. 

Use kind words and actions. 

Respect others and property. 

Be polite.  

Our rules are displayed prominently in every classroom and other areas of school; these visual prompts/cues help to promote positive behaviour throughout the school: 

1. As a school, we recognise that high standards of behaviour relate directly to high standards of learning  
2. Staff and Governors create a calm and safe environment for pupils and establish clear boundaries of acceptable pupil behaviour 
3. All staff have high expectations of behaviour and are encouraged to look for positive behaviour and to praise it. 
4. All staff, governors and volunteers are expected to model high standards of behaviour 
5. The school curriculum directly promotes positive behaviour through the Co-operative Learning programme. Assemblies, Circle Time and PSHE lessons are also used to promote positive behaviour. Pupils are expected to demonstrate high standards of behaviour and follow the school rules so that they can make the most of their opportunities to learn. 
6. Parents/carers are expected to support the school behaviour policy, which is available on the school website and upon request. Where the behaviour of a child causes concern, parents/carers will be made aware and asked to discuss their child’s behaviour with a member of staff.  

Rewards 

Positive behaviour will be rewarded with: 

• Praise  

• House points (see below).  

• EYFS: Class Team Points (see paragraph headed Co-operative Learning.)  

• KS1 and KS2: Team Points (see paragraph headed Co-operative Learning.) 

• Class marbles: a marble is put in the jar when an adult notices examples of the whole class following the school rules. Once the jar is full, a class receive a reward, decided by the teacher with the rest of the class.  

• Headteacher Stickers/house points – children who have worked especially hard may be sent to see the Headteacher. 

• A personalised reward system may be adopted for pupils who require support to demonstrate positive behaviour. 

• A referral will be made to an outside agency for specialist help to support individual pupils with positive behaviour strategies if parents and teachers feel this would be beneficial. (See paragraph headed Inclusion below). 

House points 

House points are a reward for pupils who show a positive attitude and demonstrate our school values. They are awarded at the discretion of school staff.  Each child in school is placed into one of four different ‘houses’. Each house has a colour:  Red, Blue, Yellow and Green. Each teacher in school is also assigned a house. Each house votes for two Year 6 House Captains.  

Children keep an individual total of their house points in the classroom and work towards achieving the following: a Bronze (50 house points), Silver (100 house points), Gold (200 house points). A certificate is awarded once each milestone is achieved and presented in assembly. Children in Reception work towards a mini – bronze (25 house points) at the start of the year. 

In addition, the total number of house points are totalled each week, with the winning team being awarded a star in Monday Assembly. 

Co-operative Learning 

Cononley Primary School we follow Co-operative Learning Strategies using the programme devised by ‘Success for All.’ This programme encourages positive learning behaviours: 

• Practise Active Listening 

• Everyone Participates, Explaining Your Answers and Tell Why 

• Complete Tasks 

• Help and Encourage Others.   

During lessons, children earn points for their table-team for demonstrating positive learning behaviours 

Getting Along Together 

As part of the Co-operative Learning, pupils are taught the skills they need to think critically and solve problems peacefully using the Getting Along Together sessions at the start of the school year. The skills are reinforced throughout the year in weekly Circle Time sessions and in PSHE lessons.  

Headteacher’s Award  

Each week, the class teacher nominates one pupil in their class to receive a certificate in Friday Achievement Assembly for excellent work. The child also has their name published in the weekly bulletin. 

Sports Leader Award 

Year 6 Sports’ Leaders have been trained to set up sports activities for children to take part in at playtimes and lunchtimes. The Sports Leaders award an Award in Friday Achievement Assembly for a children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 who have demonstrated co-operative learning behaviours: practise active listening, help and encourage each other, everyone participates, completing tasks, explain your ideas and tell why.  

Definition of Misbehaviour 

Misbehaviour is defined as a poor attitude in lessons (or at break and lunchtimes) and may include calling out, chatting unnecessarily, disrupting learning, not following instructions, showing a lack of respect for each other, equipment and staff.  

Sanctions/Consequences and Support for Misbehaviour 

When dealing with misbehaviour, staff will apply the school rules consistently. They will talk to the child  about the incident and: 

•  help the child to recognise their misbehaviour and how it is affecting their own learning and the learning of others in the class.  

• find out if there is a reason for the behaviour (for example, if the child is struggling to complete the work or feels unwell) and support the child to overcome the issue.  

• staff will take into account any other issues which may affect a child’s behaviour, such as a special educational need or trauma, when dealing with misbehaviour. This may result in sanctions being adapted to meet the individual needs of some pupils. School staff have undertaken a range of Special Needs training, including training to understand the needs of pupils with trauma and attachment and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Staff understand that behaviour is a form of communication and a nuanced and bespoke response is often required.  

• Staff will endeavour to deal with the misbehaviour in private to avoid shaming 

• Following a sanction, staff will support and encourage pupils to follow the school rules in the future, praising them for trying hard and showing positive behaviour.  

Misbehaviour will be dealt with in the following way:  

• Every classroom has behaviour traffic lights displayed.  

• All children have name cards and start the day on the ‘green light’,  

• If there is an incident of misbehaviour, verbal reminders of the expectations for behaviour will be given. If the misbehaviour continues, the child’s name is moved from the green light on to the amber light as a reminder to reflect on the misbehaviour and make an improvement.  

• If there is another incident, the child moves onto the red light and misses one minute of playtime and reflect on the behaviour with a member of staff.  

• If misbehaviour continues, the child is taken to the Headteacher or Assistant Headteacher to reflect and improve their misbehaviour. 

• Pupils will be asked to apologise when the member of staff decides it is appropriate (for example, when pupils are calm enough to apologise). 

All children are moved back to green at the end of every day (or the end of the session, depending on the age of the children) enabling a ‘fresh start’. A sanction for some aspects of misbehaviour may include an act of reparation, for example, if equipment has not been treated with respect, a consequence might be to spend time tidying equipment.  

Some pupils may have their own bespoke behaviour plan to support their individual needs instead of the traffic light system.

Lunchtimes 

At lunchtimes, midday supervisors use the same reward system (see above).  

The sanctions for misbehaviour on the playground at lunchtime are similar to the sanctions for misbehaviour during lesson time. Instead of the Amber traffic light, children will be given a verbal warning. Instead of the ‘Red’ traffic light, children will be asked to take ‘time out’ for one minute to reflect on their behaviour. If misbehaviour continues despite the warning, lunchtime staff will report it to the class teacher at the end of playtime. The Headteacher monitors playtime incidents regularly and records them electronically on CPOMS. An analysis of behaviour is reported to governors each term. Severe misbehaviour is reported to the Headteacher or the Assistant Headteacher the same day. 

Persistent Misbehaviour 

If misbehaviour is persistent (for example, name on the red light several times in a week), the class teacher should discuss the behaviour with the parent/carer and the Headteacher or the Assistant Headteacher so that sanctions can be appropriate, for example, following a specific behaviour plan and informing parents about behaviour. A record of this will be recorded on CPOMS.  

Severe Misbehaviour 

The following misbehaviours are considered as serious (also described as highly challenging) by the school: 

• Physical assault, aggressive behaviour, threatening or inappropriate behaviour towards another child or adult. 

• Repeated use of foul or abusive language towards another child or an adult. 

• Repeatedly refusing to follow an instruction given by a member of staff. 

• Wilful vandalism and damage to school property. 

If highly challenging misbehaviour takes place, it must be immediately reported to the Headteacher, or the Assistant Headteacher in the absence of the Headteacher, who will inform the parents / carers. The incident will be recorded on CPOMS. Sanctions for severe behaviour could include internal exclusion, fixed term exclusion or permanent exclusion, following NYCC guidelines. (See also the Anti Bullying Policy for details of our procedures for dealing with Bullying, Cyberbullying and Child on Child Abuse).  

Following a fixed-term exclusion, a pupil will be invited to a re-integration meeting with their parents/carers to discuss supportive measures for re-integration.  

Staff are aware that persistently poor or serious misbehaviour can be sign of an underlying SEN need and will work closely with the SENco to identify needs and create a bespoke plan to support individual needs. (See paragraph below on Inclusion.) 

Bullying and Child on Child Abuse 

Bullying is behaviour by an individual or group, repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally. Bullying usually involves an inbalance of power between the perpetrator and victim.  

Bullying  and child on child abuse can take many forms (for instance, cyber-bullying via text messages, social media or gaming, which can include the use of images and video) and is often motivated by prejudice against particular groups (known as prejudice based bullying), for example on grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, special educational needs or disabilities, or because a child is adopted, in care or has caring responsibilities. Sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, may be standalone or part of a broader pattern of abuse including sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault.  

Details of Cononley Primary School’s approach to preventing and addressing bullying are outlined in our Anti Bullying Policy: Cononley Primary School - Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust - School Policies 

Reasonable Force 

All members of school staff have a legal power to use reasonable force. Reasonable force means using no more force than is needed. 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. 

Schools can use reasonable force to:  

• remove disruptive children from the classroom where they have refused to follow an instruction to doso; 
• prevent a pupil behaving in a way that disrupts a school event or a school trip orvisit;
• prevent a pupil leaving the classroomwhereallowing the pupil to leave would risk their safety or lead to behaviour that disrupts the behaviour of others;  
• prevent a pupil from attacking a member of staff or another pupil, or to stop a fight in the playground; and 
• restrain a pupil at risk of harming themselves through physical outbursts.

Reasonable force (for control or restraint) must never be used as a form of punishment.  

At Cononley Primary School, physical control and restraint are only used as a last resort by staff trained in the pre-emotive (de-escalation) and responsive positive handling strategy techniques of Team Teach. Although any member of staff may be required to physically intervene with a student who is endangering themselves or others, damaging property or to maintain good order and discipline, we would expect Team Teach accredited staff to take over as soon as possible. 

Details of Cononley Primary School’s approach to the use of reasonable force are outlined in our Positive Handling Policy.  

Prohibited Items 

DfE guidance on the use of reasonable force in schools (2013) states that in addition to the general power to use reasonable force, headteachers and authorised staff can use such force as is reasonable given the circumstances to conduct a search for “prohibited items”. At Cononley Primary School prohibited items are knives or weapons, bullets, alcohol, illegal drugs, stolen items, tobacco, vapes, fireworks, pornographic images or articles that they reasonably suspect have been or are likely to be used to commit an offence or cause harm. Force cannot be used to search for items banned under the school rules, for example, smart watches or fit bits. 

Mobile Phones, Fit Bits and Smart Watches (see also Online Safety Policy) 

Children are not allowed 'Fit Bits' (or similar devices) or Smart Watches in school. 

Children are not allowed mobile phones in school unless there are exceptional circumstances. Parents/ carers should seek permission from the headteacher and class teacher via email if there is a reason why their child needs to bring a mobile phone to school. If permission is granted, it is on the understanding that the phone will be handed to the class teacher at the start of the day and returned at the end of the school day. All such devices must be switched off until the end of the day. Under no circumstance should pupils use their personal mobile devices/phones to take images of any other pupil or any member of staff.   

The school is not responsible for the loss, damage or theft on school premises of any personal mobile device.  

Parents/ carers must ensure there is no inappropriate or illegal content on the device. 

Inclusion 

Some pupils will be supported by an individualised behaviour plan (with targets planned specifically to meet their needs) to help them to follow the school rules and demonstrate positive behaviour. Staff are aware that persistently poor or serious misbehaviour can be sign of an underlying SEN need and will work closely with the SENco to identify needs and create a bespoke plan which has been adapted to support individual needs. If it is appropriate, a referral can be made by the school with the consent of the parents / carers to services such as the local SEND Hubs and Early Help. 

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT: Roles and Responsibilities 

Governing Body 

The governing body is responsible for monitoring this behaviour policy’s effectiveness and holding the headteacher to account for its implementation through a termly anonymised Behaviour Report, presented to the Full Governing Body.  

Staff 

All staff are responsible for promoting positive behaviour and for providing care, guidance and support for all of our pupils, in line with this policy.  The Behaviour Policy will be shared with staff during the induction process. The Behaviour Policy will reviewed with staff at least annually; reminders will be sent by emails and training updates will take place at Staff Safeguarding briefings.  

Pupils 

The School Council provides a forum for pupils to raise issues about school life and make suggestions for improvements. The School Council helped to develop our school rules. Pupils will also have opportunities to raise issues in weekly Circle Time.  

Throughout the year, surveys will gather pupil views about behaviour and bullying as part of PSHE monitoring and though the biennial Growing up in North Yorkshire Survey. 

Monitoring, evaluation and review  

• Staff and governors will review this policy at least annually and assess its implementation and effectiveness. 

• The policy will be promoted and implemented throughout the school. 

• Behaviour and bullying incidents are recorded on CPOMS and analysed and reviewed each term by the headteacher and reported to the Full Governing Body. 

• The view of parents will be monitored through the annual parent questionnaire.  

• The views of children will be gathered through surveys in PSHE and SEN and through the biennial Growing Up in North Yorkshire Survey