Infant and Junior School Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions Policy

This policy applies to all children in the Infant and Junior School, including the EYFS; our curriculum and provision takes into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all our children.

Rationale

The overall purpose of this policy is to promote good relationships between all members of the school community. This Policy is intended to apply both on and off school premises to the extent that the behaviour has an impact on the school or the wider community. All school staff have a duty of care to the children in their charge and to that extent this policy must be followed. The teacher in charge of EYFS behaviour and sanctions is Mrs Leslie.  This policy is aligned to other key policy documents.

Aim

• To create an environment which encourages and reinforces good behaviour
• To make boundaries of acceptable behaviour clear and ensure safety at all times
• To encourage children to have high expectations of their own behaviour
• To raise awareness of appropriate behaviour, promoting this through positive reinforcement
• To encourage consistency of response to both positive and negative behaviour throughout the school
• To assist in the forming of positive relationships within the school community and ensure that all children and staff respect each other
• To encourage the involvement of both home and school in implementing this policy

Values

Our school values are Positivity, Courage and Kindness. These are articulated throughout the school in assemblies, House Meetings and by staff and children's words and deeds. The School Council reviews the “My School Commitments” annually and shares this with all members of the school community, and display it in all Infant and Junior School classrooms.  We seek to promote respect, fairness and social inclusion for all. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment or bullying and seek to ensure that all children feel happy, safe and secure. (See our Anti-Bullying Policy). Through the school curriculum, values and attitudes are taught, as well as knowledge and skills, in order to promote responsible behaviour, self-discipline and respect for self, others and the world around us.  We are UNICEF Rights Respecting school, and this with our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, promotes children's rights and promotion of the protected characteristics were applicable.  

Roles and Responsibilities

Ultimately, the responsibility for the management of positive behaviour lies with the Head of the Infant and Junior School. However, we believe that every member of the school community has an important role to play in creating a positive learning environment. It is particularly important that all adults working in the school accept responsibility for behaviour throughout the school and act appropriately when misbehaviour is observed. They will:

• Provide a positive role model for children and each other at all times
• Make clear their expectations of behaviour
• Encourage children to take responsibility for their own actions and associated behaviour, showing self-discipline and proper regard for authority
• Treat all children fairly and with respect and apply this policy consistently
• Provide a stimulating, safe and pleasant learning environment
• Set out and use guidelines and sanctions clearly and consistently
• Seek to form a good relationship with all parents to demonstrate a common aim
• Provide opportunities for children to take responsibility
• Encourage children to take care of school property, their own and that of others
• Praise and encourage good behaviour and respect for others
• Liaise with other staff to ensure effective and consistent monitoring of pupil behaviour, as well as access regular training on promoting positive behaviour and behaviour management.

Children will also be required:

• To treat others, including all adults in the school, with respect
• To listen to and follow the instructions of all school staff
• To observe the uniform code
• To take care of property, including the natural environment, in and out of school
• To co-operate with other children and staff
• To do their best to contribute to a positive learning environment and allow others to do the same.

Unacceptable Behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour includes but is not exclusive to: bullying of any sort (see Anti-Bullying Policy) including child-on-child abuse, damage to any property be it of the school, staff or other child, offensive language, behaviour which puts themselves or others at risk, any behaviour which disrupts the smooth running of the school community or possession of any prohibited and/or illegal items. Prohibited and/or illegal items are those as outlined in the DfE July 2022 and includes but is not exclusive to: knives and weapons, alcohol, illegal drugs, stolen items, fireworks and ponographic images. 

Expectations and Rewards

It is known that positive encouragement promotes good behaviour and raises self-esteem. Staff will endeavour to acknowledge good behaviour, through descriptive praise, positive feedback and appropriate use of rewards, such as stickers, stamps and merits. House Points are awarded for exemplar behaviour, showing the School Values, as well as for academic success and/or progress relevant to the individual child.  House Points for Infant children are physical tokens which are deposited in their House tube, Junior children collect House Points electronically.  These are totaled half-termly and the winning House is awarded a special House Point trophy in an assembly.  House Points are also accrued through inter-House competitions.  Specific Infant children are awarded a Star of the Week certificate in their Celebration Assembly based on individual exceptional learning or effort, as well as exhibiting the school values above and beyond what is normally expected.  For Junior children these qualities are acknowledged by any adult in the school by awarding a Praise Postcard.  These are celebrated in assembly as well as being posted out to the children.   

Expectations concerning behaviour in school will be maintained and modelled by all members of staff. The Word of the Week is drawn from the school ethos and values and is examined in the weekly assemblies and House Meetings. Notable national and international events are marked in assemblies and House Meetings, as are the Articles of the UN Convention on the Right of the Child as part of our commitment to being a UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award school. The children’s achievements, academic, extra-curricular and achievements outside of school, are celebrated in assemblies. The school also values greatly the standards of behaviour set by positive and inspirational role models in the local, national and international community.

Sanctions

Where children choose to display poor behaviour, agreed sanctions appropriate to their age and behaviour will be applied fairly. These sanctions are intended to deter repetition of the behaviour and help children to learn that consequences follow actions. Where the misbehaviour is exhibited by a child with Specific Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities, the SENCo will liaise with those staff concerned to ensure that reasonable adjustments are made for this child, if appropriate.

Corporal punishment is not used or threatened in any part of the School, including the EYFS; guidance is given to all members of staff on the circumstances in which physical intervention is allowable – see Safeguarding Procedures.

A staged approach will be used, with each stage being part of a consistent and progressive response to pupil behaviour which does not meet expectations. Pupils will exit and/or re-enter the process as the situations occur, with reminding of the purpose and procedures that are taking place.  The stages are:

Stage 1

Individual staff will address minor behaviour problems through one-to-one discussion. This may result in an informal verbal warning, which should clearly indicate the consequences of no change in behaviour or repetition.

Stage 2

Repeat offenders will be given a “time-out” sanction, from a minimum of 5 minutes to a maximum of 15 minutes, to be taken during lunch break.  The ‘time-out’ sanction is used with the younger children however this is an immediate action and not restricted to lunch break. Children on a “time-out” will sit in silence in a supervised area. Staff will liaise with the Head of the Infant and Junior School to ensure a consistency of approach. Each incidence will be recorded, by the teacher using CPOMS, and to the attention of Head of the Infant and Junior School.

Stage 3

Persistent repeat offenders will be sent to the Head of the Infant and Junior School and their parents will be informed. It may be deemed appropriate to issue a report card, at this stage, to enable behaviour to be monitored with the pupil and parents and targets set for improvement.

Stage 4

In extreme cases of unacceptable behaviour or activity, the Head of the Infant and Junior School may issue an internal exclusion (detention) after full consultation with the pupil's teachers and any other members of the school community as seen appropriate. This again is fully documented and parents are fully informed.  

In accordance with the GDST Exclusions Policy, a pupil may be excluded for a fixed period of time and/or permanently for:

• A serious breach of the rules
• Non-payment of fees
• Where there have been repeated minor breaches of the rules and a child has not responded to other sanctions or pastoral support
• If, in the Head’s considered opinion, the behaviour of parents is unreasonable and is likely to affect adversely the child, or other children or staff, or is likely to bring the School or the Trust into disrepute.

Recording

A factual and non-judgemental record is kept of all significant interviews and parent contacts on CPOMs.  

The Role of Parents

We value the strong links we enjoy with parents and seek to maintain good communication between home and school. The School Commitments are published in the classrooms, and the school will communicate expectations to parents. Where behaviour is causing concern, parents will be informed at an early stage and given an opportunity to discuss the situation and to agree a plan of action, within the terms of this policy. Parents have a right to raise a complaint under the school’s Complaints Policy.