Didbrook Primary School

BEHAVIOUR AND DISCIPLINE POLICY

At Didbrook School we wish to promote a happy, polite and friendly environment for all our pupils, staff and visitors. We believe a common approach to the children’s behaviour and discipline by both staff and parents will help us to achieve this. This leaflet outlines our basic school rules, the positive behaviour we encourage and our disciplinary procedures.

OUR EXPECTATIONS

As the children grow older, we encourage them to become increasingly self-disciplined and, at all times, to be considerate of other people.

Throughout the school we believe that the children should:

• be kind and friendly towards others, treating them as they would wish to be treated themselves;

• be polite to children, parents, teachers and adult helpers;

• be calm at all times in the school buildings;

• look after their own and others’ belongings.

We expect behaviour to be consistent at all times of the day, including playtimes and lunch hours.

We do not condone bullying (whether verbal or physical), rudeness to adults nor a disregard for rules.

School Rules

The children are expected to behave in a considerate and respectful manner at all times. Children and staff wrote this model code of conduct:

1. Be sensible, polite and honest. Treat others with the kindness you would like shown to you
2. Be careful with books, equipment and apparatus.
3. Walk carefully around the school. Stand aside to let others pass.
4. Do not fight, kick, punch or swear.
5. Be tidy, put litter in the bins.

OUR REWARDS

There are a variety of ways in which we reward children who display these qualities of good behaviour in school. We strongly believe in the importance and value of these positive measures and would wish to stress our commitment to them:

• praise
• sharing with other children, teachers and Headteacher;
• stickers
• individual points that build to privileges
• gold awards
• topic specific points awarded in the Infants
• ‘green cards’ at lunchtimes and break

PROCEDURES FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR

Unfortunately, there will be occasions when some children misbehave. We believe that it is very important that children understand what will happen if inappropriate behaviour persists either in the classroom or in the playground. We make no distinction between behaviour in the classroom and the playground.

In most instances, the adult in charge will discuss the incident with the child and hopefully it will be happily resolved. In some circumstances, the child may miss playtimes. The school uses yellow and red cards to indicate poor behaviour. If a child is given three red cards in any half term their parent will be notified.

However, in more serious cases, or where misbehaviour persists, the class teacher will contact parents to discuss the problem.

If it is appropriate, the child will be sent to the Headteacher who will hopefully resolve the situation; if necessary, the Head will enter details of the incident on the child’s school record. At this point, parents will be officially informed and where necessary invited to school to discuss behaviour.

In the case of persistent poor behaviour, a child may be placed ‘on report’ for a specified period of time. In this case, behaviour is monitored on a daily basis and the daily report is signed by teacher and parent.

If the need to exclude a child from school is discussed, national guidelines will be followed. Copies of these guidelines are available from the school office.

We expect behaviour in the playground to mirror behaviour in the classroom: where incidents are serious or persistent, the procedures above will be followed. Additionally:

• The child could be asked to walk around with a teacher or midday supervisor, be sent in or made to stand away from other children.

• The class teacher will be informed and will notify the Headteacher if necessary

• In extreme cases of inappropriate behaviour the school will exclude a child at lunchtime.

Bullying

It is a basic entitlement of all children in school to receive their education free from humiliation, oppression and abuse. Education is compulsory in our society and therefore it is the responsibility of all adults to ensure that it takes place in an atmosphere which is caring and protective

Bullying affects everyone, not just the bullies and their victims. It affects those other children who may witness violence and aggression and the distress of the victim. It may damage the atmosphere of a class and the school.

This school has a positive approach to bullying: both supporting the victim and seeking appropriate means to support the bully.

The school will:

1. Watch for early signs of distress in pupils: deterioration of work, spurious illness, isolation, the desire to remain with adults, erratic attendance. Whilst this behaviour may be symptomatic of other problems, it may be the early signs of bullying.

2. Listen carefully and record all incidents.

3. Offer the victim immediate support and help by putting the school’s procedures into operation.

4. Make the unacceptable nature of the behaviour, and the consequences of any repetition, clear to the bully and his/her parents.

5. Ensure that all accessible areas of the school are patrolled at break, lunchtime, between lessons and at the end of the day.

6. Use all the pupils as a positive resource in countering bullying.

The following steps will be followed in recording incidents of bullying and also as a means of conveying to all concerned how seriously the school regards bullying behaviour.

i. The bullied pupil should record the events in writing.

ii. The bully should also record the events in writing.

iii. The teacher will record their discussions with both parties.

iv. The parents of the pupils involved will be given opportunities to discuss with staff reports and the report will be placed in the respective pupil’s file for a period of one year.

v. The parents of the pupils will be asked to respond to the above in writing.

Passed by the Governing Body 19-2-02

Date for review: February 2003