At Ballacottier Primary School we believe a healthy balance between sanctions and rewards exists and rules are implemented fairly and consistently. We seek to foster good behaviour in a positive way, through our core values. Adults at the school set good examples for the children to follow.
Aim
The aim of the school’s behaviour policy is for everyone to show mutual respect by acting with courtesy and consideration towards others at all times.
Our Core Values underpin all our school policies
- Treat people as you would want them to treat you
- Respect, value and support each other
- Create happy memories through positive experiences
- Be brave, be yourself, be proud to be you
- Always aim high and have high expectations
Code of Conduct
Whilst in school, children are encouraged to behave in a calm, orderly manner, and follow the Golden Rules:
- Do be gentle, don’t hurt anybody
- Do be kind and helpful, don’t hurt other people’s feelings
- Do be honest, and don’t cover up the truth
- Do work hard, don’t waste time
- Do look after property, don’t waste time or damage things
- Do listen to people, don’t interrupt
Rewards
We aim to be positive in our approach to notice and reward good behaviour rather than take it for granted. Rewards are linked to our core values.
Staff use a range of strategies to promote good behaviour and children and their parents will be made aware of our rewards system. The underlying principle is one of valuing pupil achievement, in all areas of life, not just academic. Pupils will only feel that their achievements are truly valued if recognition of what they do is communicated to them.
Rewards include:
- approving gestures (looks, nods, smiles, winks, thumbs up)
- private praise
- public praise - in class/assembly
- stars, stickers, merits, stamps
- informing parents
- celebration in Superstars Assembly with Superstar stickers and certificates
- an invitation to the Golden Table (once a month for positive behaviour at lunchtime)
Sanctions
Pupils need to know why they are being punished and need to be given an opportunity to make amends. Children are often upset when they realise their behaviour has affected someone.
Children need immediate feedback and many sanctions are very low-level responses that let children know that their behaviour is unacceptable without disrupting the rest of the class. These include:-
• non-verbal gestures (stare, frown, shake of head)
• ignoring
• a verbal check
• removal of a small privilege
We believe that immediate checking by all members of staff of minor wrong doings often prevents major problems from developing. If these checks prove ineffective teachers may use other appropriate sanctions such as:-
• removal from the group but remain inside the classroom
• removal from the scene of disruption (eg. standing at the side of playground)
• withdrawal of playtime and/or lunchtime
• repeating work when poorly presented or below child's capability.
It is important that the child understands why their behaviour is unacceptable, that they understand how their behaviour affects others and how they could have behaved in a more acceptable way.
Sometimes it will be necessary to discipline children by applying a different sanction to the above. Parental backing is appreciated on such occasions. Parents will be telephoned or written to if their child is the cause of problems at school with a request that they meet with the Headteacher.
The school follows the Department of Education, Sport and Culture’s policy on Use of Physical Contact, Control or Force on Pupils (June 2016), with regard to the restraint of pupils in certain situations. In particular if a pupil is putting himself/herself in danger or when other pupils or adults in the school may be endangered by the actions of an individual pupil.
Behaviour plans may be drawn up for individual pupils, in conjunction with parents, that may also involve the use of outside agencies (SEN policy)
The policy will be reviewed on a regular basis.