VICTORIA PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

 

 

 

 

GENERAL RATIONALE

 

Victoria Park Primary School is committed to providing a safe, stimulating, caring, respectful and secure environment that will challenge the intellectual, physical, moral and creative development of our pupils so that each child achieves their full potential.  The focus of this policy is the promotion of good behaviour.  There are certain values which we want to encourage in our pupils:

 

• self-respect, self-discipline and self-confidence
• a positive work ethic
• good manners and politeness
• honesty
• respect for others and their property

 

The Board of Governors has an overarching responsibility to ensure that the school provides a safe and harmonious learning environment for all who use the premises.  The Board takes this responsibility very seriously.

 

 

PRINCIPLES

 

We work with our staff, pupils and parents to create a school community where positive behaviour is promoted and each person is valued so that they can achieve their full potential.  To achieve this, we:

 

• operate a robust positive behaviour policy;

 

• ensure that pupils feel safe to learn and that they abide by the positive behaviour policy;

 

• support staff to promote positive behaviour and identify and deal with misbehaviour appropriately;

 

• work in partnership with parents to promote positive behaviour;

 

• report back quickly to parents regarding their concerns on behaviour and deal promptly with complaints and in line with our policy;

 

• seek to learn from positive behaviour good practice elsewhere and utilise the support of EA and relevant organisations when appropriate;

 

• discuss, monitor and review the policy with members of staff and with pupils every year;

 

OBJECTIVES

 

• To create an atmosphere conducive to effective learning and teaching
• To create a sense of order
• To establish a sense of community
• To encourage and develop our pupils’ self-esteem and respect for others
• To encourage self-discipline and the notion that we all have rights but we also need to take responsibility for our actions
• To encourage pupils to be independent
• To encourage and develop our pupils’ interpersonal skills

 

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

 

SCHOOL RULES

 

The school rules will be displayed prominently around the school and be reinforced regularly by staff and also at school assemblies.

 

Each teacher will also compile a set of classroom rules in consultation with the pupils in their class at the start of the new school year.  These will be displayed in the classroom at all times and be referred to regularly. 

 

Rewards will be given for keeping the rules and appropriate sanctions will be administered for not abiding by them.

 

We aim to be:

• consistent
• firm
• fair

and to follow up and follow through.

 

Our school rules are based on Jenny Mosley’s Golden Rules:

1. We are gentle.
2. We are kind and helpful.
3. We listen.
4. We are honest.
5. We work hard.
6. We look after property.

 

In addition, pupils are expected to adhere to the Pupil Code of Conduct

(see Appendix 1).

 

 

 

 

 

REWARDS AND SANCTIONS

 

The school provides a range of opportunities in which pupils can excel and be rewarded.  Of equal importance is a practical set of sanctions that deal appropriately with poor behaviour.  We have a wide range of rewards and sanctions and we ensure that they are applied fairly and consistently by all staff.  Rewards are used to motivate and encourage pupils.  At the same time, pupils are made aware of sanctions that will be applied for misbehaviour.

 

Rewards

In implementing our reward system as a whole school, we aim to positively recognise and reinforce good behaviour and positive attitudes to class work.

 

Our objectives are to:

• make these rewards attainable for all children;
• make these rewards consistent throughout the school and used by all staff – teaching and non-teaching;
• promote self-esteem;
• communicate ‘good news’ to parents;
• encourage pupils to take responsibility.

 

Rewards include:

• verbal and non-verbal praise;
• positive written comments on work;
• movement up the ‘green triangle’;
• green cards for P1-P3 pupils at breaktime and lunchtime;
• house points for P4-P7 children;
• motivational stars, stickers, etc;
• showing good work to the rest of the class to be applauded;
• showing work to another teacher or the Principal
• displaying work on the wall;
• allowing a child to be ‘leader’ in the line;
• class pupil of the week awarded weekly in P4-P7 assembly;
• year group monthly 100% certificate or sticker
• certificates awarded to P1-P3 pupils for achieving 10 green cards;
• class prizes awarded at end of year;
• trophy prizes awarded to P7 pupils at Leavers’ Service.

 

 

 

 

Sanctions

 

The school employs a number of sanctions to enforce the school rules.  We employ each sanction appropriately to each individual situation taking account of the age and maturity of the pupil, any special educational needs he or she may have and any other relevant circumstances.  Sanctions will only be administered by teaching staff.

 

 

Sanctions will not:

• involve the pupil being left unsupervised in a classroom or on the corridor;
• degrade pupils, or cause them public or private humiliation;
• involve physical force;
• involve sarcasm;
• be applied to entire classes or groups of pupils, when the guilty parties have not been identified.

 

 

HOW A PARENT CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT BEHAVIOUR ISSUES

 

The school is committed to making parents aware of the procedures to use if they are concerned about the behaviour of pupils, staff or other parents. 

 

The school includes in its prospectus a summary of the positive behaviour policy and the procedures parents should follow to make a complaint and the recourse that they have if they are not satisfied with the outcome (see Appendix 2).  As well as inclusion in the prospectus, these arrangements will also be disseminated to parents at the beginning of each new academic year.

 

 

LINKS WITH OTHER SCHOOL POLICIES

 

Our positive behaviour policy is an integral part of the school’s policy for pastoral care and is directly linked with the following policies:

 

• Child Protection policy;

 

• Anti-Bullying policy;

 

• Use of Reasonable Force policy;

 

• Special Educational Needs (SEN) policy;

 

• Acceptable Use of the Internet and Digital Technologies policy;

 

• Equality policy;

 

• Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU) policy.

 

 

PUPIL PARTICIPATION AND CONSULTATION PROCESS

 

Our pupils are given the opportunity to discuss and comment on the school’s positive behaviour policy in PDMU lessons.  The school recognises the importance of giving the pupils the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of its policy.

 

 

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO CREATE A POSITIVE DISCIPLINE ETHOS

 

Leadership

The school’s senior management team (SMT) actively promotes the positive behaviour ethos, which secures whole-school community support for its implementation.  The Vice Principal, Mr Ryden, has responsibility for the co-ordination and development of positive discipline within each key stage.

 

 

Use of curriculum opportunities

School staff use class time to reinforce the importance of positive behaviour:

 

• PDMU (Personal Development and Mutual Understanding) lessons provide the opportunity for specific attention to be given to emotional development and the development of moral thinking, values and action;

 

• the use of creative learning through art, music, poetry, drama and dance develops understanding of feelings and enhances pupils’ social and emotional skills.

 

 

Use of other opportunities to raise awareness

Other opportunities are also used throughout the school year to reinforce the positive behaviour ethos:

 

• whole-school assemblies used to raise awareness of the school’s positive behaviour policy and develop pupils’ emotional literacy;

 

• use events which can prompt further understanding of the importance of positive behaviour such as visiting theatre group workshops.

 

 

 

 

School environment

The pupils are carefully supervised on the school premises to reduce incidents of misbehaviour:

 

• the school doors open 8.45am, there is no playground supervision before school prior to 8:45am

 

• at least two members of staff supervise each playground at breaktime.  In the event of bad weather, the staff then patrol the classrooms.  Prefects from P7 also help with supervision for P4-P7 (although they do not have responsibility for imposing sanctions);

 

• lunchtime supervisors assume the same responsibilities at lunchtime, again with assistance from the prefects.  The Principal and the Vice Principals supervise the dining centre each day;

 

• teachers escort their class out of the school building at the end of the school day and ensure they exit the playground sensibly and safely.

 

 

Professional development

The school ensures that appropriately targeted information and professional development is available for all staff and governors.

 

 

Working with EA and other outside agencies

The school actively works with the Behaviour Support team at EA and other outside agencies to support the development of positive discipline.

 

 

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALL STAFF
 

The Head of Pastoral Care will review the school’s positive behaviour policy with all staff annually.  He/She will also keep staff informed of current issues and available training opportunities.

 

 

MONITORING

 

The school’s Senior Management Team monitor the effectiveness of this policy on a regular basis.  The Principal reports to the Board of Governors on the effectiveness of the policy and, if necessary, makes recommendations for further improvements.

 

The school keeps a variety of records of incidents of misbehaviour.  The class teacher records any relevant classroom incidents.  The Vice Principals and Principal record any incidents of where a child is sent to them on account of misbehaviour.  Records are also kept of any incidents that occur at lunchtime by the lunchtime supervisors.

REVIEW OF THE POLICY

 

The review of this policy is timetabled every year within the school’s management programme.  It will then be presented to the Board of Governors for their consideration and approval.

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 1

 

Pupil Code of Conduct

 

Pupils are expected to:

 

• Arrive in school for 8.55am.
• Wear the school uniform.
• Take care of school buildings and equipment.
• On returning to school after an absence, bring a note.
• Keep jewellery to a minimum.  Only one pair of stud-type earrings is permitted along with a ring and a watch.
• Change into suitable clothing for PE.  No football tops are to be worn at any time.
• Set a good example to other children.
• Be thoughtful and caring towards others.
• Keep the school tidy and free from litter.
• Do your work to the best of your ability.
• Play safely.
• Tell a member of staff if someone is annoying you.  Do not hit back.
• Be careful not to use bad language.
• Walk quietly around the school.
• Eat a healthy snack at break.
• No cans, glass bottles or fizzy drinks to be brought into school.
• Chewing gum is forbidden on the premises.
• During wet breaks and lunchtime, remain in your seat and do not run around the room.
• Do not enter the school during break or lunch without permission.
• Mobile phones must remain switched off during the school day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 2

 

How a parent can make a complaint about behaviour