Behaviour & Exclusion Policy

 ‘Children have the right to learn.  Teachers have the right to teach’

At Shepton Mallet Community Infants’ School & Nursery we are concerned with the learning, participation and equal opportunities of all children including those with any form of disability.                                            

The Governing Body accepts this principle and the aim of our school is to promote good behaviour, so that everyone can work together with the common principle of helping everyone to learn and develop.  

Aims and expectations 

• To help children to grow in a positive and secure environment, and to become happy, responsible and increasingly independent members of the community.
• To set clear and acceptable standards of behaviour for all members of the school, children and staff, which are communicated to and understood by all.
• To ensure a consistent and fair response to both negative and positive behaviour.
• The policy is designed to promote good behaviour, rather than merely deter unacceptable behaviour.
• To ensure that all children are fully included in all aspects of school life.
• To encourage children to be tolerant, respectful and appreciative of others and their property.
• To encourage children to take responsibility for their behaviour and to see how it affects others.
• To involve both home and school in the implementation of this policy. 

School Ethos 

All adults are expected to conduct themselves to a high standard of behaviour at all times, both towards the children and each other.  They are responsible for modelling respect, tolerance, kindness and co-operation. The school recognises and acknowledges all achievements and efforts of children, both in and out of school. 

Our vision is:-

• to provide the highest quality teaching in an enriching, stimulating, happy, healthy and safe environment where children develop independence and increasingly take responsibility for their own learning and behaviour
•  to recognise, value and develop the full potential and talents of each child
• to promote tolerance, confidence, self-esteem, respect, cooperation, self-discipline, politeness and high standards of behaviour for all members of the school community
• to build a learning community based on fair, understanding and caring relationships
• to be approachable to parents/carers and work together in all areas which will aid their child's development

 The school does not tolerate bullying or acts of intimidation of any kind. Any anti- social behaviour is acted upon immediately, by any member of teaching or non-teaching staff to prevent any further occurrences. Definitions of bullying may include name-calling, invasion of privacy or any form of harassment or harm to others. 

In Early Years (Nursery and Reception class) teachers and key workers support children’s development by helping them to build and keep friendships. Young children sometimes have temper tantrums and during these can be aggressive towards other children. This is not classed as bullying as these are usually isolated incidents and are not aimed specifically at individuals. They are dealt with on an individual basis. 

As a school we aim to be a caring community where everyone feels valued, and that each person is treated fairly and well.

The school does not tolerate any behaviour that prohibits learning or hurts any member of its community. 

Rewards and sanctions 

We praise and reward children for appropriate behaviour in a variety of ways:

• Verbal and non-verbal praise.
• Individual reward chart for children with particular difficulties.
• Reward stickers given out in the classes
• Reward stickers given out by the Head Teacher or another member of staff, including lunchtime supervisors.
• Individual class reward charts.
• Certificates given out in Celebration Assembly when children have been awarded certain numbers of stickers. 

Ensure a positive, safe learning environment for all children. Professional judgement is used and sanctions enforced as appropriate to each individual The school employs a number of sanctions to underpin the school expectations of behaviour. 

We are careful with the language we use, to be clear that it is the behaviour not the child that is unwelcome.  We use key questions modelled on Restorative Justice approach, if an incident has happened.  

Key Questions:

1. What happened?
2. What were people thinking?
3. How did this make people feel?
4. Who has been affected?
5. What should we do to put things right?
6. How can we do things differently in the future? 

The children are asked to reflect on what they have done.       

 Our sanctions begin with Negative Consequences

1. Verbal warning and non-verbal warnings given by teacher.
2. Separation from the main group in the classroom.
3. Send to Headteacher for ‘time out’ during class time.
4. Sent to stand by the wall to calm down. (at playtimes)
5. Hold the hand of the member of staff on duty at playtime
6. Miss playtimes.

NB for children in receipt of High Needs funding or with 1:1 help additional strategies may be put in place. 

Parents may be informed from point 3 onwards.

If school expectations are repeatedly breeched or more severe poor behaviour occurs fixed term or permanent exclusions may be enforced.  Please see Exclusions Policy. 

All members of staff are aware of the regulations regarding the use of reasonable restraint by teachers, as set out in DfE Circular 10/98, relating to section 550A of Education Act 1996: The Use of Force to Control or Restrain Pupils. Adults in our school do not hit, push or slap children. Staff only intervene physically to restrain children or to prevent injury to a child, or if a child is in danger of hurting him/herself, others or property. The actions that we take are in line with the government guidelines on the restraint of children.

In our Nursery we have different ways of dealing with negative behaviour

1. Distraction
2. Verbal warning supported by Somerset Total Communication.
3. Time out-The last resort, 1 minute for every year of the child’s age. During time out children are given a sensory glitter bottle to calm down and reflect. 

In all cases the teachers will

• consistently and fairly reward good behaviour and use the sanctions laid out in this policy to prevent unacceptable behaviour.
• have high expectations and will always acknowledge children’s efforts and achievements, and reward where appropriate.
• liaise with the Head Teacher, parents, other members of staff and outside agencies, as necessary, to support and guide the progress of each child. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

The Class teacher is also responsible for the Curriculum and Effective Classroom Management 

Good classroom management is essential for the effective delivery of the curriculum. A positive learning environment with clear and agreed expectations is essential in helping children meet goals of acceptable standards of behaviour.  This includes;

• making sure the classroom is arranged appropriately for the task set.
• objectives and expectations made clear to the children.
• ensuring that the work is appropriately differentiated and that suitable resources are available.
• ensuring that targets set are achievable, and the necessary support is provided.
• seat the children appropriately so they are less likely to be distracted and can benefit from good role models.
• assess, plan and meet individual needs.
• be aware of equal opportunities and disability.
• regularly giving praise to boost self-esteem and confidence. 

The Teaching Assistants’ and  Lunchtime Supervisors’ Role

• to liaise with classroom teachers regarding appropriate support for all children, especially those with behavioural difficulties or a particular special need.
• to positively support children with learning and reward good effort appropriately.
• to always have high expectations of behaviour.
• to be aware of this policy and to act appropriately within its guidance.
• to model appropriate behaviour to the children, and ensure their verbal and non-verbal language encourages pupils to feel valued and secure. 

The Head Teacher’s Role 

It is the responsibility of the head teacher, under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, to implement the School’s Behaviour Policy consistently throughout the school, and to report to the governors, when requested, on the effectiveness of the policy.  It is also the responsibility of the Head Teacher to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all children and staff in the school. 

The Head Teacher monitors the effectiveness of this policy annually and reports on exclusions to the Governing Body 

The Head Teacher supports the staff in this school by implementing the policy, offering support and training, and being involved with liaison with parents. She is responsible for giving fixed-term exclusions to individual children for serious acts of misbehaviour and permanently excluding any child for repetition of very serious acts of anti-social behaviour. Records of any pupil suspended for a fixed term of permanent exclusion are kept and reported to the Governors. For fixed term exclusions over five days, a Governors Discipline panel would become involved. The head teacher also monitors and ensures that all adults conduct themselves correctly and model good standards of behaviour, as this is at the heart of creating our positive school ethos. 

The Role of Parents 

At Shepton Mallet Community Infants’ School & Nursery we recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents to ensure that all children receive consistent and clear responses to their behaviour. 

The school’s behaviour expectations are in the prospectus and emphasised at the New Parent’s Evening.  We expect parents to co-operate with the school and support their child’s learning, as set out in the home-school agreement. 

We inform parents when concerns over their child’s behaviour are increasing.  If our concerns continue we arrange a formal meeting with the parents, where ways of supporting a change in the behaviour are agreed.  

Also the following may be implemented:

• school will raise children giving concern at the yearly planning meetings attended by Educational Psychologist, Learning Support Teacher.
• children giving concern regarding behaviour will be set a Behaviour Support Plan which will be put in place together with the SENDCO, class teacher and parents. (who will sign it)
• brief notes may be made in the home/school diary which goes home everyday
• appropriate praise,
• the child is spoken to appropriately about their behaviour and the need for change.
• identify opportunities to meet specific needs indicated by the behaviour.
• analysis of what the child is communicating by their behaviour.
• it may be appropriate for the parents to be supported by our Parent and Family Support Advisor
• realistic and achievable targets are set.
• good classroom management techniques agreed by SENDCO and class teacher.
• behaviour logs, used to record behaviour on a daily basis, in order to look for patterns, or reasons for the inappropriate behaviour.
• observations by class teacher and SENDCO may be used to find out triggers for the behaviour and positive strategies are put into place to help the child overcome any difficulties.
• for children at risk of exclusion, a Pastoral Support Programme will be drawn up in conjunction with parents and any other agencies involved. 

Parents are expected to support the school in enforcing appropriate sanctions for inappropriate behaviour.  If the parent has any concerns about how their child is being managed, they should initially contact the class teacher.  If their concerns continue they should contact the head teacher and the governing body may be informed. 

The Role of the Governors 

The Governors have a guidance role in promoting the effectiveness of this policy. Reviewing the effectiveness of the Behaviour and Discipline policy will be done annually. The Governing Body will monitor the rate of fixed-term and permanent exclusions. 

Exclusion 

Should all the above strategies not appear to be working exclusion may be decided upon by the head teacher. 

The decision to exclude is never taken lightly and will only be taken when all else has failed.  In cases where good order is prejudiced or children are in fear owing to violence this will not be tolerated and exclusion will follow. 

The head teacher will consider permanent exclusion when such behaviour persists over a period of some months, and especially when fixed term exclusions are having no beneficial effect whatsoever. 

The majority of exclusions will last from one to five days.  An exclusion of more than five days will be in response to very serious behaviour.  Plans will be put in place on a child’s return to support them in the hope that the behaviour improves.   All behaviour will be closely monitored by the SENCO, head teacher and class teachers on return. 

A copy of every exclusion letter is passed to the Chair of Governors and the letters indicate that:

 1) the Chair of Governors has been informed of the exclusion,

 2) the parent has a right to appeal against the exclusion to the Governing body via the Chair of Governors.  The letter will advise that if they wish to appeal they should make known their intention within 7 school days of notification.  

A meeting of the Governors Disciplinary Committee would be arranged where appropriate.  The Governors Disciplinary Committee has the power to direct the re-instatement of a child given fixed exclusion of more than 5 days.  In the case of a permanent exclusion the Governors Disciplinary Committee has a duty to consider whether to uphold the exclusion or to direct re-instatement.  

Only the Head or the Acting Head can exclude a child. 

The Head and Deputy Head will use the guidance given from the DfE to ensure that the procedure is being carried out appropriately.

Policy reviewed September 2019