Behaviour and rewards

To support behaviour, staff will have consistently high expectations of what each student can achieve. We will model behaviour and expectations for students. We will support students in learning how to accept the perspective of others and restore relationships within College when students’ behaviour has fallen below expectations.

Students will:

• Actively engage in every learning opportunity, in and out of the classroom.
• Respect others and respond in a manner that is appropriate.
• Attend College, in correct uniform, fully equipped and ready to learn.

We ask that parents/carers:

• Report to College immediately any home concern or issue that you think may affect their child’s behaviour and engagement in College.
• Re-enforce College expectations frequently.
• Use the management system (Parent Portal) to keep in touch with their child’s positive and negative behaviour events as input by staff.
• Join College staff in recognising and praising their child’s positive attitude in College.
• Support College when negative behaviour results in College sanctions.
• Use the appropriate avenues for complaint if a parent is unhappy with a decision taken by College staff.

As a College we will look to nurture our students and recognise the positive behaviours that they display. There are a wide range of rewards that staff can use to recognise the behaviour and effort of students. These may include:

• Housepoints.
• Positive praise postcards.
• Contact with home to share positive feedback.
• Perfect Term and Perfect Year certificates.
• Termly house assemblies.
• End of year awards.
• Other informal ways of celebrating the success of students

Students will be challenged when their behaviour is below these standards. For example:

• When the behaviour of a student disrupts their own learning or the learning of others.
• Effort in activities that is not consistent with a student’s capabilities.
• When students fail to attend lessons or believe that they can ‘opt out’ of learning opportunities.
• Showing disrespect to any member of the College community or directly making an individual uncomfortable.

As a College we are very clear that we will not tolerate the following:

• Discrimination and prejudice.
• Violence and aggression towards others.
• Dangerous conduct that puts others at risk.
• Use of illegal substances.
• Truancy.

We look to staff to use a wide range of strategies to support students in creating a positive learning environment. However, if staff feel that more informal strategies are not eliciting a modification of behaviour, students will be given the choice to change their behaviour, the chance to make the right decision and then a consequence if the behaviour does not change.

Staff are required to use their discretion when challenging behaviour in classrooms. If a student’s behaviour is disrupting the learning environment and they have not made the appropriate choices, they may be required to work in another classroom or to work away from the classroom. This is to allow the learning of other students to continue. Staff will determine whether a further consequence is required. This might include social isolation, faculty detention, after-school detention or isolation. This will be decided based on the individual student and the set of circumstances. As part of this process staff will discuss with the student the behaviour, what might have caused it and how it can be avoided on future occasions. This is to support students in reflecting on their behaviour, outside of the situation, and helping them to understand why that behaviour was inappropriate and damaging to their learning. In the very vast majority of cases we expect that students will be able to demonstrate the appropriate behaviour to support their learning and move forward.

If the behaviour of a student falls below expectations over a period of time, or deteriorates rapidly, broader strategies will be used. These may involve:

• A review of a student’s needs to identify any necessary reasonable adjustments.
• Report system.
• On-going contact with parents/carers.
• Mentoring work.
• Withdrawal of privileges.
• Personalisation of the curriculum.
• Referral to external agencies.
• Alternative educational placements.
• CMT contract.
• Governor’s contract.

Further information can be found on in the Behaviour Policy on our Policies Page.