Attitude Rewards System – Our rewards system is based on our belief that praise and reward should have a great emphasis. Children will achieve more, be better motivated and behave better, when staff reward their successes rather than focus on their ‘failure’.
Praise has a reinforcing and motivational role. It helps a child believe that he/she is valued. Praise can be delivered in formal and informal ways, in public or in private; it can be awarded to individuals or to groups; it can be earned for the steady maintenance of good standards as well as for particular achievements. All staff are expected to work to this policy. Every classroom has the red/amber/green visual system for providing instant recognition. All names begin on ‘green’ and may be moved up for something good, or down as a reminder of expectations (detailed in sanctions section below).
House Points:
We award house points to encourage peer pressure and team work. They are in the form of coloured counters which children put in a ‘house’ jar in their classroom.
1 point per counter (regardless of colour) though staff may give more than one.
White = 50 points which are handed out by the Headteacher for something exceptional
Throughout the week house points are awarded for lining up, moving around school well, good manners, work, extra research, great answers, marking, homework, etc.
Thumbs up tickets:
These will be used for ‘instant’ recognition of a good deed/behaviour. The ‘Thumbs Up’ ticket has the child’s name written on it and then it is put in the bag ready for the ‘lottery’ in Friday’s celebration assembly. Being pulled out of the bag in assembly means a personal prize and 50 house points.
On Friday house captains count the points ready for the celebration assembly.
The following Monday the winning house have a special break time.
Individual Recognition
We should recognise our children’s good behaviour and work by sending them to the Headteacher for an award then by contacting parents. Each teacher should identify children who need recognition for their behaviour or work and should talk to their parents about this at the end of the day either in person, by sending a certificate or by text.
Sanctions
In the use of sanctions, pupils learn from experience to expect fair and consistently applied consequences which differentiate between serious and minor offences.
Sanctions are applied consistently by all staff, but with the provision for flexibility to take account of individual circumstances. A ‘no shouting’ policy is in operation and therefore must not be used as a classroom management technique. However, there may be occasions when it is necessary to use a raised voice i.e. in order to re-establish control, to be heard on the playground etc.
We have an agreed system of sanctions to register disapproval of unacceptable behaviour. Responses range from polite reminders to permanent exclusion. These sanctions are on a continuum and should be used in this way:
- Use of normal strategies – polite but firm requests, warnings. Consider repositioning, separating etc.
- Second reminder of the correct behaviour and what the consequences may be – removal of name to yellow section of classroom display.
- Time out – removal to a designated place to prevent red.
- Removal of name to red section of classroom display.
- Names can always be moved back and every day is a fresh start – green.
- The Headteacher will be involved (this should only be used where the incident is of a high severity e.g. Aggressive Behaviour).
For any red incidents a record should be made that parents can access (reading record). Where necessary a school pastoral log should be made.
Persistent poor behaviour will result in a parent meeting and agreed action being put in place.
The Headteacher holds the right to exclude children either for a fixed term or on a permanent basis for serious incidents:
- Serious actual or threatened violence against another pupil or member of staff
- Sexual abuse or assault
- Supplying an illegal drug
- Carrying an offensive weapon
- Serious deliberate damage to school property
We do not wish to exclude any child from school, but sometimes this may be necessary. Only the Headteacher (or the Acting Headteacher in absence) has the power to exclude a child from school.
Following an exclusion a formal return to school interview will be held at 10.00am on that day involving the Headteacher (or Acting Headteacher), Class teacher, parents and child, in the Meeting Room, at which a behaviour plan will be drawn up to cover the return to school period.