Ballymena Primary School

BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING POLICY

Introduction

We are a community of learners who value the effort and achievement of all. As a school community we aim to set challenging goals, develop lifelong skills and positive values to equip our pupils for an ever changing world.

 We aim to:

• Help all
• develop a love for learning
• Develop the emotional awareness of our pupils, allowing them to make
• choices and to recognise the responsibilities that these choices bring.
• Create a positive learning environment based on a quiet yet firm insistence on high standards of behaviour for all
• Ensure a high quality of teaching and learning in which all involved have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and the individual needs of learners are met
• Promote confidence, independence and teamwork through the key skills of
•       Communication, Numeracy, ICT and Thinking.
• Support the whole school community in developing an awareness of the needs
• of the environment; promoting sustainability and responsibility for the future
• Maximise on the strengths available to the school through the wider partnership linking with parents and the local community and various supporting agencies.

Rationale

It is a primary aim of our school that every member of the school community feels valued and respected and that each person is treated fairly and well. We are a caring community whose values are built on mutual trust and respect for all. The school Behaviour for Learning policy is therefore designed to support the way in which all members of the school can live and work together. It aims to promote an environment where everyone feels happy, safe and secure and motivated to learn.

Positive Discipline

The primary aim of the Behaviour for Learning policy is as a means of promoting good relationships so that people can work together with the common purpose of helping everyone to learn. The school expects every member of the school community to behave in a considerate way towards others. This policy aims to help children to learn and develop in a safe and secure environment and to become positive, responsible and increasingly independent members of the school community. It is designed to promote positive behaviour and to offer advice on how to improve behaviour. The school also recognises the significance of outside factors on the behaviour of a pupil in school.

We treat all children fairly and apply this behaviour policy in a consistent way. However, treating fairly doesn’t always mean treating everyone the same. Children will have different needs, causes for their behaviour and motivations for their choices. When a school rule is broken a range of consequences may be considered.

Pastoral Advice

Pastoral advice forms an important part of the disciplinary framework of any school and involves every teacher. Much of such counselling will be of an informal nature and all teachers and teaching assistants have an important role to play. A prompt word of praise or the immediate checking of misbehaviour are important first steps in counselling, but it should also extend to the deliberate attempt to build up an understanding of, and relationship with, the pupil. This will make discussion of attitudes and criticism of poor achievement or behaviour acceptable. It should also provide an awareness of any underlying problems the pupil may have.

Parent Partnership

Parental cooperation with staff is a vital component in successfully developing positive behaviour for learning for all pupils. Working together with parents/carers, sharing trust and building support are key to the success of the policy.  

Personal Development -You Can Do It programme

As a Thinking School we seek to embed successful learning attitudes and behaviours in our pupils. Pupils are introduced to You Can Do It through a yearly rolling programme. You Can Do It promotes the development of social and emotional capabilities and positive learning habits which in turn will enhance classroom behaviour.

The 5 Core Foundations of the programme support 12 Habits of Mind:

Getting Along Social responsibility Playing by the rules Thinking first Being tolerant of others	Confidence I can do it Being independent Taking risks
Organisation Planning my time Setting goals	Resilience Accepting myself
Persistence Giving effort Working tough

3 Level Behaviour at Ballymena Primary School

The following outlines 3 levels of unacceptable behaviour and broadly suggests how these types of behaviour might be dealt with. Other strategies may be used at the Principal’s discretion.

Level 1-Reminder

Misbehaviour that can be effectively managed within a classroom environment by     the class teacher

• Pupils are reminded of the behaviour expected of them
• Teacher uses positive behaviour techniques / low level behaviour strategies as outlined in our behaviour policy.
• Parents may be involved in an informal way at this point.

Level 2-Unacceptable

Serious misbehaviour, or persistent level one behaviour, will usually result in the formal involvement of the Key Stage Leader, Vice Principal or Principal.

• Pupils are informed that their behaviour is unacceptable and must change.
• Teachers will deal with the matter using a variety of positive behaviour management techniques / behaviour strategies, appropriate to the individual and situation. Incident will be logged with a record of action taken.
• A Think Sheet may be taken home to be completed by the pupil, signed by the parent and returned to school.
• Parents may be contacted.
• Behaviour may be monitored on a daily/weekly basis.

Level 3-Serious

Very serious misbehaviour, or persistent level two misbehaviour, will result in the formal involvement of the Principal.

• Pupils are informed that their misbehaviour is serious and must stop.
• Principal speaks to child about behaviour and a formal meeting may be arranged with parents to discuss possible solutions to this problem.
• An Individual Behaviour Plan could be set up.
• If the issue remains unresolved the final procedure may be exclusion for a named time.

Behaviours & Consequences

Level 1 Reminder - ‘I am reminding you how we expect you to behave…..’
Level 1 Behaviours	Level 1 Consequences
Showing disrespect to others by choosing to: Distract other children from learning Answer back Disobey instructions Be untruthful Name call and use minor bad language Cause careless damage Not join in with learning without good cause Cause harm through carelessness	‘Timeout’ to another room Move seats in the class Loss of up to 15 minutes of a break time/lunchtime Informally speak to parents if not an isolated incident Loss of privileges (e.g. fun extra activity) Rule reminders Warning given to be moved to L 2
Level 2 Reminder -‘This behaviour is unacceptable …..’
Level 2 Behaviours	Level 2 Consequences
Showing disrespect to others by choosing to: Persistently using level 1 type of behaviours over a sustained period of time Use isolated acts of violence- kicking, hitting, fighting biting etc. Use of direct verbal abuse/ bad language/racist comment to any member of the school community	Any of the level 1 consequences Reprimand and behaviour logged by member of the Senior Leadership Team Loss of break time or  lunch time play Regular reports to Vice Principal on behaviour(daily or weekly) Loss of a major privilege- e.g. Misses an after school club, school sports match  or special activity Discussion with Principal Use of think sheet/ parents contacted
Level 3 Reminder -‘This is a serious misbehaviour ..’
Level 3 Behaviours	Level 3 Consequences
Showing disrespect to others by choosing to: Persistently use level 2 types of behaviour over a sustained period of time Repeatedly use abusive, threatening behaviour towards others Use bullying behaviour             (See also to Anti-Bullying Policy) Use dangerous behaviour Steal Vandalise the school buildings/property Use aggressive, violent behaviour with intent to cause deliberate injury Leaving the school grounds without permission	Any of the level 2 consequences Loss of play for up to a week Parents asked to come to school to discuss behaviour with the Principal Referral to the Board of Governors Suspension from school Expulsion

These lists are not exclusive and there may be other behaviours to be dealt with and consequences used which are not listed here.

Ballymena Primary Golden Goals

At Ballymena Primary School we expect all our pupils to think about their behaviour and the choices they make. The Golden Goals have been developed in consultation with the pupils and the School Council and are to be applicable in all situations and easy for even our youngest pupils to know and understand. These are reinforced daily by all staff and regularly in assemblies.

The Golden Goals

• Be respectful
• Be responsible
• Be kind
• Be safe
• Be positive

5 STEPS to Good Manners

• Smile
• Thank you
• Excuse me
• Please
• Sorry 

The policy should be read in conjunction with the mission statement and aims of the school and with reference to the school’s Learning & Teaching Policy and Pastoral Care policies.
 

This policy will be reviewed annually.