Discipline Policy

Introduction
St. Margaret's is a school that is proud of its children's good behaviour. We always seek ways to raise our expectations and reach even higher standards. This will improve both the quality of education offered to the children and increase the 'job satisfaction' of those who work with them.

The behaviour of children in school is influenced by the daily, smooth running of the school and how school relates to the community it serves. It is the combination of all these factors which give St. Margaret’s its character and identity. It is a happy, orderly and successful school that enjoys working both with and within the community.

The Education Reform Act, 1988, defines the purpose of the school curriculum as promoting 'the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life'.

Teaching has never been just about transmission of knowledge and learning of skills. Promoting responsible behaviour and self discipline and the values on which they are based, is an essential task for a school. Creating a school climate which values all cultures, particularly those represented in it, also helps to promote a sense of community within the school. Assemblies, R.E. and personal and social education are all ways of encouraging values of mutual respect, self-discipline and social responsibility, and help to establish and reinforce good behaviour.

Children need to discover what boundaries of acceptable behaviour are and it is only natural that they will test, and sometimes challenge, them. It is, therefore, important that the boundaries of acceptable behaviour are clearly stated for everyone concerned.

It has to be a whole school approach with everyone working together to ensure that the school's code of conduct and the values represented in the formal and informal curricula reinforce one another. Mutual respect should permeate every aspect of school life.

If staff, governors, parents and pupils have a shared general commitment to the school, this can help to create a positive atmosphere based on a sense of community and shared values. These are all important factors for promoting good behaviour.

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How to Establish Good Practice

Respect

• Examples are set by us every day, as we, (parents, governors, staff and children) all have positive contributions to make.
• It is extremely important to give and receive respect and to treat each person as an individual, e.g. to speak to each other as we would want to be spoken to. This promotes good self esteem.
• Human relationships are vital to a school between everyone and at every level. Do take the initiative: greet and be greeted, speak and be spoken to, smile and receive a smile in return!

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Behaviour

• Good behaviour encouraged by positive comments and praise, thus raising children’s own expectations.
• Children learn in a happy and safe environment and one that actively promotes trust. They need to be trusted to carry out tasks sensibly and to know that they are responsible for their own actions.
• Rules are applied, fairly, firmly and consistently.

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Work

• Children's work is to be inspired by the ways in which all the curriculum subjects are presented.
• We set realistic goals, encourage children to work hard and ensure that success is achievable for all. Children need to understand the lesson objective, the next step of their learning and to be challenged.
• They should take a pride in the presentation of their work and will be praised for doing so.

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Out and About School
All informal contact contributes to standards of behaviour. Control that behaviour by taking the initiative at every opportunity.

Expect to:

• Start the dialogue.
• Greet children.
• Deal with misbehaviour - to ignore is to condone it.
• Set high standards of speech, manner and dress.
• Most important - enjoy relating to pupils.
  

Remember to respect and show courtesy and kindness to everyone at all times. Do you deserve children's respect? Consider the children's image of your:

• Appearance and attitude.
• Honesty and fairness.
• Punctuality and approachability.
• Compassion and understanding.
• Standards and ideals.

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Respect and Pride in the School Environment

• Maintain high quality of tidiness and cleanliness in surroundings / in general spaces and classrooms.
• Accept only the highest standards of cleanliness and tidiness.
• Litter, damage and graffiti are unacceptable. Encourage pride in the school.
• Insist on clean, tidy classroom / cloakroom.
• Teach tidiness and cleanliness and encourage it.
• Always check apparatus and materials have been put back tidily and in the right places eg. P.E. equipment.
• Inform the superintendent of any graffiti.
• Report and remove any damaged apparatus.
• Displays should be fresh, attractive and mounted with care.
• Work surfaces and displays should be clean and tidy.
• Deal firmly with offenders and report damage to buildings / furniture immediately.

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In the Classroom

• Discuss class rules and standards at the beginnining of each academic year so the class are clear of expectations.
• Know children as individuals.
  
• Plan and organise classroom to minimise disruption.
• Plan grouping of pupils.
• Match work to pupils abilities.
• Extend and motivate all children.
  
• Be flexible in approach.
  
• Mark all work promptly and constructively.
  
• Allow sensible freedom of movement in the classroom.
  
• Encourage creative discussion.
  
• Create opportunities for giving children appropriate responsibilities.
  
• Build children's confidence and self esteem.
  
• Continually 'scan' the behaviour of the class.
  
• Value and respect varying cultures of children.
  
• Keep an attractive, clean and tidy classroom.
  
• Maintain interesting displays and mount children's work with care and respect.
  
• Use children's first names.
  
• Deal calmly and firmly with inappropriate or disruptive behaviour.
• Be aware and control your own behaviour including stance and tone of voice.
  
• Emphasise the positive good behaviour as well as good work.
  
• Be enthusiastic and use humour to create a positive classroom atmosphere.
  
• Arrive at teaching sessions morning, afternoon and after school breaks on time.

Do all you can to avoid:

• Stereotyping children or referring to them in a gender-specific way (eg. sweetheart, flower, mate).
  
• Humiliating a child.
  
• Shouting at children - it diminishes you.
  
• Over-reacting to a problem. Reacting aggressively to minor incidents increases confrontation with individuals and whole class.
  
• Whole class punishment, the innocent will resent it.
  
• Over punishment. Never punish if you can't prove.
  
• Sarcasm - it damages you!
  
• Public reprimands and threats.
  
• Leave or send a child outside the classroom. This does not solve the problem, but only exacerbates it. (Seek help if you need it.)

Do all you can to:

• Use humour - it builds bridges.
  
• Keep calm - it reduces tension.
  
• Listen - it earns respect.
  
• Be positive and build relationships.
  
• Know your pupils as individuals.
  
• Carry out any threats you have to make.
• Be consistent.

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How to Maintain Good Behaviour

• Apply code of conduct uniformly.
  
• Motivate, recognise and praise good behaviour.
  
• Tackle bad behaviour.
  
• Respond promptly and firmly to pupils who test boundaries of acceptable behaviour (in classroom and around school).
  
• Work to agreed procedures.
  
• Follow up problems to their conclusion.
  
• Share a problem.
  
• Develop patterns of mutual support among colleagues.
  
• Offer support to each other.
  
• Be prepared to be noticed and discussed in school and at home. Seek help if you need it! If you cannot resolve a problem refer it to one of the senior management team or headteacher. Make sure it is pursued to a satisfactory conclusion.

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Sanctions and Punishments
Problems will arise. It is normal for children to test the boundaries of acceptable behaviour. Success depends on how the problem is dealt with. The success of intervention usually depends on the quality of the relationship.

• Don't react: address the problem.
  
• Listen carefully.
  
• Establish facts.
  
• Judge only when certain.
  
• Use punishments sparingly. Removal of privileges is the most effective strategy.
  
• Reprimand.
  
• Change of group / class.
  
• Name and behaviour noted in lunchtime behaviour book.
  
• Repeat work if unsatisfactory (making sure you take into account children's capabilities).
  
• Additional work to be done at home.
  
• Close supervision at playtime / lunchtime.
  
• Referral to management team and in extreme cases to the headteacher.
  
• Serious or persistent unacceptable behaviour, then parents will be notified and invited to discuss the problem.
  
• Record kept by classteacher of persistent unacceptable behaviour.
  
• Referral to general staff meeting.
  
• No child will be excluded from curricula lesson eg. P.E., swimming, for unacceptable behaviour without the consent of the headteacher.
  
• If the child is unable to behave appropriately out of school then he / she may be excluded from school trips.
• Exclusion of a child from school would only be used as a very last resort after full consultation had taken place with the governing body / parents.

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Sanctions Hierarchy
A clearly defined set of sanctions, that are known and understood by children and staff to remain consistent.

• Initial look.
  
• A clear and calm warning and explanation of why the warning has been given and a reminder of the desired behaviour.
  
• Child is moved to another place in class.
  
• Child is accompanied to another class.
  
• Child is sent to a member of the management team.
  
• Child is sent to deputy / headteacher.
  
• Parents contacted by letter or phone.
  
• Parents are requested to come into school to speak with the headteacher.

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Rewards

• Special mention to class / other staff / management team / headteacher.
  
• Stickers / certificates.
  
• Special mention certificates to be given out in assembly.
  
• Class reward jars / ladders. Reward voted by each class as they achieve their target.
  
• Extra playtime.
  
• Extra responsibilities and a higher profile for good behaviour.
  
• A visit to another class of their choice.

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Code of Conduct for Pupils
Everyone will act with courtesy and consideration to others at all times:

• In the classroom.
  
• In the playground.
  
• In and around school.
  
• To and from school.
  

Each class has its own set of rules agreed by the teacher and children at the beginning of the year. The 10 steps of acceptable behaviour are clearly displayed around school. The Charter of pupils rights is clearly displayed in the gym.

The following are ways that pupils can help:

• In the classroom, make it as easy as possible for the teacher to teach and for everyone to learn.
  
• Listen carefully when the teacher is speaking to you.
  
• Follow instructions carefully.
  
• Help each other when it is appropriate.
  
• Be sensible at all times.
  
• Move gently and quietly about the school. This means never running, barging or shouting.
  
• Be ready to help by opening doors.
  
• Stand back to help people pass.
  
• Help to carry things if necessary.
  
• Keep to the left when moving in corridors or up and down staircases.
  
• Never overtake if it is necessary to walk in a line.
  
• Speak politely to everyone. This means not saying unkind or rude remarks to each other.
  
• Be silent when you are required to be.
  
• Keep the school clean and tidy so that it is a welcoming place that we can all be proud of.
  
• Put litter in the bins provided.
  
• Keep walls, furniture and equipment clean and unmarked.
  
• Take great care of displays in classrooms and around schoo.l
  
• Respect other people. Bullying, fighting, name calling or being unkind to each other is unacceptable.
• Behaviour and will not be tolerated.
  
• Respect other people's work.               
  
• Be trustworthy.

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Out of School
The school's reputation depends on the way you behave both in and out of school. This means that going to and from school, or in a school group, you behave in an orderly and sensible manner.

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Buddy System
Buddy partnerships is another opportunity for older children to be seen as caring and competently responsible, whilst younger children are worthy of special attention and kindness, during these sessions. The older children are seen as exemplary role models to the younger children.

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The School Council
The School Council act as ambassadors for our school. Two children are elected from each class (Year 1 to Year 6). They meet with members of staff to discuss issues and new initiatives. The Council meetings help children develop an understanding of their abilities to create positive change by:

• Involving pupils in decision making.
• Respecting pupils as partners in their own education, making a positive contribution to the school environment and ethos.
• Children listen to each other and recognize themselves as individuals with a right to be heard.
• Children learn self confidence, social skills and morally responsible behaviour towards each other and staff.
• The Council enhance the influence of positive peer leadership.
• They involve the whole school community in developing and maintaining shared standards of behaviour. 

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Reviewed January 2009