Behaviour

Moss Lane Behaviour Statement

The Governing Body of Moss Lane School supports the school staff in their expectation that all children are able to behave well so that learning can take place in a safe, purposeful and happy environment.

Our school caters for young children and so systems of encouragement, reward and punishment need to reflect the stage and age of the children on roll. Our Golden Rules underpin the positive behaviour policy.

Parents will have different expectations on managing their children’s behaviour at home but school expects all families, on joining our school community, to accept and co-operate with school policies and procedures to support positive behaviour management in school. These policy documents and procedures are reviewed at regular intervals by staff and governors in consultation with parents and carers. They are available on the school’s website.

SUPPORTING, AND REWARDING, CHILDREN WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY WELL BEHAVED, OR WHO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR BEHAVIOUR.

We want all children to behave well because they recognise it is an important social expectation, in school and beyond, and not just because they seek praise and reward. However it does help to be recognised for doing the right thing!

The school uses a number of systems to recognise children’s consistent or improved good behaviour:

Private acknowledgement e.g. thumbs up, pat on the back , a wink or quiet ‘well done’
Public verbal praise in front of other children
Classroom rewards: leading a line, choosing a story etc.
Stickers/certificates
Postcards home

SUPPORTING CHILDREN WHO FIND MANAGING THEIR BEHAVIOUR MORE DIFFICULT

There will be a few children, in every school, who have difficulties in managing behaviour appropriately. Sometimes this will be due to emotional vulnerability, developmental and/or medical problems and sometimes because home and school expectations differ. These are very often beyond the child’s easy control especially in an infant school. School cannot discuss a particular child’s situation with parents of other children.

If a child is not complying with school expectations there are various systems, in addition to the ones above, available to encourage and support improved behaviour as well as, of course, some sanctions.

Encouragement Strategies	Sanctions
Targets & rewards	Missed playtimes
Visual reminders & timetables	Working apart from peers in class
Calming Time Out	Working in a different classroom
Social Stories	Working in Head’s office
Making reparation	Fixed term exclusion
Circle of Friends	Permanent exclusion

It is against the law to administer any form of corporal punishment. We do not use any sanction that would cause humiliation. However, on rare occasions it may be necessary to hold or carry a child to prevent harm to them, to others or to property. If this is ever necessary, staff have been trained to follow all current, recommended guidance on restraining/holding a child. Staff will usually speak calmly and clearly to children. If a firm word is needed to reinforce expectations staff will do so with control and, as far as possible, avoid shouting.

BULLYING

Occasionally every school will encounter instances of bullying. Our school teaches children the difference between normal quarrels and arguments between children and acts of bullying. The school makes it clear, to all children, that bullying behaviour is wrong and will carry a sanction. School works to support a child who has been bullied and also with the child who has been bullying to develop ways of behaviour that will help to prevent further bullying. The school will always speak to parents/carers of both victim and perpetrator to ensure home and school work together to resolve the situation. Bullying is not a ‘spur of the moment’ angry shove or unkind word, though that is also clearly not acceptable. Nor is it being bullied if a child does not get their own way in a game or an activity.

Children at Moss Lane are still young and for them we describe bullying as:

“Often deliberately hurting or being unkind to the same person, just because you don’t like them or because they are different to the way you think they should be and you want to make them feel sad.”

Fortunately the vast majority of children at our school behave very well with only occasional lapses that are quite normal for children of Infant School age.

Behaviour in Schools.pdf