Governing Body – Statement of Behaviour Principles
The Department for Education requires governing bodies to publish a statement of behaviour principles for their school which guides the Headteacher in determining measures to promote good behaviour and discipline amongst pupils. The document ‘Behaviour and Discipline in Schools: Guidance for Governing Bodies’ (DfE – September 2015) has been used as a reference in producing this Statement of Behaviour Principles.
We are committed to upholding our school vision, ‘Do Everything in Love’, and our school values of love, honesty and respect and we believe that the following principles should form the basis of our behaviour policies.
The right to feel safe
- All pupils, staff and other members of the school community have the right to feel safe at all times whilst in school. We expect everyone to behave responsibly and to treat each other with respect.
- They should be aware that bullying or harassment of any description is unacceptable even if it occurs outside normal school hours.
Equality
- The governors believe that all members of the school community should be treated as individuals and should be free from discrimination, harassment and bullying in any form. Measures to counteract bullying and discrimination should be consistently applied and monitored for their effectiveness.
- The school’s legal duties in relation to the Equality Act will be further reinforced through the Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policies in order to safeguard vulnerable pupils.
- We recognise that some pupils may need extra support to meet behaviour expectations.
High standards of behaviour
- The governors feel that good teaching matched to the needs of all pupils promotes self-esteem, self-discipline and good behaviour, and that good behaviour promotes effective learning and good attitudes to learning.
- Children have the right to learn and staff have the right to teach without disruption.
- Governors also believe that the expectation of high standards of behaviour can have a positive effect in helping pupils to develop into successful citizens, upholding British values.
- There should be a whole school approach to discipline with a clearly defined code of conduct for both staff and pupils.
- The governors also expect that all adults on the premises should behave in a respectful and appropriate manner in order to comply with these principles.
School rules
- The governors expect pupils to be involved in the creation of rules, which should be simple and kept to a minimum. We should seek to give every pupil a sense of personal responsibility for his/her own actions.
- We expect that all staff will support rules and codes and ensure consistent application and expectations across the school day.
Sanctions and rewards
- We believe that our primary aim should be to praise positive attitudes to encourage good behaviour in the classroom and elsewhere in the school.
- The governors expect that any rewards system will be consistently applied. It must be regularly monitored for consistency, fair application and effectiveness.
- Sanctions for unacceptable/poor behaviour should be known and understood by all pupils, staff, other adults with responsibility for behaviour, and parents/carers.
- Sanctions should be age appropriate, progressive and fairly implemented.
- It is important that sanctions are monitored for their proper use, consistency and effective impact.
The use of reasonable force
- The governors expect the school Behaviour Policy to outline clearly the circumstances where staff may use reasonable force or positive physical intervention.
- The governors expect that authorised staff are appropriately trained in the use of positive handling and restraint and that all staff are given advice on de-escalation and behaviour management strategies.
Discipline beyond the school gates
- The governors expect staff to respond to non-criminal poor behaviour and bullying which occurs anywhere off the school premises and which is witnessed by a member of staff or reported to the school.
- The Behaviour Policy should include the school’s response to any behaviour when a pupil is taking part in any school-organised or school-related activity, wearing school uniform, or identifiable as a pupil at the school.
- It must also take account of misbehaviour at any time which could have repercussions for the orderly running of the school, poses a threat to another pupil or member of the public, or could adversely affect the reputation of the school
Allegations of abuse
- Allegations of abuse should be taken seriously and dealt with quickly in a fair and consistent way that provides effective protection for the pupil and supports the person who is the subject of the allegation.
- The governors would not expect automatic suspension of a member of staff who has been accused of misconduct, pending an investigation. The governors would, however, expect the Headteacher to draw on and follow the advice in the ‘Dealing with Allegations of Abuse against Teachers and other Staff’ guidance when setting out the pastoral support school staff can expect to receive if an allegation is made against them.
January 2021
(next review due January 2023)
