Prep School Boarding & Day Rewards & Punishments Policy
Rewards & Punishments Policy
BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT
Boarding Standard: 4
Introduction
Our Behaviour Management Policy seeks to provide a set of clear guidelines for all members of the school community, where academic and social development is allowed to progress unhindered by any unacceptable behaviour.
Aims
We aim to promote a hardworking, well-mannered and contented group of children who realise their own potential and recognise the talents of others. We aim to achieve this through:
• ensuring high levels of self esteem and self-discipline
• reinforcing positive behaviour
• promoting individual and collective responsibility
• having high expectations
• fostering strong links between pupils, parents and teachers.
The school follows a simple code of behaviour known as the ‘Clayesmorian Code’. The code is displayed around the school, in the pupil planner and in the school calendar.
• BE POLITE, KIND AND THOUGHTFUL – Be considerate, respectful and courteous towards others.
• LET OTHERS LEARN – Work hard in your lessons without disturbing the people around you.
• TREAT ALL PROPERTY WITH RESPECT – Always take care of your own and others’ property, as well as Clayesmore property.
• BE PREPARED – Arrive for your lessons on time and ensure you have the correct equipment.
• WEAR YOUR SCHOOL UNIFORM CORRECTLY – Your appearance is very important. Always wear the correct uniform and make sure you are smartly presented. (See Appendix 1)
The role of adults within the school
One of the most valuable assets of any school is undoubtedly its staff. At CPS there are a wide range of highly-valued adults involved in the education of our pupils, all of whom have a valuable role to play in creating the correct atmosphere for our pupils to thrive within.
There is a moral and social responsibility for all adults to seek to resolve altercations in a positive and constructive manner and also to view behavioural issues as part of the school’s learning process. The school expects all the staff to set high standards for our pupils to follow. We are one of the principle role models for our pupils and should therefore always lead by example.
It is the responsibility of all the staff to act immediately and appropriately upon any kind of behavioural incident that presents itself. Swift intervention of an incident can usually satisfactorily resolve most issues and often prevent incidents from escalating.
REWARDS & SANCTIONS
(See Appendices 2-4)
Team Points
• Team points should be awarded for good work in lessons, helpfulness, politeness etc.
• Team point slips will be given to pupils directly or put inside their exercise books.
• Tutees will hand in their team point slips to their tutor throughout the week, perhaps by putting them in a box or an envelope in their tutor room.
• Each week, the tutors will collate the team point slips and inform the office of the number of team points their tutees have been given.
• Bronze, silver, gold and platinum badges will be awarded to pupils in assembly when they have obtained the appropriate number of team points.
• At the end of teach term, the house with the most team points will be able to wear mufti clothes to school for the day at some point within the first two weeks of the following term.
• The SLT will use their discretion in deciding if there is anyone in the winning team who has not earned enough team points to wear mufti clothes.
Yellow Cards
• Yellow cards are given directly to pupils for being particularly helpful, acts of kindness, showing maturity, being responsible etc. They are worth 2 team points. The pupil then presents the yellow card to their tutor.
Head’s Commendation
• Pupils who produce outstanding work either by ability, effort or improvement can be awarded a Head’s Commendation by their teacher.
• The teacher is required to fill in a ‘Head’s Commendation’ slip and give it to the Head of Prep.
• The pupil will go to see the Head in his study at a mutually convenient time to be congratulated by the Head and to receive an appropriate number of team points.
• Head’s Commendation certificates will be presented in assembly by the Head.
• The Head will send a letter home to parents informing them of their child’s commendation.
Friday – Period 11 – Tutor Time Y3-5
• During tutor time on a Friday, tutors are able to use the slot to occasionally have ‘fun’ or a ‘treat’ with their tutor group as a reward for meeting a ‘Tutor Group Target’ eg. ‘Well done to you all for not getting any blue cards this half term’, ‘Thank you to you all for writing your prep into your planner this week’ or ‘Well done for all remembering to come to afternoon registration’ etc.
Effort Grades
• Effort grades are given for each pupil 5 times per year to indicate to the individual, their parents and staff the effort pupils are putting into their lessons.
• The Director of Teaching and Learning reviews the effort levels and puts in place strategies to support the pupils whose effort falls below an acceptable level.
• Merit, distinction and double distinction certificates are awarded to pupils who have achieved the required number of good effort grades. These certificates are presented by the tutor or by the Head during an assembly.
SANCTIONS
Minor Offences
• Initially, all minor offences, (eg. calling out in class, handing in late prep, not wearing trainers on the field, having an untidy sports locker etc) are dealt with by the teacher or tutor. This includes giving the pupil good advice and the pupil being made to correct their mistake eg. reminded to put their hand up first, kept in at break to complete their prep, sent off of the field for the remainder of break, made to tidy their locker during their break etc.
Red Cards
• Red cards are given for repeated minor offences if the good advice / punishment from staff have not been acted upon. Staff should record on the red card what action they have already taken prior to giving the red card eg. ‘Play fighting again after been made to sit on the bench for 10 minutes’ , ‘Prep late for the 3rd week running, despite being kept in at break to catch up’ or ‘Calling out in lessons despite being moved to the front of the room’ etc.
• Red cards are put into the box in the work room where they will be collated / recorded by Junior or Senior Years Co-ordinators (JYC or SYC) and then put in the appropriate tutor’s pigeon hole.
• Each red card results in a 5 minute detention during Friday muck time with the JYC or SYC.
• Tutors speak with their tutee about the red card(s) during tutor time to give good advice / support etc.
• The JYC / SYC or tutors makes informal contact (via email/phone call) with parents if a pupil gets 5 red cards within a term.
• A record of the contact with parents is given to the tutor and a copy put in the pupil’s file in Deputy Head’s office.
Blue Cards
• Blue cards are given directly to the pupil for significant offences.
• Pupils have to present their blue card to their tutor and then to the Deputy Head within 24 hours. An appropriate punishment will then be given eg. withdrawal from a match, isolation from peers, loss of privileges etc.
• Contact is made with the parents for each blue card given (with some discretion). This contact may be informal (email or phone call) or formal (letter).
• A record of the contact with parents is given to the tutor and a copy put in the pupil’s file in Deputy Head’s office.
• Tutors are responsible for recording the number of blue cards onto end of term school reports.
Pupil Concern Slips (PCS) (See Appendix 4)
• When behavioural issues become persistent or when an isolated incident is of a particularly serious nature, a PCS should be completed to provide the Deputy or Assistant Head with some details of the issue.
• The PCS forms the basis for compiling relevant information. It requires/requests formal investigation by the Deputy Head and for action to take place.
• Blank PCSs are located in the staff workroom.
• A copy of the completed PCS is sent to the pupil’s tutor(s) so they remain informed and a copy also placed in the pupil’s individual records once the investigation has been completed.
Weekly Report
• In isolated cases, careful tracking of a pupil is needed and when this is the case a pupil should be placed on Weekly Report.
• All pupils placed on weekly report must be done so via the Deputy Head.
• When a pupil is placed on Weekly Report their actions are tracked during the school day. The pupil must have their report card signed off after each lesson by the subject teacher, after break and lunch by the duty staff and at the end of the day by the Deputy Head.
• Teaching staff are encouraged to write positive comments on the report card when appropriate.
Other Special Measures
A number of additional sanctions can be used to assist with managing behaviour and also to act as a deterrent:
Detentions
• Friday muck time detention with the JYC or SYC (5 minutes per red card).
• Lunch detention with the Deputy Head (Blue card offences).
1.00pm-1.40pm
• Wednesday afternoon detention with the Deputy Head (Blue card offences).
2.15-3.30pm
• Saturday afternoon detention with the Head of Prep (Serious offences).
1.30pm-3.30pm
Suspension and Expulsion (see policy)
In extreme cases the actions of a pupil(s) will be so unacceptable as to need the direct intervention of the Head of Prep.
When measures of this severity are necessary, the Deputy Head and the Head of Prep will meet to discuss the possibility of suspension or expulsion. Input from the pupil’s tutor will also be sought. All previous and relevant information will be taken into consideration and consultation will always be made via formal interview with the parents and pupil.
The period of suspension will range in duration depending on the nature of the incident. Pupils and parents will be made fully aware of the implications of future transgressions and ultimately a pupil may be asked to leave the school if their actions show no signs of improving.
Behaviour Management in the Boarding House
The House Parents have jurisdiction for behaviour management in the boarding house and have a separate system for rewards and sanctions (See Staff Boarding Handbook).
Use of Reasonable Force to Control or Restrain a Pupil
There are a wide variety of situations in which reasonable force might be appropriate, or necessary, to control or restrain a pupil. They will fall into three broad categories:
• Where action is necessary in self-defence or because there is an imminent risk of injury.
• Where there is a developing risk of injury, or significant damage to property.
• Where a pupil is behaving in a way that is compromising good order and discipline.
The use of reasonable force applies when a teacher, or other authorised person working for Clayesmore School, is on the school premises, and when he or she has lawful control or charge of the pupil concerned elsewhere e.g. on a field trip or other authorised out of school activity.
There is no legal definition of `reasonable force’, so it is not possible to set out comprehensively when it is reasonable to use force, or the degree of force that may reasonably be used. It will always depend on all the circumstances of the case, as well as the age, size, understanding and sex of the pupil.
There are two relevant considerations:
• The use of any degree of force is unlawful if the particular circumstances do not warrant the use of physical force. Therefore physical force could not be justified to prevent a pupil from committing a trivial misdemeanour, or in a situation that clearly could be resolved without force.
• the degree of force employed must be in proportion to the circumstances of the incident and the seriousness of the behaviour or the consequences it is intended to prevent. Any force used should always be the minimum needed to achieve the desired result.
If a member of staff has to use any restraint/physical intervention they should make an immediate referral to the Deputy Head/Head and make a written record of the incident.
Reviewed Sept 2008, March 2010.