Our Rationale

 Be Ready               Be Respectful             Be Safe

Our aim is that all children are enabled to flourish in school and to achieve their potential socially, emotionally, spiritually and academically. At Petham we aim to ensure that every member of our community feels valued, respected and that they are being treated fairly. We recognise that positive behaviour creates the conditions for effective learning and helps to develop in children responsible attitudes and respect for others and themselves. We believe that effective learning can only take place in an atmosphere where positive behaviour exists. It is dependent upon trusting relationships and a process of co-operation involving all members of the school community. With calm, kind and consistent adults we aim to build a visible culture of impeccable conduct, built on mutual trust and respect for all.

This document has been updated to reflect guidance from the DfE’s ‘Behaviour and Discipline in Schools 2016,’ and provides a framework for the creation of a happy, secure and orderly environment, in which children can learn and develop as caring and responsible people. It should be read in conjunction with our SEN information report, Anti-Bullying Policy, PSHE Policy, Safeguarding Policy, Exclusions Policy and Policy for Teaching and Learning. All staff should adopt a consistent approach, common standards and set the example for children to follow.

Staff follow the Education endowment Foundation (EEF) guidance on improving behaviour in schools. This document recommends strategies to prevent misbehaviour happening. A key theme from these recommendations is the importance of knowing individual pupils well, so that teachers know which factors might affect pupil behaviour and what the school can do to address these. Focusing on developing good relationships also ensures pupils feel valued and supported, meaning they are less likely to show poor behaviour.

We encourage children to become responsible for their own actions, for them to become aware of the possible consequences of what they say and do. As a school, we use restorative approaches to support a harmonious learning environment, where pupils are encouraged to self-regulate their behaviour. This restorative approach is based on the following four key features:.

Respect – for everyone by listening to others’ opinions and learning to value them.

Responsibility – taking responsibility for your own actions.

Repair – developing individuals’ abilities to find solutions that repair any harm that has occurred and ensure that negative behaviours are not repeated.

Re-integration – working through a structured supportive process that aims to solve the problem.

When dealing with incidents in school the adults will use restorative questions:

-What’s happened?

-What were you thinking at the time?

-What have you thought since?

-How did this make people feel?

-Who has been affected?

-How have they been affected?

-What should we do to put things right?

-How can we do things differently in the future?

Petham School Rules

As a school we have three rules:

1. Be Ready
2. Be Respectful
3. Be Safe.

Bullying

We consider bullying to be repeated behaviour that makes others feel uncomfortable, threatened or distressed. This can be physical, verbal or emotional. Whilst occurrences in our school are extremely rare they are dealt with firmly, quickly and sensitively. The exact response would, of course, depend on the nature of the bullying however in all circumstance parents of the children concerned would be notified. We will take action to resolve any problem.

Exclusion Arrangements

At Petham Primary School, fixed term or permanent exclusions will always be the last resort and will be used only in extreme cases of inappropriate behaviour or when all other attempts to engage a child in changing their behaviour have failed. Only the Headteacher may exclude a child. In the event that the Headteacher is offsite, a Senior Leader may contact the Headteacher who can grant permission for an exclusion to be made in her absence.

The Headteacher may exclude a child for one or more fixed periods, for up to 45 days in any one school year. The Headteacher may also exclude a child permanently. It is also possible for the Headteacher to convert fixed term exclusion into a permanent exclusion, if the circumstances warrant this.

If the Headteacher excludes a child, she will inform the parent immediately, giving reasons for the exclusion. At the same time, the Headteacher will make it clear to the parents that they can, if they wish, appeal against the decision to the Local Governing Body (LGB). The school will inform the parents of how to make such an appeal. The Headteacher informs the LEA and the LGB about any permanent exclusion and about any fixed term exclusions beyond five days in any one term.

The LGB itself cannot either exclude a child or extend the exclusion period made by the Headteacher. When an appeals panel meets to consider exclusion, they consider the circumstances in which the child was excluded, consider any representation by parents and the LEA, and consider whether the child should be reinstated. If the governors’ appeals panel decides that a child should be reinstated, the Headteacher must comply with this ruling.

A child may be excluded for one of the following reasons:

• Physical assault against a pupil
• Physical assault against an adult
• Verbal abuse / threatening behaviour against a pupil
• Verbal abuse / threatening
• Cyber/ bullying
• Racist abuse
• Sexual misconduct
• Drug and alcohol related
• Damage
• Theft
• Persistent disruptive behaviour

You can read our full Behaviour policy and  Exclusion policy here for more information.

In cases of exclusion, Petham Primary School follows the guidance provided by Kent County Council and the Department for Education.  Links to the relevant documents are posted below for your information.