Westquarter Primary and Nursery SchoolEthos and Positive Behaviour 2013

 Values

In Westquarter Primary School and Nursery, we aim to create a warm, caring atmosphere to foster good practice and high standards. Our staffs, teachers and support staff alike, are dedicated and hard working and work cooperatively to provide the best possible education for your child. We work hard to create a happy, positive atmosphere in school and build excellent relationships with our pupils. Our pupils are encouraged to show a high standard of behaviour in school and receive individual care and guidance. Our core values are: Respect Trust Courage Tolerance Justice Happiness Caring Hope, Love and Peace.

Restorative Approaches An approach, based on Restorative Justice Principles, is being

developed in schools across Falkirk as the initial response when a pupil's behaviour is unacceptable. It is embedded in Westquarter Primary School. Restorative Approaches are based on identifying what harm has been done, to whom and by whom. A mutually acceptable agreement is developed to restore positive relations. Sometimes the agreement will include some form of reparation – doing something specifically to make things better like cleaning up graffiti. Restorative Approaches focus on resolution rather than problems and do not seek to blame or punish but to change behaviour. Restorative Approaches in the Primary sector include, particularly, Peer Mediation strategies. P6 pupils work with Charlotte Main, Active schools Coordinator, to learn mediation skills.

Anger Management StrategiesAlongside Restorative Practices, some children need support to develop strategies to help them manage their feelings of anger or frustration. We help children to develop an approach that works for them and that allows them to calm down and be able to take part in a restorative conversation. This may simply be time out from class in a quiet, safe place to be alone and have time to think things through. Some children use calm cards to let the teacher know where they are going and why and to guide them through the process of calming down. At other times, the teacher may recognise the signs shown by a pupil and advise them to take time out to calm down. This strategy works well for pupils and allows the restorative approach to be used to best effect.

Positive Behaviour Management

• At the start of each year, each class will discuss expected behaviour in school and develop their own class rules. This will then be reinforced in a Behaviour Plan, which is sent home for discussion with parents/carers. The rules are made clear at this point along with the sanctions for breaking them.

• We operate a system of traffic lights from P1-5. This system is reinforced with sanctions relevant to the stage in school and a tracking system to allow parents to be informed if a pattern of behaviour is forming. The management team reinforces this system. In Primary 6 and 7 the traffic light system is used at the teacher’s discretion as older children are expected to manage their own behaviour. It is also recognised that this approach is not always suitable for specific children and other assertive discipline strategies would be used in these cases.

• Home/School diaries are used from P1-7 to reinforce good behaviour, positive attitudes, attendance and achievements. They are used to communicate daily with home to allow parents to support the work done in school and vice versa.

Movement Around SchoolTo ensure children move safely round school, it is important that classes are supervised when walking along corridors and up/down stairs at interval, lunch and the start and end of the day. We expect children to be lined up promptly when the bell rings and staff should be there to let children in quickly. This minimises the potential for issues in the lines.

Behaviour Coordinators and FFBM

We have four BeCo’s in school. Two members of the teaching staff, our senior EYO and an SA, who work closely together to ensure the FFBM is used effectively when required. They also collaborate on several other approaches to behaviour management in school.

Fabulous Fun FridayFFF takes place on Friday lunchtime. Mrs Smith works together with P7 children to organise this and it is a reward for positive behaviour in the playground. Each week approx. 10 children are chosen by the staff in the playground and are invited to FFF to show our appreciation for their good behaviour. The children come along to room 3 where there is a variety of art/craft activities and games as well as the Wii and Nintendo Ds Lites. This was set up as part of a Managing Schools Project and has now been running for 6 years.

Raffle tickets

These are issued by playground staff for positive behaviours in the playground. Children place their tickets in a box and a prize draw is made approx twice a month.

Star of the weekEach class has a weekly star, chosen by the class teacher and they are presented with a certificate by their house captains at assembly. House points are also given to each star.

P7 pupils are expected to issue certificates to teachers in advance of assembly. The star photos are displayed by P7 pupils on the Star of the Week board.

Golden TimeGolden Time runs on a Friday afternoon from 2:15pm till 2:55pm. This avoids specialist times and Kenneth can commit to being involved for football at this time. Each class runs a different mixture of structured activities for Golden Time. This can be changeable depending on weather etc e.g. Rounders. Family Time is also at this time once a month and parents/carers can join their child in class to share the activities.

House SystemWe have four houses and all children and staff are involved. We have regular house meetings and assemblies. There are P7 house captains and Vice captains and the children work together on a variety of activities throughout the year, to work towards house rewards and the house trophy. The house captains liaise with the Active Schools Coordinator to organise the winning house rewards e.g. climbing wall, bouncy castle etc House points are given for star of the week, good work etc

Circle time

• Each class should have a weekly slot for Circle Time. There should also be some flexibility to use Circle Time with your class as and when it is required i.e. after break times, after PE or whenever an issue arises.

• If Circle Time is only an isolated activity the value of Circle Time is greatly reduced. However, if its principles are incorporated into a whole school policy and practised by adults as well as pupils it can make a fundamental difference to the ethos of a school. It will not completely stop bullying but it will help to involve young people in the development of a school policy, bring more incidents into the open and encourage a more caring atmosphere. Youngsters will start to apply the "no put-downs" rule outside the circle and will remind their peers - and sometimes their teachers - when this rule is broken.

Moving and Handling Strategies

• In Westquarter Primary we have a proactive approach towards managing challenging behaviours. However, should the need arise; we use positive handling strategies to ensure the safety of pupils and staff. If a pupil threatens violent behaviour towards staff, pupils or themselves and other methods of calming have been tried and failed, then staff will support the pupil to allow them to become calm.

• A contract will be made with parents and this approach will be discussed fully should the need arise.