Behaviour for Learning Policy

Date of issue: September 2022

Date of review: September 2023

Ratified by Academy Governing Council on:

Co-op Academy Oakwood is committed to safeguarding every student. We acknowledge that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and ensure all of our staff are trained to be vigilant and aware of the signs and indicators of abuse and understand and follow safe working practices.

The viewpoints and voice of students is of paramount importance to our Academy and we will always listen to their wishes, thoughts and feelings, as well as identifying and supporting their needs. We will work alongside students to develop trusting, consistent and professional relationships and show we care by advocating the early help processes where possible. We will identify any difficulties or concerns early in order to act preventatively. We will always provide support and advice for families and parents/carers, whilst acting in the best interests of the student at all times and doing what matters most. Safeguarding also includes ensuring we work in an open and honest way, enabling our students to feel safe by providing a secure learning environment, are equally protected regardless of any barriers they may face and are able to grow and develop in the same way as their peers.

Co-op Academy Oakwood safeguards students by:

• Maintaining a secure site and ensuring that all visitors to the Academy are recorded, monitored and clear about how to raise a safeguarding concern should one arise.
• Ensuring that safer recruitment practices are followed to prevent those who pose a risk to children gaining access to our students.
• Filtering and monitoring all internet traffic into the Academy to ensure that students cannot be exposed to harmful material and communication.
• Ensuring that all staff employed by the Academy have received Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance which is recorded in the Single Central Record
• Providing regular training and briefings for all staff in child protection and ensuring that all staff and visitors know who our designated safeguarding officers and designated senior lead are.
• Ensuring that admission and attendance procedures are robust to protect students, ensure that they are safe and prevent students from going missing from education.
• Empowering young people to identify risks both within the Academy and in their community; ensuring that they have the skills and confidence to help and protect themselves and others.
• Making sure that all students understand the importance of reporting concerns about themselves and peers and giving them the confidence to discuss sensitive issues.
• Providing pastoral and inclusion support to ensure that all students have access to guidance and advice, and when needed referrals for additional agency support to meet their needs.
• Sharing information when appropriate with other agencies and services to ensure that students, children and their families have support to meet their needs and prevent students from harm or further harm
• Taking immediate action and contacting the appropriate agencies when we believe that a student is in danger or is at risk of harm.

Co-op Academy Oakwood is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all of our pupils. We expect our staff, governors, wider professionals, volunteers and all other stakeholders to share this commitment. All of our policies are underpinned and linked to our safeguarding policy through this commitment.

Policy aims 

• To ensure that all members of the school community feel valued and respected. 
• To promote positive behaviours for learning.  
• To ensure that pupils are ready to learn.
• To ensure that pupils feel secure in their surroundings so that learning can take place. 
• To build good relationships between staff/ pupils/ parents.
• To maintain good communication between home and school to share both successes as well as concerns about pupils’ behaviour. 
• To maintain a consistent system of dealing with all behaviour, including challenging behaviour. 
• To encourage and teach pupils to take responsibility for their own behaviour and actions. 
• To ensure that pupils reflect on their actions.
• To ensure that staff reflect on the needs of the pupils to ensure positive actions, choices and behaviours.
• To prevent bullying, including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying

School behaviour will be supported by the Ways of Being Co-op:

• Be yourself, always
• Do what matters most
• Succeed together
• Show you care

These values will be explicitly taught and modelled through assemblies, circle time and PSHE curriculum. As well as being explicitly being taught the ‘Ways of Being Co-op’ will permeate through the entire curriculum and academy ethos. At Oakwood we encourage everyone to follow the ‘Ways of Being Co-op’ within a safe environment where education can prepare all pupils to be ready for life.

As an academy that is working towards the Peace Mala accreditation we focus on the Golden Rule: "Treat others as you would wish them to treat you".

The Co-op Academies Trust is committed to co-operative values and principles. The Trust expects all of its academies to have these at the core of their work. Through our values we strive to ensure children, young people and their families and staff at all levels in the Trust develop:

• Self-help – so that we can help ourselves to improve and make a positive contribution to society
• Self-responsibility – so that we take responsibility for, and answer to our actions
• Democracy – through having a say in how we run our Trust and the academies
• Equality – through ensuring that the voice of each individual can be heard
• Equity – a fair and unbiased community
• Solidarity – through sharing interests and common purposes for the benefit of all.

We embrace the co-operative ethical values of:

• Openness – we believe in being open and sharing information and ideas to raise the outcomes of children and young people and improve their life chances
• Honesty – we act in a professional and respectful manner in our dealings with everyone
• Social responsibility – we maximise our impact on those in our communities while minimising our footprint on the world
• Caring for others – we treat everyone as we wish to be treated ourselves, understanding that children and young people have one childhood.

We will:

• Nurture all children in a safe and stimulating environment
• Provide for them a style of education that inspires the will to learn
• Prepare them for making wise choices throughout their lives
• Enable them to face their lives with courage and compassion

We believe that:

• Each human being is special, gifted, and unique.
• We should value others for what they are – not just for what they do.
• We should balance high self-esteem with respect for others.
• Good relationships are fundamental for both our own individual good and for the good of the community as a whole.

We will provide:

• Structured learning that provides children with a wide range of skills.
• A wide-ranging rich curriculum.
• Frequent opportunities for all children to express themselves creatively.
• Encouragement to communicate well and listen to others.

We will enable all children to:

• Value the beauty of the natural world.
• To wonder at the mystery of life and its possible origins.
• To feel the need to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong.
• To see how they can promote their own health and well-being.
• To be ready for their wider role as citizens

At Co-op Academy Oakwood our rules are based on the six ‘R’s.

We are:

Ready to learn

Respectful to all

Responsible

Resilient

Reflective

We show all these qualities so we can build Relationships.

Ensuring that positive behaviour at Co-op Academy Oakwood

At Co-op Academy Oakwood, we will ensure that pupils can demonstrate positive behaviour through:

• Establishing rules and routines.
• Creating a positive learning environment.
• Consistent adults.
• Working with families.
• Sharing high expectations with pupils, staff and families.

• Establishing a routine where:

• Pupils will be greeted by the adults in their class at the beginning of the day.
• At the start of each session clear expectations are established for learning and behaviour. 
• Consistency in people and routine allow pupils to feel safe and secure.
• Pupils walk quietly and in single file in school. 
• Use quiet voices inside the building.
• Pupils and staff refer to each other in a friendly and polite manner.
• Pupils are taught common courtesies by example – e.g. smiling at each other, greeting each other.
• Class communicators are in place to extend greetings and common courtesies to other members of the academy community and visitors.
• Class Charts is used regularly to record and celebrate behaviour.

End of Playtime Routine

• Adults are ready and waiting for their class
• The whistle is blown.
• Children stand still and are silent.
• On the second whistle, children form a line outside their cloakroom.
• Children walk into the classroom with a silent voice.

Assembly

• Adults model the key behaviour.
• Children line up alphabetically (some children may need to be separated due to their needs.)
• Walk silently in the corridor and into the hall.
• Children stand with their hands on their hips to ensure room for sitting.
• The children wait to be told to sit down.
• Pupils sit down and wait in silence.

• Creating a positive learning environment which has:

• A welcoming atmosphere. 
• Evidence of the Red, Amber, Green system. This will be displayed at an age appropriate level.
• The six Rs displayed and part of the classroom ethos:

Ready, Respectful, Responsible, Resilient, Reflective and Relationships.

• ‘The Ways of Being Co-op’ displayed.
• Consistent daily routines. 
• Support and challenge for both learning behaviours and learning.
• An atmosphere of collective responsibility for each other and their environment. 
• Evidence that all pupils’ contributions are valued. 
• Learning displayed which celebrates pupils’ achievements.
• Co-op values displayed.
• The learning pit at the core of its ethos which is displayed.
• Class Charts displayed on the interactive whiteboard.

• Consistent adults who:

• Deal with situations in a calm manner avoiding confrontation.
• Give frequent praise for positive choices as well as for successful learning.  
• Use positive language at all times.  
• Are consistent whilst taking into account each pupils’ individual needs.  
• Act on unacceptable behaviour
• Record positive behaviour through points on Class Charts
• Record negative behaviour on Class Charts.

• Working with families to:

• Seek their support and help.
• Inform them of their child’s behaviour both positive and negative.
• Inform them of any incidents which may cause distress.
• Inviting families into the academy for informal discussions regarding an incident – in the first instance this would be the class teacher.
• Inviting families into the academy for formal discussions regarding a serious incident or multiple incidents – this would be the class teacher and/or a member of the pastoral team and/or members of the SLT.

Positive consistent language

So pupils have a clear message about their behaviour, actions and choices, consistent language is used by staff. This will also be used to encourage pupils to make positive behaviour choices.

Positive reinforcement of behaviours

A key strategy for ensuring positive behaviour in the academy is through the use of positive reinforcement. Through recognition of good behaviour pupils will develop good behaviour habits.

At Co-op Academy Oakwood staff use a range of strategies including:

• verbal praise
• communication of positive behaviour with families
• weekly celebration assemblies
• certificates
• leadership roles
• ClassCharts

Class Charts is used by staff in the academy to record positive behaviour. Pupils earn points which they are then able to spend within the ClassCharts shop.

ClassChart points can be earned by demonstrating the 6 Rs, a Co-op ‘Way of Being’, or a skill from the Skills Builder programme as well as representing their Academy House.

As well as logging and celebrating positive behaviour ClassCharts is also used to log behaviour. These behaviours are analysed and evaluated by the Behaviour Leader, SENDco and Senior Leadership Team to identify patterns and areas for improvement.

The RED AMBER GREEN system

Every classroom has a board with name cards for all the pupils on it. Throughout the day these name cards can be moved between colours depending on the pupils’ behaviour. 

Discipline in school - teacher’s powers

• Teachers have statutory authority to discipline pupils whose behaviour is unacceptable, who break the school rules or who fail to follow a reasonable instruction.
• The power also applies to all paid staff (unless the headteacher says otherwise) with responsibility for pupils, such as teaching assistants.
• Teachers can discipline pupils at any time the pupil is in school or elsewhere under the charge of a teacher, including on school visits.
• Teachers can also discipline pupils in certain circumstances when a pupil’s misbehaviour occurs outside of school.
• Teachers have the power to impose detention outside school hours.
• Teacher’s can confiscate, retain and dispose of pupils’ property.

The following items are prohibited in the academy:

• knives and weapons;

• alcohol;

• illegal drugs;

• stolen items;

• any article that the member of staff reasonably suspects has been, or is likely to be used:

• to commit an offence, or

• to cause personal injury to, or damage to property of; any person (including the pupil).

• an article specified in regulations:  

• tobacco and cigarette papers;

• fireworks; and

• pornographic images.

If weapons, extreme pornography or child pornography are confiscated, the police will be contacted.

The Headteacher and authorised staff can use reasonable force given the circumstances to conduct a search for the items named above.

Any searches, screening and confiscation of banned items will take place in consultation with the following document Searching, Screening and Confiscation (publishing.service.gov.uk).

If a child brings in an item that needs to be confiscated (this may not always be from the prohibited item list) steps need to take place:

1. If a child was seen with an item, ask them for it stating it should not be in school e.g. “Please give me x, it is not allowed in school.”. Confiscate and keep until the end of the school day. Ensure the child knows to keep it at home and ensure that families are informed. This must be logged onto CPOMS.
2. If brought in again, confiscate and the item must be collected by a parent. This must include a meeting with the parent to ensure that families are aware of the items that cannot come into the academy.

Please also read the Care and Control Policy

Mobile Phones and digital technology

Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are able to walk home alone. Because of this, families may feel that their child should have a mobile phone for safety reasons. Pupils may bring a mobile phone into the academy. At the start of the school day, the pupil must hand their phone (turned off)  to the class teacher who will lock the phone in the store cupboard. At the end of the day, phones will be returned to the pupils.

Any phone that is not given to the class teacher at the start of the school day will be dealt with following the items that should not be in school protocol.

Smart watches will not be allowed in the academy as they offer a communication tool for pupils which could pose a distraction. Some smart watches also have the facility for taking images which poses a risk.

Any pupil wearing smart watches will be asked to remove them and they will be dealt with following the items that should not be in school protocol.

Sanctions

When poor behaviour choices have been identified, sanctions are implemented consistently and fairly. Our sanctions can include:

• A verbal reprimand.
• Repeat unsatisfactory work until it meets the required standard.
• Missing playtime.
• Loss of privileges - for instance a reduction in time for watching a pantomime.
• Behaviour Chart.
• Detention including during playtime, lunchtime and after school - these are issued in consultation with the Senior Leadership Team and Behaviour team.
• Seclusion in an isolation room - these are issued in consultation with the Senior Leadership Team and Behaviour team.
• In more extreme cases, we may use temporary or permanent exclusion.

Protocol for an incident within the classroom

Pupil is dysregulated.

              ↓

Private verbal warning, visual prompt (‘look’) or proximal praise is given by the LSA or teacher.

Name, at Co-op Academy Oakwood we show the 6Rs/Co-op Ways of Being. Please (instruction). Thank you. Or, Name, I can see you are struggling. How can I or X help you?

The dysregulation continues.

              ↓

Whole class reminder of expected behaviour to be given. This must refer to either the 6Rs and the Co-op Ways of Being.

The dysregulation continues.

              ↓

Pupil’s name is moved onto the yellow section of the behaviour chart. This needs explaining to the child privately. This can be by the LSA or teacher.

Name, you have been moved to yellow as you are not following the 6Rs. If you continue to make poor behaviour choices, you will be moved onto amber. 

The dysregulation continues.

              ↓

The pupil is given a ‘time out’ in either the corridor or the classroom for five minutes. They must be accompanied by an adult. If there isn’t the capacity to do this, then the pupil can be moved to another seat within the classroom.

Name, you have been given an amber as you are not following the 6Rs. If you continue to make poor behaviour choices, you will be moved onto red.

When the child returns to the room, they can either go back to their seat or can be moved within the classroom. If the child is to sit elsewhere, they must be informed of this before coming back into the classroom.

The dysregulation continues.

              ↓

The pupil is put onto red and is moved to the classroom opposite.

Name, you have been put onto red and are moving into another classroom to complete your work. This is due to you continuing to make poor behaviour choices and not following the 6Rs and the Co-op Ways of Being.

Protocols for incidents that have occurred on the playground

Verbal incident

A pupil has verbally upset another child.

                ↓

Listen and establish the facts.

                ↓

Speak with both children and come to a resolution.

                ↓

Raise with the class teacher.

It must be recorded on CPOMS if it is racist, homophobic, regarding sexual violence or harrassment (SVSH) or hate related.

Physical altercation

A pupil has physically hurt another.

                ↓

Listen and establish the facts. This is to be done at the side of the playground discreetly. Take the time to ascertain if it was accidental, sport related or intentional.

                ↓

Speak with both children and come to a resolution.

                ↓

If it was intentional, bring the child to or call for a member of the Behaviour Team.

                ↓

If it was intentional, record the incident on CPOMS.

Fighting

Split the pupils.

              ↓

Move them away from one another. Alert the Behaviour Team to assist. The children may need to be taken inside. If this is required, check the ratios are correct on the playground.

              ↓

Regulate the children. Do not try to talk to them because they cannot respond to logic or reason. Instead, stay calm, show empathy, help them become self-aware, and guide them through sensory experiences and calming strategies.

Name, I can see that you are upset right now and that is okay. I am here to listen when you are ready to talk.

              ↓

Listen and establish what happened. The Behaviour Team will decide on the actions to be taken.

              ↓

Record incident onto CPOMS.

Restorative conversations

If there has been a high level incident, it is important that restorative work is done. This may not be immediately, as the child(ren) may not be ready to reflect. Adults will use restorative language and questions to allow children to understand the impact of their behaviours:

• What happened?
• What were your thoughts at the time?
• What have been your thoughts since?
• Who has been affected by what happened?
• How have they been affected?
• What do you need to happen now?

A good restorative conversation has many steps: Non-confrontational;  Be two way - A learning process for each person; Private and comfortable; Viewed as making steps to improvement; Acted on; and reported on CPOMS.

Protocols for other incidents

Children with SEND

Our behaviour policy must be applied in a way that is sensitive to childrens SEND needs. Some behaviours are more likely to be associated with particular types of SEND.

Some examples of this are as follows:

A child with speech, language and communication needs may not understand a verbal instruction. They also might find it difficult to communicate a feeling or need that they have. This could result in what appears to be ‘poor behaviour’ but is actually frustration at not being able to effectively communicate what they want.

A child with ADHD quite often experiences discomfort when being asked to sit quiet for a period of time. Being sanctioned for this in the same way as a child without an ADHD profile places them at a disadvantage.

It could be that the work that they have been set is too challenging. If a child has been identified as having a cognitive or learning need in a certain subject and they are finding the task too difficult they may display behaviour that is not appropriate. In this instance, they should be spoken to about what they are finding difficult and how we can help. The child should also be taught a way to seek help in a more suitable way.

Children with Autism can display a wide variety of behaviours as the spectrum is incredibly vast. There are many triggers but there are some common ones: sensory differences, changes in routine, anxiety, and communication difficulties. They can exhibit many ways to communicate with us that they are finding a situation difficult. That is why we plan, deliver and review the impact of the support being provided.

We need to personalise expectations for children with an identified SEND need by making reasonable adjustments to provision whilst maintaining high expectations for behaviour. Behaviour will often need to be considered in relocation to a pupil’s SEND, although it does not follow that every incident of misbehaviour will be connected to their SEND.

We have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to take such steps as is reasonable to avoid any substantial disabled pupil caused by the school’s policies or practices. We need to ensure that we meet the needs of those with SEND. If a pupil has an EHCP, the provisions set out in that must be secured.

We need to anticipate likely triggers of misbehaviour and put in place support to prevent these. There are many examples of preventative measures that can be put in place:

• Short, planned movement breaks for a pupil who finds it difficult to sit for a sustained period of time.
• Adjusting seating plans to allow children with visual or hearing impairment to sit in sight of the teacher.
• Training for staff in understanding different conditions such as Autism.
• Named adults to support certain children.

Mental health and wellbeing

Staff at the academy will take into account any contributing factors that are identified which may impact on a pupil’s behaviour for example, if the pupil has suffered bereavement, experienced abuse or neglect, has mental health needs, 19 has been subject to bullying, has needs including SEND (including any not previously identified), has been subject to criminal exploitation, or is experiencing significant challenges at home.

The academy works with experts, such as Educational Psychologists, therapists from the Inner East Cluster, counsellors and Mental Health Support Teams.

Seclusion/Isolation Rooms

Seclusion may be used for some pupils as part of the behaviour policy and sanctions in school. This should be only considered in exceptional circumstances. Doors may be locked to ensure the safety of the pupil and staff. A child cannot be locked in a room by themselves. The decision to use seclusion will be made by the headteacher, deputy headteacher or the behaviour leader.

If a pupil has been removed from their class, careful consideration will be given to the reintegration of the pupil back into class to ensure that it is both restorative and a positive experience.

Fixed Term Exclusion

Following the most serious incidents the school may consider the use of a FTE. These measures are only taken as a last resort when a serious breach of the Behaviour for Learning policy has taken place. Work will always be provided and a restorative meeting will follow upon their return.

Permanent Exclusion

Co-op Academy Oakwood aims to do everything possible to not to permanently exclude students. Using alternative provisions on a long term or permanent basis for students who are repeatedly causing significant disruption to teaching and learning, are strategies used to try to avoid the ultimate sanction of permanent exclusion.

For further information, please refer to the Trust Exclusions Policy.

https://www.coopacademies.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Exclusions-Policy-July-2021.pdf 

Reasonable Force

Members of staff have the power to use reasonable force to prevent pupils committing an offence, injuring themselves or others, damaging property and to maintain good order and discipline in the classroom.

Co-op Academy Oakwood uses Team Teach for our preferred positive handling techniques. This is only used when all other strategies have proven unsuccessful.  We have some members of staff trained in Team Teach and a list of those trained is kept by SLT who ensure that training is regularly up-dated.

It is a legal requirement that there is a written report of any occasion where handling is used. (This should be done within 24 hours) and the log book is completed. It may help prevent any misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the incident, and it will be helpful should there be a complaint. 

The forms and log book are kept in the Pastoral Support Workers room and placed on CPOMS.  A restorative must be held after the incident where reflections can occur and next steps identified.

Please refer to the Care and Control Policy for further information. 

Prevention of bullying, including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying

Co-op Academy Oakwood has a separate anti-bullying policy which runs in conjunction with other policies including the safeguarding policy and the behaviour policy. At Co-op Academy Oakwood pupils follow the Co-op Ways of being, our six Rs (Ready, Respectful, Responsible, Resilient, Reflective and Relationships) and the Peace Mala Promise (Treat others as you would wish them to treat you). These emphasise respect for all and the importance of relationships. Any bullying incidents will be recorded both on Class Charts and CPOMS.

There is no legal definition of bullying. However, it is usually defined as behaviour that is:

• Repeated
• Intended to hurt someone either physically or emotionally
• Often aimed at certain groups, for example because of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

This is the definition that will be used at Co-op Academy Oakwood.

Pupils will be taught about the different types of bullying including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying through the PSHE curriculum, computing curriculum, assemblies and through class discussion. They will also be taught about how to be a responsible, respectful member of our academy where relationships matter. Pupils will be taught how and who to report bullying to.

Bullying will not be tolerated at Co-op Academy Oakwood and will be dealt with by all members of the academy staff. Support for the victim(s) of bullying will be provided by the class and pastoral teams. Education and support will also be given to the perpetrators of bullying to ensure that they make positive behaviour choices.

Action following a report of sexual violence and/or sexual harassment

There is a zero tolerance approach to sexual violence and harrassment within the academy. All incidents will be reported to the DSLs and headteacher. Any reports of sexual violence will follow the statutory guidance as set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The behaviour policy supports the statutory guidance and will be used to support both the victim and alleged perpetrator(s).

Each report will be considered and dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Every decision made will reflect the duty to safeguard children and the academy's duty to educate them. There are four likely scenarios for schools and colleges to consider when managing any reports of sexual violence and/or sexual harassment: manage internally, Early Help, referrals to children’s social care and reporting to the police.

When managing internally and in some cases of sexual harassment, for example, one-off incidents, the school or college may take the view that the children concerned are not in need of early help or that referrals need to be made to statutory services and that it would be appropriate to handle the incident internally, perhaps through utilising their behaviour policy and by providing pastoral support. Whatever the response, it should be underpinned by the principle that there is a zero tolerance approach to sexual violence and sexual harassment and it is never acceptable and will not be tolerated. All concerns, discussions, decisions and reasons for decisions should be recorded (written or electronic). At Co-op Academy Oakwood this will be recorded on CPOMS.

Glossary of terms

This policy is written in conjunction with the following documents:

•  ‘Behaviour and discipline in schools advice for Headteachers and School staff’, January 2016.
• ‘Searching. screening and confiscation advice for schools’, July 2022.
• ‘Exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England’ - Statutory guidance for those with legal responsibilities in relation to exclusion September 2017
• ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion from maintained schools, academies, and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement. July 2022