Promoting Positive Behaviour
We want our school to be a happy and orderly environment in which children can learn and develop as caring and responsible people.
At WISE Academies we strive to ensure that all children are treated fairly by staff and other children alike. We want our learning environment to feel safe and secure, so that children can feel confident to be themselves and develop in their own way.
We are keen to motivate our children and we have many ways of doing this.
Dojo Rewards
We use class dojo to award points for our core values alongside personal achievements that the children have made. These points cumulate and at the end of each term, children reap their rewards … literally! They ‘spend’ their points on a range of rewards at the Town End Dojo Shop. These range from booking out a private session on our football pitch to a visit to the Town End Ice cream factory. There’s something for everyone to ‘save’ up for.
Certificates
Our weekly celebration assembly rewards a star of the week per class. The adults within each class considers which child has excelled themselves and rewards them with this certificate and an accompanying yellow jumper ( think Tour De France yellow jerseys!) The children wear them with pride and it also comes with a front of line privilege for the week!
We also celebrate a curriculum star for exceptional work in a particular subject.
We have recently added a new certificate for the “Always child”. This is for those children who constantly demonstrate our core values and need the recognition that this deserves!
In addition, we issue a head teacher award, which I take great pleasure in awarding. These are given for the children that I see going above and beyond - often demonstrating excellent citizenship qualities.
We also have a behaviour policy which is routinely shared with parents and carers and of course, the children themselves. This clearly identifies stages on our behaviour ladder and the linked consequences.
In addition, we have a rigorous recording and monitoring system of any behaviour incidents.
We are an inclusive school and, as such, we welcome children with a wide range of additional needs. Sometimes, these needs necessitate individual behaviour plans and linked behaviour charts. These too are rigorously monitored to ensure positive outcomes for our children.
We are a partnership and we firmly believe that children thrive when school and home work together. With this in mind, we have open communication both ways. We support, where we can, with issues outside of school and we expect that support for issues within school. In this way, the children feel safe and secure, knowing that we are a team who work together.
Children work towards the school’s aims by:
• Following our school rules of respect, reflection and resilience
• Making the decision to choose good behaviour.
• Attending school regularly and on time.
• Being organised: bringing necessary kit, taking letters home promptly, returning homework on time.
• Taking responsibility for their environment and for their own learning and conduct.
Teachers work towards the school’s aims by:
• Rewarding good performance and behaviour.
• Providing challenging and stimulating lessons designed to engage pupils in their own learning and enable all children to reach the highest standards of personal achievement.
• Recognising and being constantly aware of the needs of each individual child according to ability and aptitude.
• Enabling children to take increasing responsibility for their own learning and behaviour.
• Ensuring learning is progressive and continuous.
• Being good role models: punctual, well prepared and organised.
• Taking quick, firm action to prevent one child inhibiting another’s progress.
• Providing opportunities for children to discuss appropriate behaviour.
• Working collaboratively with a shared philosophy and commonality of practice.
Parents work towards the school’s aim by:
• Encouraging their children to keep the school rules and praising their child when they receive rewards.
• Cooperating fully with the school when their child does not behave well and is given a consequence.
• Ensuring that children attend in good health, punctually and regularly including taking holidays in the designated holidays and not in term time.
What is Bullying?
There is no legal definition of bullying, but it is usually defined as repeated behaviour which is intended to hurt someone either emotionally or physically. Bullying can happen anywhere: at school, travelling to and from school, in sporting teams, in friendships or family groups or in the workplace.
Bullying can take many forms including:
- physical assault
- social bullying
- threatening behaviour
- name calling
- cyberbullying
Our curriculum at Town End Academy ensures that our children understand that there are different kinds of bullying and what to do if they feel that they are being bullied.
When a child or parent reports bullying to the school, we look at the reported incident individually.
In many cases, what is reported is often a simple fall out between friends which has been misinterpreted. Children are supported through ‘conflict resolution’ by staff, and helped to understand the difference between ‘falling out’ and bullying’.
On other occasions, the perpetrator may not be aware that their behaviour is actually bullying. They are perhaps modelling the behaviour of adults or other children and young people, not understanding that it is wrong because they have never been taught otherwise. In these circumstances, the intent to bully may not be present, but the impact and effect on the person being bullied will be no less severe because of this. It is explained to the child bullying that their behaviour is unacceptable and why. Support is also given to the bullied child to ensure they understand what has happened and how they will be protected from further incidents.
Bullying can affect children in different ways and supporting them to overcome negative feelings is always our primary concern. If they are unable to respond effectively and regain their sense of self and control in the situation, adults will support to help restore it.
If you suspect that your child is being bullied, do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of staff. We will always do whatever we can to make a child's situation better. Along with our WISE Academies Family, we have developed a range of policies and procedures that enable us to take swift action to investigate allegations of bullying and put support in place for all concerned to eradicate the undesirable behaviour and offer support. Policies available include:
- Anti-bullying policy
- Anti-cyberbullying policy
- Child Protection and Safeguarding Children policy
- Behaviour Policy
Bullying is neither accepted nor tolerated at Town End Academy. Working together with children and families, we can make things better for everyone.