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Longfield Academy Behaviour and Discipline Procedures

The behaviour and discipline procedures document of Longfield Academy has been reviewed and adopted by the Pupil and Community Committee of the Governing Body on 6th March 2006

Date of Policy: March 2006
To be reviewed: March 2008

1 Communicating Intent

Policy Statement
1.The school has ensured that parents / carers are fully informed of the discipline and behaviour policy by communicating it through the school rules, school prospectus, home-school agreements, newsletters, student planner and the school website.

2.The discipline and behaviour policy has been communicated to all new and existing students through the curriculum, where appropriate, the school council and school:

• rules
• prospectus
• notice boards
• assemblies
• student planners
• website

3.The school will seek to ensure that the policy and procedures are accessible to parents/carers and pupils by providing these in a range of formats where available.

4.All staff are consulted about the policy and its implementation.

5.The school has communicated the discipline and behaviour policy to all teaching and non teaching staff by providing copies of the policy, through the staff training programme and on the school website

Acceptable behaviour, recognition and rewards

6.Acceptable behaviour is defined as that which promotes courtesy, cooperation and consideration to others at all times, both within the school and outside in the community.

7.All staff of Longfield Academy will promote good and improved behaviour by pupils through a system of recognition and reward. For example this may include:

• general praise and positive feedback
• comments in student planner
• merits (key stage 3 only)
• gold slips for consistently high standard of work or an outstanding contribution to the school community
• letters to parents / carers
• school awards, through Key Stage 3 Celebration Evening and Key Stage 4/5 Prize Giving.
• monetary rewards
• attendance awards

Unacceptable behaviour and sanctions

8.The school has identified unacceptable behaviour as that which demonstrates through action or words disrespect for any member for the school community, including those that:

• prevent other students from learning
• prevent other students from expressing their own views
• intimidate others by name calling and using threatening language
• abuse others by the use of racist and homophobic comments
• make other students feel unhappy and left out
• use physical violence against others
• defy members of the school staff
• brings the reputation of the school into disrepute

9. The school will review the support available to individual pupils who may be at risk of disaffection or exclusion, including:

• support from teaching assistants during lessons
• mentoring using older students, members of staff
• pastoral support plans
• appropriate curriculum and resources
• differentiated teaching materials and strategies
• study support
• internal school reporting systems
• Access to external agencies

10.Longfield Academy communicates regularly the standards of acceptable and unacceptable student behaviour to students and parents / carers, for example through:

• publication of the school expectations
• the code of conduct
• school prospectus
• home - school agreement
• anti- bullying statement
• school assemblies
• year notice boards
• student planner
• newsletters

11.Standards of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour are communicated to all staff through the staff information booklets and the continuous professional development programme.

12. A range of strategies have been implemented to deal with unacceptable behaviour by pupils including:

• talking privately with the student
• Completion of 4W form by the student
• verbal reprimand
• notes in student planner
• time out
• extra work
• break / lunchtime detention
• faculty detention
• after school detention
• departmental report
• pastoral report
• isolation
• letter home
• parents invited in to school to discuss concerns
• fixed-term exclusion
• pastoral support plans
• individual contract to address specific areas of concern
• permanent exclusion (policy section – exclusion policy)

13.The school will monitor the use of rewards and sanctions to ensure that its arrangements operate with due regard to equal opportunities and anti- discrimination.

Early intervention
14.The Additional Educational Needs Coordinator will regularly undertake a review of the educational needs of students who are on the AEN register at School Action Plus and Statement levels. Details of such reviews will be included in student’s files.

15.Effective liaison will take place between the school and all feeder schools regarding Year 6 students in Terms 5 and 6 prior to students joining in September. This will be coordinated by the Head of Learning in Key Stage 3. When deemed necessary further liaison by the Learning Support Co-ordinator and/or Additional Educational Needs Coordinator may take place.

16.Measures will continue to be developed to encourage students to take responsibility for their own behaviour and to help them recognise the consequences of unacceptable behaviour.

17.Individual students will be referred to the Learning Support Co-ordinator employed by the school, as soon as concerns begin to be expressed by staff. Appropriate strategies will be developed and students may be supported through one to one support and / or group work.

18.The school will involve external agencies where they are appropriate and available for the purpose of the education and guidance of individual students.

19.Training will be provided for staff in order to promote positive and consistent behaviour standards within the school.

20.Parents / carers will be contacted promptly by the school and normally within 2 working days to notify them of any reported serious incidents of misbehaviour in which their child has been involved

Investigating cases
21.Reported incidents of student misbehaviour will be investigated within a reasonable timescale. All staff will be expected submit a blue incident sheet and where ever possible a 4W form, to support the process.

22.Support staff may be used to support the investigation process.

23.Delegated senior staff of Longfield Academy will notify relevant bodies, including the police, of incidents where it is deemed necessary to do so and inline with published guidelines.

24.The school will ensure that feedback from any investigation undertaken is provided to relevant persons together with recommendations for action.

25.Information pertaining to investigations that result in action or consequence will be held on record until such time as the pupil leaves the school. Where the incident requires referral to Social Services or pertains to a child protection case the incident notes will be kept within Child Protection records.

2 Developing Capacity

Training and Professional Development for all staff<BR> 1.Longfield Academy has a comprehensive behaviour management training programme which is reviewed to ensure that it meets the needs of staff and the circumstances of the school

2.The health, safety and welfare of all staff will be reviewed regularly. Professional and personal support, including counselling and training, will be provided through the school.

3.The school provides relevant information and training on behaviour management matters to groups of staff including:

• Teaching Assistants
• Other support school staff
• Newly qualified teachers during their formal induction period
• Student teachers undertaking programmes of initial teacher training
• Supply teachers
• Class teachers
• Members of the management / leadership group

4.The training and development of all staff on behaviour management matters will be provided through:

• induction training for all staff
• the programme of twilight whole school INSET
• specific planned and tailored training for the individual

5.Longfield Academy undertakes regular reviews of the continuous professional development needs of all staff

6.Opportunities for staff are provided by the school to ensure development of their knowledge and skills in relation to such issues as:

• implementing Longfield Academy’s behaviour policy
• logging and recording incidents
• classroom management
• educational visits
• learning styles
• pastoral support
• equal opportunities and anti-discrimination
• techniques for promoting positive behaviour, including Solution Focussed Approaches / Emotional Intelligence

Clear roles and responsibilities
7.All staff job descriptions include reference to the behaviour policy for Longfield Academy

8.The Governing Body is advised of the implications of the behaviour policy for their own practice. Relevant committees recognise their responsibilities under the terms of the policy and any other Regulations and Government guidance.

Referral
9.Reviews of students’ needs prior to identifying suitable educational plans, strategies and alternatives for students.

10.Regular monitoring and reviews of the internal and external arrangements for pupil support are undertaken.

11.A database of the main points of referral to external agencies maintained at Longfield Academy, in conjunction with other schools in the Darent Federation. This includes referral to:

• counselling organisations
• education welfare officers
• education psychologists
• the voluntary sector
• health authority trusts
• social services
• police

12.Relevant referral forms are used at Longfield Academy to ensure accurate records are kept

13.The school ensures that class teachers and form tutors are kept fully informed of the outcome of any referral.

Resources
14.Longfield Academy undertakes an annual review of the resources needed to ensure the effective implementation of the behaviour management policy:

• a. Staffing issues:
  • staffing levels
  • staff training and development
  • working practices
  • workload
  • health and safety
• b. Record keeping:
  • Provision of administrative and record keeping systems (including use of ICT)
• c. Curriculum review and alternative provision:
  • alternative curriculum provision for students
  • use of off – site provisions including college placements
  • review of curriculum appropriateness
  • use of curriculum flexibility including , where appropriate, disapplication
  • on site facilities, wherever possible
  • access to Learning Support, including the Family Liaison Officer
  • ‘time-out ‘ with Heads of Learning, Heads of Learning of Key Stages and members of the Leadership Group
  • one to one support with Learning Support Coordinator
  • use of mentor

15.Longfield Academy has secured access to appropriate external specialist child and family support services. These include:

• Educational Welfare Service
• Education Psychology Service
• Specialist Teacher Service
• Community Health Service
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
• Social Services
• Connexions Service
• Youth Offending Team
• Kent Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Services
• Adolescent Resource Centre
• ‘Breakthrough’ and other mediation services for young people

16.Longfield Academy has a pastoral support programme, and has reviewed the need for mentoring, counselling and peer mediation.

3 Meeting Needs

Needs Assessment and reviews 1.The Learning Support Coordinator undertakes assessments and reviews the needs of students whose behaviour is disruptive and challenging. Appropriate training is provided and since this is a non- teaching post, adequate time is available for these reviews to be carried out.

2.Appropriate staff are provided to support vulnerable and challenging students when the need arises

Curriculum Flexibility
3.The curriculum at Longfield Academy is appropriate to the needs of the students

4.Students at Longfield Academy are provided with the opportunity to talk about behaviour issues and to formulate personal and group strategies to minimise and avoid conflict

Student involvement
5.All students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and behaviour

6.Students are encouraged to take responsibility for developing a positive behaviour culture within the school through the school council, rule setting in individual classrooms and strategies for self discipline

7.Students are consulted through the Behaviour Audit, discussions individually with members of staff and in group discussions.

8.Students are actively consulted and play an integral role in the development of school policies and strategies, for example the ‘Bully and Equal Opportunities Statement’.

9.At Longfield Academy all students are provided with opportunities for involvement in the life of the school and the community

10.The School Council, on behalf of the student body, reviews and adopts whole school policies.

Parental Involvement
11.Parents / Carers are informed promptly of any concerns regarding their child and are given the opportunity to respond to their needs

12.Parental involvement and support for the behaviour policy is encouraged by opportunities provided by the school. These include:

• consultation meetings
• Upper and Lower School Consultation Days
• questionnaires which give the opportunity to express their views

Community involvement

13.Longfield Academy is involved within the community by liaising with a variety of organisations. These include:

• Local Education Authority
• Community Health Workers
• Crime Reduction Officers
• The Youth Offending Team
• Social Services
• The voluntary sector
• Religious bodies
• Local Councils

4 Reviewing Effectiveness

Record Keeping
1.The prompt and accurate reporting of incidents is considered particularly important to the effectiveness of the school’s behaviour policy

2.Accurate records of behaviour incidents are kept using the school’s incident forms

3.All staff have been advised of the need for accurate, complete records of behaviour management incidents and have been trained in the correct procedures for recording statements

4.Longfield Academy provides the use of ICT for logging of incidents and monitoring trends. Clerical staff are employed to maintain effective student records in all key stages, including those related to behaviour.

Monitoring and Evaluation
5.Behaviour Incidents are monitored in order to identify trends.

6.Longfield Academy makes effective use of ICT database to support the implementation of procedures.

7.Staff receive individual and collective feedback (dependant on individual circumstances) on behaviour management issues, trends and the outcome of referrals through meetings with senior staff, notices to staff, staff briefings and team meetings. Confidentiality is maintained within the framework for feedback.

8.Incidents of disruptive behaviour are monitored in terms of:

• Type of incident
• Student/s involved
• Timeliness of response
• Outcomes

9.Student record keeping systems within Longfield Academy provide analysis of the impact of the behaviour policy on particular groups of students in respect of additional educational needs, disability, ethnic origin, gender and Looked After Children 10.Longfield Academy reviews its policy against key improvement objectives which include:

• improved individual behaviour
• academic progress
• general behaviour patterns
• balance in use of rewards and sanctions
• staff training and support
• curriculum access and academic progress
• equal opportunities
• behaviour management trends over a period of time
• effectiveness of the policy in encouraging positive behaviours

11.The school provides details of issues and trends to staff and the Governing Body, through the Pupil and Community Committee, as a basis for effective decision making

12.Behaviour issues are discussed with all parents / carers as part of the parental consultation programme.

13.Longfield Academy will inform parents of the implementation of the behaviour management programme

Sharing good practice

14.Longfield Academy shares information on good practice gleaned from:

• Reviews of individual practice
• Reviews of whole-school practice
• Reviews of practice in other schools, including the primary sector
• Reviews of cross-phase practice
• Working practice within the Darent Federation.

15.Relevant Information is shared with all members of staff and Pupil and Community Committee of the Governing Body to better inform decision making and to assist in meeting the educational needs of all students at Longfield Academy.