How Do We Encourage Good Behaviour At Our School?

At Northwood Primary School we start from the expectation that every child can keep the Golden Rules.

The rules are clearly displayed throughout the school, in classes as well as in corridors. Parents are aware of our rules through our brochure, home visits or the Northwood Newsletter.

Managing Classroom Behaviour

The emphasis in the classroom is on praising the positive, without giving ‘blanket praise.’

Adults in the classroom articulate what they like about a child’s behaviour, and look for opportunities to show good models for others to copy.

Praising those in the proximity of others who are not so well behaved is an effective method regularly used.

Each class has a selection of praise stickers with specific messages about good behaviour.

We are aware of the need to ensure that the praise/ criticism ratio is kept to at least 6:1

Children are encouraged to nominate other well - behaved children for mention in the Golden Behaviour Book.

Golden Time

Key Stage 1 and 2 children are rewarded at the end of each week for keeping the Golden Rules with ½ an hour of Golden Time activities.

The activities can be anything from computer games to knitting. Each class decides what they want to do together to ensure that the activities are exciting and rewarding.

Children lose the right to some of their Golden Time if they have had clear warnings about inappropriate behaviour. ‘Time out’ is measured in 5 minute chunks, depending upon the number of ignored warnings. The child who has lost some Golden Time sits in the middle of the activities with an egg timer, watching his/her time slipping away.

Children are invited to ‘sign up’ for Golden Time at the beginning of the week as a reminder to keep the rules.

Each class has their own clearly understood warning system to remind children that they may be making poor choices.

Classes have devised individual reward systems for supplementing Golden Time. One class, for example, has a pot in which children are invited to put in a marble when they are praised for good behaviour. When the pot is full they bake a ‘marblous’ cake, a good incentive for behaviour if rather confusing for spelling!

Managing Out of Class Behaviour

Meal Supervisory Assistants meet with the Head Teacher on a regular basis to review playground behaviour and reward systems. The values that are apparent in the classroom must be echoed in the playground. MSAs have equal status in the School and are encouraged to nominate children for commendation in the Golden Behaviour Book. All staff talk positively about the children in our care, and new staff have an induction period to support them with the behaviour strategies that the School favours.

MSAs nominate children to be on the Top Table as a reward for keeping the Golden rules at lunchtime. Those nominated invite a friend to sit with them, they are allowed into the hall without having to queue, and their table is decorated with a cloth and flowers!

It has been found that the hardest time to manage has been during the winter months when space is cramped. As a consequence much time and thought has been spent on rethinking our provision. The playing area has been divided into several ‘virtual’ zones;

The activity trail
The football zone
Barry’s bower
An outdoor theatre
A role play area

Crazes

Sand tyres

Gardening

The football zone can only be used by those wearing a football badge.

The badge is worn as a symbol of a child’s right to play.

Children who misbehave lose their badge.

The crazes are put out each day by the Buddies and includes a range of ball and skipping games. Crazes are rotated to ensure that children remain interested.

One of the MSAs is the ‘games wizard’ and has a pack of games to teach children who need help.

A rota of children are involved in tending the organic kitchen garden under the supervision of an MSA and 2 head gardeners selected from Year 4.

The Buddy Scheme

The Buddy Scheme has been set up to support the MSAs and to ensure that children take responsibility for the school community seriously.

Children are invited to apply for the post, and are interviewed before being given the job.

Buddies serve for ½ term at a time. Their main role is to check the Buddy Stop for unhappy children in need of a friend.

The School Council

The School Council meets each week and is re-elected each term.

Topics bought up by the children include behaviour management, school dinners, charity fundraising, dog mess, ecological issues and the state of the toilets. The have invited our local councillor, the local MP, the school cook, the dog warden and the Isle of Wight Waste Management Leader to answer their concerns.

Over zealous buddies and poor football behaviour have been resolved through School Council meetings.

Circle Time and PSHE

Circle Time is time tabled across the School and is seen as a central strand to both the ethos of the School and in raising the children’s positive sense of self.

At Key Stage 2 PSHE is planned to complement Circle Time issues.

We are proud to have been accredited with the Healthy School Standard and are recognised as having outstanding practice by external inspectors.

‘Keep Safe’ and ‘Keepaneyeon’ Procedures

In the event of a parent, member of staff or child reporting an instance of suspected bullying the following procedures will take place.

1. The ‘reporter’ will fill in a ‘Keep Safe’ form with the Head Teacher

2. The Head Teacher will immediately investigate and report back within the specified time.

3. The alleged bully and her/his parent will be informed as soon as there is reason to suspect that the allegations are true.

4. MSAs are made aware through the ‘Keepaneyeon’ form which reminds them to touch the ‘bullied’ and the ‘bully’ 6 times each lunchtime, asking if they are alright.

5. Further action depends upon the circumstance.

All accusations and subsequent actions are held in a confidential file in the Head Teacher’s office.

In Conclusion

We recognise that for some unusual children none of the above strategies will be appropriate.

We are proud that we have been able to adapt and review our practice in those circumstances, and that every child is encouraged to behave in his/her own ‘good, better, best’ way!