Behaviour Policy

DATE APPROVED: Autumn 2020 DATE OF NEXT REVIEW: Autumn 2021 OWNER (STAFF): Martin Scarborough, Headteacher GOVERNOR LINK: CFC Committee

Tufnell Park Primary School

Behaviour Policy “Good behaviour and discipline are key foundations of good education. Without an orderly atmosphere effective teaching and learning cannot take place. If children are permitted to misbehave at school, or to absent themselves from it, they prejudice their own educational chances. Worse, they disrupt the education of the children around them.”

(Circular 8/94 – DfEE) The purpose of this policy is to enable all members of the school community to have a positive, consistent and comprehensive understanding of the expectations we have regarding behaviour. Everyone, whether teachers, assistants, children, parents, carers, visitors or Governors, has an important role to play in ensuring the success of this policy. Without corporate agreement or consistent expectations we will not be able to maximise the educational potential of all the children in the school. Primary school is all too often the only real opportunity children may have to appreciate the value of learning and the opportunities and impact it may have on their lives. Behaviour is the foundation that provides the security and confidence for that learning to take place.

Aims of the Policy This policy is designed to enable the aims and learning policy of the school to be developed through practice. It seeks to ensure that in a positive culture and environment, which fosters learning, the teaching of the national curriculum is built and maintained. Through our policy we seek to ensure the following values:

Respect for others

Respect for property and the environment

Honesty

Trust and fairness

Tolerance and compassion

The virtues of self-respect and self-discipline These values and virtues we believe will enable children to take on and benefit from the responsibilities that adult life in the community will place upon them.

We foster positive behaviour through the relationship we develop with children.

We believe that in order to create a successful and productive school community, there needs to be a cohesive and consistent approach to setting standards of acceptable behaviour.

We believe the school curriculum and other aspects of school life have a role in teaching pupils how to foster positive relationships in their own life and to become increasingly self-disciplined in their conduct.

We believe in the critical importance of strong positive relationships between all staff, parents and children. We expect all members of the school community to work towards this aim, so that all children see that every key adult in their life shares a common aim and interest in their welfare.

The Tufnell Park Way These values are distilled into a simple code, drawn up by School Council and staff together, called the Tufnell Park Way.

- We are respectful kind and polite - We always try our best - We look after our school and each other

The code is prominently displayed around the school and forms the basis for conversations around expected behaviour in our Home School Agreement and behaviour reports.

Our role in encouraging good behaviour Behaviour at our school is built on positive relationships between all members of the school community. Courtesy, tolerance, respect and care should permeate all relationships. Each and every one of us should recognise our responsibility and ensure that children are provided with the appropriate role models and that they behave in an appropriate manner.

The teacher I have come to the frightening conclusion: I am the decisive element in the classroom.

It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.

As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal.

In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated;

a child humanised or de-humanised Ginott 1972

Elaboration of our strategies for encouraging good behaviour At the beginning of the school year teachers should discuss the need for school rules and sanctions with their class. This is essential so that rules are seen as being worthwhile and meaningful.

Each class to agree a set of rules, through discussion, and display within the classroom. This helps children to internalise the rules because they have been discussed and ‘agreed on’. Children should be regularly reminded of these rules, so if rule breaking occurs, it can be pointed out that they are in fact breaking their own rules.

Rules should be reinforced at the start of a lesson and not whilst they are being infringed. Research carried out by Wheldall and Merrett, found that when a teacher ceased to do this, there was a 20% increase in disruptive behaviour.

We give the children clear boundaries for their behaviour.

As adults we model the behaviour we wish to encourage by addressing the children and other adults in a calm and reasonable manner.

We try to be positive and encouraging with children by looking for appropriate behaviour and praising it.

We reward improvements in behaviour and attitudes to learning.

We praise children for telling an adult about an incident instead of retaliating, and for telling the truth.

We establish positive relationships with parents, so that children can see that the key adults in their life share a common aim.

Children should always be fully occupied in purposeful activity, and challenged appropriately, in order to avoid the possibility of off-task behaviour.

We strive to pay attention to children when they have something to say, or explain, and help them to understand how they could manage a situation better.

We help children to develop a positive self-image and reach their full potential by recognising all of their achievements.

We seek to provide a stimulating and challenging learning environment and a curriculum which meets each individual’s needs.

We are developing the role of Play Leaders within the pupil body, and to clarify roles and responsibilities for school staff, students and parents in the playground.

We make the most of the possibilities for sharing information and problem solving meetings, regarding supervision during lunch play, for all school staff where possible.

We ensure children and parents have a clear understanding of boundaries, sanctions and the consequences of inappropriate behaviour.

Positive Behaviour – Policy into Practice through Reward The Elton Report (1989) on school behaviour states that in order to ensure a positive atmosphere, schools need to establish a balance between rewards and punishments. We believe that positive reinforcement and a whole school rewards system are an effective means of encouraging good behaviour. For a rewards system to be successful it needs to be made explicit and enable all children to achieve, ensuring children understand when and why rewards will be given. The Tufnell Park Way and associated systems promote and encourage good behaviour, positive attitudes and peer co-operation. This forms a strong basis for the ethos of our caring school community.

Elaboration of rewards at Tufnell Park

We praise and compliment good and improved behaviour, as well as effort and achievement.

We share praise with parents, in person or by calling/texting/sending letters home.

We mark positively, including constructive comments to which children are encouraged to respond.

We issue stickers for individual achievements.

We use whole class rewards, such as Dojos, marbles in the jar, golden time, choosing etc.

We recognise achievement by sending pupils to the Headteacher, Deputy, or another member of staff as appropriate.

We give children jobs and responsibilities, in recognition of their independence and trustworthiness.

We share children’s achievements with their class and/ or other classes, and use children’s work as exemplars where appropriate.

We give badges and certificates in weekly Well Done Assemblies, and celebrate these in our foyer, with photos and text detailing achievements.

A behaviour book or chart may be appropriate for particular children, with support from parents. Good and appropriate behaviour is recorded by the teacher and child at regular intervals during the day. The chart is taken home regularly to share with parents.

Tufnell Park Tokens In 2016, our School Council developed an initiative to encourage, recognise and reward good behaviour around the school, beyond the scope of the individual classroom. Children are awarded ‘Tufnell Park Tokens’ (in the form of yellow stars) for the following:

kindness

helping out

manners and politeness

efficient and sensible lining up

going the extra mile - anything extraordinary Tokens are given out by all adults, and collected in class by teachers. They are collected weekly, and the class with the most tokens wins a ‘class prize’ of their choosing (extra play, a choosing time slot etc). Attendance and punctuality initiatives feed into the token system too. We encourage children to understand that people are different and may be praised for different behaviours.

The need for sanctions As a school, we agree that motivation and positive reinforcement are most conducive to a high standard of behaviour. We hope by applying the positive initiatives that we can maintain the positive climate and culture, which is most conductive to learning. However, for the well being of all members of the school community, including those children with behaviour difficulties, some behaviour cannot be ignored and a consistent sanctions system is necessary. The aim of sanctions is not to denigrate the child but to eliminate the inappropriate behaviour. All teachers or adults managing children are empowered to deal with situations. The adult managing the situation should assess the seriousness of any poor behaviour at the earliest opportunity. The teaching staff at Tufnell Park School have developed a hierarchy as a guide to seriousness, and of appropriate courses of action to be followed, to reinforce a consistent message. The Hierarchy of Behaviour and Sanctions is attached as Appendix 1.

Lunchtime Supervision Lunchtime behaviour is the responsibility of the Lunchtime Supervisors managed by a Lunchtime Supervision Manager. They are directly accountable to the Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher. This policy applies at lunchtime, along with additional lunchtime procedures and sanctions as laid out in The Hierarchy of Behaviour and Sanctions (attached as Appendix 1).

The Role of the Headteacher The Headteacher is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school. He has the power to exclude children for a limited or permanent period. The exclusion of a child will not be taken lightly and will consider the effect on the child, parents and the class. Exclusion will be used where behaviour is significantly inappropriate and has or will affect the education of other children. Its use is more likely where the parents have been advised of previous inappropriate behaviour or where violence and intimidation have been involved. It is the duty of the Headteacher to ensure the safety and security of all children. This role may be delegated to the Deputy Headteacher when necessary/appropriate.

The Role of Parents Parents have their children for many years before they attend school and frequently patterns of behaviour have been firmly established. Whilst the school has a duty to establish a positive learning environment it is essential that parents acknowledge responsibility for their children and their children’s behaviour. Where instances of inappropriate behaviour occur on a frequent basis, relevant parents will be informed and invited in to school to discuss the behaviour of their child. This meeting will seek to establish agreed expectations and devise strategies for ensuring that the child behaves. This can often be resolved through constant contact and monitoring by the parent. The monitoring may take the form of coming into class and seeing the teacher on a regular basis, or the daily completion of a home/school behaviour book. In more serious cases, it could involve liaison with outside agencies. We see parents as an important and individual part of maximising a child’s opportunity to learn and will seek to liaise with them at all times. Parents are welcome to meet with the class teacher at any agreed time after school or they may see the Headteacher by appointment through the office.

Ways in which parents can help

Read the Behaviour Policy, and sign the Home School Agreement, then let your child know the standard of behaviour that the school expects.

Support the school and be aware of the rules and expectations.

We do not expect to leave all discipline to parents. Please do not expect to leave it all to the school. Home and school need to work together to give children high standards and let them know what is expected of them. Please communicate any concerns to the class teacher in the first instance.

Encourage your child to work to the best of their ability and discuss their progress with them.

Read all texts, notes, newsletters and papers that come from school, and keep up to date with the website, so that you can talk to your child about what is going on.

Make sure your child has a good bedtime routine on ‘school nights’ to ensure a good sleep. It aids concentration significantly and helps your child to be ready to learn.

Similarly, do not allow children to bring superfluous items into school. This encompasses a wide range - toys and games, food items (especially sweets/gum), money, valuables and non-uniform clothing etc. All of these compromise a child’s ability to focus or concentrate on our core purpose of learning.

Set a good example to your child by being respectful and polite and modelling the Tufnell Park Way to all members of the school community - staff, parents and children alike.

Contact the class teacher in the first instance (or head/deputy following that) if you are worried by anything your child tells you about school, before it becomes a problem.

Encourage your child to discuss all aspects of their day if they want to.

Form good relationships with all staff so that your child sees that the key adults in their life share a common aim and interest in their welfare.

Other Agencies and Interested Adults With the agreement of parents, other agencies may become involved in supporting a child’s development. This is usually done under guidelines established within the school’s Special Educational Needs Policy, which should be read in conjuncture with this Behaviour Policy. The school may be working alongside a counsellor, home-school worker, CAMHS therapist or other professional, who will liaise with teachers and parents. As a school we welcome the involvement of such professionals, believing that they bring to a situation an alternative perspective and expertise. We welcome their involvement and will furnish them with any necessary support.

Tufnell Park - Anti-Bullying Statement Bullying has no place in our school community and we are committed to identifying where it occurs and dealing with it in an appropriate, committed and determined manner. All children and adults should have the right to attend our school without fear of intimidation, humiliation or injury. We recognise its insidious nature and believe that through establishing a positive culture we can model and eliminate it from our midst. If bullying does occur, all children and adults should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt

with promptly and effectively. Tufnell Park is a ‘telling’ school. Anyone who knows that bullying has

happened or is happening is expected to tell the staff.

What is bullying? Bullying is when one or more people keep hurting someone’s body or feelings, when they know it is wrong. Reasons can include that person’s size, race, religion, gender, ability, sexuality and/or social class. There is no “hierarchy” of bullying – all forms of bullying should be taken equally seriously and dealt with appropriately. Roles in bullying incidents Where an incidence of bullying is reported, individuals involved will be identified and identify themselves as participating in one of the roles below.

The ringleader is the person who can direct bullying activity through their social power. Assistants actively join in the bullying (sometimes because they are afraid of the ring-leader). Reinforcers give positive feedback to the bully, perhaps by smiling or laughing. Bystanders stay back or stay silent and thereby appear to condone or collude with the bullying behaviour. Defenders try and intervene, to stop the bullying or comfort pupils who experience bullying.

What school staff expect of the children

To be respectful, kind and polite to all members of our community, as in the Tufnell Park Way.

To tell an adult if they have been bullied or when they know someone else is bullying.

What children can expect of school staff

That when they tell an adult about bullying the adult will investigate and deal with the bullying.

That an adult will tell them how the situation is going to be/has been dealt with.

What parents can expect of the school staff

That if they tell a member of staff about bullying they know is happening within the school, the staff member/senior member of staff will inform them how the school will deal with the incident.

That a senior leader will be allocated to oversee and manage the incident/case, maintaining regular consistent communication with the parent(s).

That the victim of the bullying will be supported as to how to deal with bullies. This support will be as much as the bully will receive in changing the bullying behaviour and receiving sanctions.

What parents can expect of each other

That they are respectful, kind and polite to each other while on school premises.

That if they have a disagreement about a school related issue that they speak to a senior member of staff about it, in order to seek resolution.

What school staff can expect of parents

That parents make appointments to discuss issues with class teachers and school staff.

That parents request to speak to a senior leadership team member if the matter is urgent, or cannot be dealt with by their child’s class teacher in the first instance.

Procedures for dealing with incidences of bullying

1. A staff member listens to the bullied child’s account and, dependent on the definition of bullying above, decides to investigate the incident as bullying or otherwise. This decision should be made in consultation with a member of the senior leadership team.

2. If the decision is made not to investigate the incident as bullying, the staff member will meet with the child and their parents to explain the reasoning behind the decision, whilst reinforcing the message that the best strategy is always to tell an adult.

3. If the decision is made to investigate the incident as bullying, a senior leader will be allocated to oversee and manage the case. They will meet with the bullied child and their parent(s), and inform them of the process for the investigation.

4. Following a full investigation, the allocated senior leader will meet with the bullied child and their parent(s) to tell them of their decision, including (if relevant) any sanctions imposed on the bully. If appropriate, they will also discuss possible support for the bullied child as to how to deal with bullies and overcome any anxiety.

5. The senior leader will also meet with the bully and their parent(s) informing them of their decision (and any sanctions). They may be informed that they are not to interact with the bullied person in any way that could be mistaken for bullying.

6. Following a restorative approach, the senior leader will consider whether it is appropriate to hold a

subsequent meeting in order to encourage the bullied person to express their grievance and the bully to respond.

7. The senior leader will report any instances of persistent or further bullying to the parent(s) of the bullied child, and be proactive in seeking parental views on whether the incident has been resolved or remains an ongoing concern.

8. The senior leader is responsible for recording and reporting any incidents of bullying, as set out below.

9. The senior leader will report back decisions and actions to members of staff involved, and keep all staff updated as appropriate.

10. Any appropriate sanctions will be applied in accordance with the Hierarchy of Behaviour and

Sanctions (Appendix 1).

11. The senior leader who investigated and dealt with the incident will inform parents of all children involved.

12. Where a child has been known to bully the same person again, or displays a pattern of bullying

separate individuals, a meeting will be held with the bullying child’s parents/carers and the Headteacher and/or Assistant Head for Inclusion about ways forward in improving the bullying

child’s behaviour. Others that may be included in this meeting are other senior leaders, the child’s class teacher, home school worker and/or other behaviour/health professional.

Procedures for recording and reporting incidences of bullying The senior leader allocated to the case is responsible for recording and reporting any incidents of bullying. This will involve:

- Logging the details of the incident on the school’s information management systems, including ongoing communication, actions and impact.

- Close monitoring of the incident to ensure repeated bullying does not take place. - Reporting termly to the Governing Body, through the Children, Families and Community

committee, the number and nature of any bullying incidents occurring, whether they are resolved or ongoing, and the impact of any anti-bullying strategies in place.

Behaviour in the Early Years – our approach with 2 and 3 year olds

The Property Laws of a Toddler

- If I like it, it’s mine… - If it’s in my hand, its mine… - If I can take it from you, it’s mine… - If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in anyway… - If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine… - If I’m building or doing something, all the pieces are mine… - If it looks just like mine, it’s mine… - If I think it’s mine, its mine…

(What Does it Mean to be Two? Lindon, 2012)

We believe children progress and flourish best when their personal, social and emotional needs are appropriately met and when there are clear expectations laid out, whilst having an understanding of developmentally appropriate practice. It is important for children to learn to consider the views, needs and feelings of others. It is also important that children learn the impact their behaviour has on others. These key points are developmental milestones achieved through support, encouragement and positive role modelling from those adults around them. Working with young children it is crucial we support children in developing key skills such as empathy, understanding of boundaries and appropriate behaviour.

Procedures The Designated Lead for Promoting Positive Behaviour is Terry Sullivan, Early Years Phase Leader. All practitioners are responsible for promoting positive behaviour, but the designated named person is responsible for:

Keeping up to date with legislation, research and thinking around promoting positive behaviour

Accessing relevant sources of expertise on behaviour support

Identifying training needs for staff and record keeping training attended.

All staff, volunteers and students must role model positive behaviour at all times. It is crucial we recognise codes of interaction may vary between cultures; it is important staff are aware of these and that these are respected. At all times staff will endeavour to nurture a culture of respect for everyone. However, it is also important to encourage parents to use similar strategies at home to those used at school if experiencing challenging behaviour in order to promote a consistent approach for the child.

Parents/carers will be informed of children's behaviour regularly by the child's key worker. As a setting, we will work in partnership with parents/carers to address recurring behaviour challenges using observations and meetings to decide jointly on how to proceed.

Working with children aged two We understand that children between two and three years of age are not always able to regulate their own behaviour and emotions. Young children's brains are not yet fully developed, particularly in skills such as inhibition and/or empathy, which can impact significantly on behaviour. Having limited language can also trigger particular behaviour. It is therefore important that practitioners recognise and are sensitive to this in order to create a calm, patient and positive atmosphere when working with children supporting their personal, social and emotional development. Practitioners must remain calm and patient in order to relieve the intensity of such incidents and seek to help children manage their emotions. In particular, practitioners should clearly outline the issue in an age appropriate way, outline how to resolve the issue and, if appropriate, involve the child in finding a solution. It is important to promote understanding as much as possible in order for children to learn the relevant skills. It is crucial that as practitioners we understand the underlying cause of the situation and deal with it accordingly using our understanding and knowledge of the child and situation. We should recognise that the reasons behind challenging behaviour may be separation anxiety or stem from an aspect of home life. We work closely with parents/carers to support children's behaviour. It is also important that attachments are built between key worker and child to ensure children feel safe and secure at the setting. This in turn will support emotional development and support positive behaviour. Practitioners should always recognise and promote that it is the behaviour that is unacceptable and it is not the child who is at fault.

Strategies for working with children who show challenging behaviour Within the setting we use age and developmentally appropriate strategies to support children's personal, social and emotional development and consequently support their behaviour. We want to equip children to learn skills to manage their own behaviour, so as such we need to promote self-esteem, confidence and competence in children. This can be achieved through positivity and praise. For example, emphasising and focusing on when children are doing something very well such as “That was lovely sharing Ahmed, fantastic!” or “Wow! What fantastic tidying up, Jennie - that looks so tidy now!” Another way to empower children is to encourage them to use a basic statement in their interaction. For example, if a child see her/his peer doing something that could hurt someone. The child to say “Stop it, I don’t like it...” This simple statement allows children to express themselves towards their peers. In order to promote this positive behaviour, it is important practitioners talk about feelings and set out clear expectations of why certain behaviour is unacceptable. Young children live in the present and as such it is important we deal with behaviour challenges as they occur and then move forward with a clean slate for each child. It is important we nurture an environment where children feel they belong, are valued and are welcome. As much as possible we want to avoid a situation where children only receive attention for hurtful and inconsiderate behaviour. If children are behaving in this manner practitioners should support children to understand their impact on others and support strategies to cope with intense emotions.

In order to prevent challenging behaviour we can ensure there are enough resources available for children to reduce turn taking all the time, but for practitioners to engage in strategies to support a willingness to share and promote kindness between children. We will never use physical or corporal punishment. We will never use language to humiliate or threaten a child. Raised adult voices, shouting or threatening a child will not be tolerated. Physical restraint will only be used to prevent physical injury to a child or adult, or serious damage to property. Details of serious or persistent challenging behaviour will be recorded, kept on file and shared with parents on that day. Some behaviours are particularly common in children at 2 years old. These include biting, tantrums and hitting. These should be dealt with by practitioners in a supportive and nurturing manner, whilst also helping the child to understand that these are not appropriate. We have specific approaches to dealing with these behaviours. Children at two lack empathy and will find it hard to understand how their behaviour affects others. In addition, they act on impulse and find it hard to inhibit certain behaviours, so it is important we understand these traits in order to best support young children’s emotional development.

Biting Biting is part of a normal developmental stage for young children who are teething and are still developing their language skills. These children may not yet have learnt to manage their emotions and sometimes this frustration or anger may lead to biting. However, because of the danger of this behaviour it is important that practitioners work with children and their parents to manage it, using the following procedures:

The child who has bitten is told calmly and firmly, “We do not bite people.”

The bitten child will be comforted, a cold compress and first aid will be applied where necessary.

The child who has bitten, where possible, will be involved in the above process to help them see the consequences of their biting behaviour, i.e. it has made their friend sad and how can we make it better. The practitioner will model language such as “that bite hurt”, or “biting is not kind” to help the child understand what they have done.

The practitioner will use soothing language for the child who has been bitten and encourage the child who has bitten to give their peer a hug or say sorry if this is meaningful to them.

Both parents will be informed at the end of the session, with anonymity being maintained where possible.

It is important that practitioners model ways to resolve the frustrations that could lead to biting in other ways. In addition, it is important to try to ascertain why the biting behaviour is occurring in order to prevent it.

Whether an isolated incident or a more frequent behaviour, parents must be informed and discuss what happened leading up to it. Discuss with parents about monitoring the behaviour at home, particularly looking at why it has occurred, and encourage them to share this information with practitioners.

If the behaviour is happening more frequently, then it is important to systematically record it to ascertain any patterns. If there is no clear behavioural reason, i.e. frustrated at having to share a toy, then it could be that the child is experiencing changes at home. This could be to do with

attention. It may also be that they are teething in which case they may need a teething ring/soother.

It is important to work closely alongside parents and other practitioners to ensure a consistent approach to biting.

Tantrums Tantrums are perfectly normal behaviour for children at two years old, as they begin to learn to effectively manage their own emotions. However, as practitioners we can support children to learn skills to support them in managing their frustration. We can also work alongside parents to support them in preventing children having tantrum.

Ensure the child is not going to hurt themselves or anyone else. If this is the case, then you may need to move the child or furniture.

Stay close by the child and allow them the space and time to express themselves. They may want a hug but they may want their own space.

Once they have begun to calm down, use a soft tone to speak with them about why they were upset. They may not be able to tell you; however, you may be able to use prompts to establish a response.

Work with children to role model how else they could resolve the situation, i.e. if it is about sharing a toy, give them the option of a few different toys, or the opportunity to help you in an activity.

We can prevent some tantrums by ensuring there is plenty of resources for children to choose, by practitioners intervening before the child becomes overly frustrated and understanding why a child may get frustrated or angry in certain situations.

Children may be more prone to a tantrum if they are tired, experiencing change in their lives, in a new environment or with new people. This could be particularly relevant as children are settling into the setting which is why the settling in process is so important.

Hitting As with biting and tantrums this behaviour may occur as children don’t yet have the language or emotional skills to be able to express or manage their feelings and emotions.

If a child has hit anyone, the practitioner will come down to their level and calmly but firmly say “we do not hit, that is not kind”.

If the other child is hurt or crying then they will be comforted and if possible ensure the child who has hit sees this to demonstrate to that child how they have made them feel.

Encourage the child who has hit to give their peer a hug or say sorry if this is meaningful to them.

It is important to share this information with parents, particularly with the parent of the child who has hit. If it is becoming a frequent behaviour then it is key to work with the parent to record when and why the behaviour is occurring, both at home and in the setting, to try and ascertain the cause.

Within the setting we can try to prevent such behaviour by having plenty of resources available, and be sensitive to situations, allowing intervention before behaviour escalates.

Hurtful Behaviour Young children may hurt other children, but this hurtful behaviour is often momentary and spontaneous without malicious intent. Children of this age mostly do not have the cognitive ability to carry out premeditated hurt towards others. Young children may behave like this as they have not fully developed skills to manage their intense feelings, which may at times unintentionally become all-encompassing. The brain has not yet formed effective skills to inhibit behaviour such as anger or demonstrate empathy. By comforting both the child who has hurt and the hurt child, we are supporting the child's brain to calm down from its angered state and eventually develop physiological responses to manage their emotions. The same problem may occur repeatedly before the child begins to develop and master the skills necessary to manage their emotions and develop skills such as turn taking. As such it is important to maintain a consistent approach; these repeated experiences with problem solving will support brain maturation. We can support social skills through role modelling, and through planning activities and stories, as well as building up supportive and trusting relationships with children. We can help children understand the impact their hurtful behaviour may have by using clear, concise language. We should not force children to say sorry as children of two years old may not fully engage with the concept. However, it is important to encourage genuine actions to show the behaviour was not intentional, such as a cuddle. If children feel they are understood by practitioners and feel secure in their relationships with practitioners their behaviour should become less problematic. If behaviour does become persistently problematic it could be due to:

a lack of a secure attachment with practitioners or parent/carer. This could mean the child feels frustrated as their needs are not being interpreted adequately which can create a negative behaviour pattern including anger and frustration

insufficient language skills to make needs known or understand the situation resulting in frustration

a difficult home environment meaning the child does not feel safe at home and this may be manifesting itself as fear and anger. The child may be witnessing aggressive behaviour at home and imitating in order to try and make sense of it

the child possibly having a developmental condition affecting their ability to manage behaviour.

Rough and Tumble / Fantasy Play We recognise young children may engage in rough and tumble play or play with aggressive themes i.e superheroes or weapons. It is important as practitioners to tune into the context and content of the play to turn potentially harmful play into meaningful play. We should also work with children to understand the boundaries of this type of play, and capture the opportunity to talk about right and wrong.

Bullying At age two it is highly unlikely that bullying will be an issue, as children's hurtful behaviour is not pre-mediated to hurt an individual, rather a spontaneous reaction to an immediate frustration. It is rarely malicious. If one child was repeatedly showing hurtful behaviour to one particular child, we would support the child to manage their behaviour in the ways outlined above, whilst working with the parent.

Amendments to Behaviour Policy in light of Covid-19

We know that many children find changes to their routines very difficult, and we should also not underestimate the

impact on them of being confined at home over recent lockdown periods. We appreciate that as a school we may

therefore experience changes in behaviour, as children return to school and attempt make sense of the Covid

situation. This may be compounded by being in a different room with different adults following a different routine.

To support children’s safe and successful transition back into school, we have:

Established routines and shared them with the children.

Ensured they have numerous opportunities to express their concerns.

Provided a stimulating curriculum that takes into account their interests and needs as learners.

Ensured that play spaces are appropriately resourced.

Ensured that children understand the new procedures and the reasons behind them.

Although we are working in exceptional times, our first priority remains to keep children safe. Therefore, in

accordance with government guidelines, we are implementing a clear approach to social distancing in a number of

important areas. Government guidance does not advise that social distancing is essential at all times in school, but it

is one of a range of measures we are taking to keep children safe. This means:

Sitting children at desks that are far apart where possible.

Not allowing the playing of certain playground games.

Ensuring everyone queues and eats further apart than normal.

Keeping apart when doing any physical exercise.

Visiting the toilet separately.

Staggering break times.

Putting guidelines on the floor in certain areas of the school.

These procedures mean that we have an increased set of school rules to follow and sanctions for those who do not

follow them. We recognise that this will be different to what has gone before and could be challenging in some

situations, particularly for younger pupils. Staff will implement social distancing measures as far as they are

practicably able, whilst ensuring children are kept safe and well cared for. There may also be exceptional situations

with older pupils where social distancing is superseded by our duty of care towards them (such as if a child seriously

hurts themselves). In these situations, staff will again take all possible precautions, whilst ensuring that these pupils

remain safe and are well cared for. In all other circumstances, the expectation for social distancing and safe

behaviour is now an important part of our behaviour strategy. This is intended to ensure that pupils can learn and

thrive in a positive, orderly and safe environment.

These expectations should typically be applied proportionately for younger pupils to encourage positive and safe

behaviour rather than to apply sanctions for accidental lapses. For older pupils, there may be situations where they

are deliberately breaching expectations for social distancing and safe behaviour and it is important that staff respond

to this consistently. We recognise that to begin with these expectations will be very unfamiliar and so accidental or

momentary lapses of social distancing will be dealt with as such. Pupils will be reminded of the expectation and

expected to amend their behaviour immediately.

However, if there are instances where pupils deliberately and repeatedly break this rule then this will be considered

a clear breach of the behaviour policy. This will be dealt with seriously and in line with any other breach of the

behaviour policy and in accordance with the approaches outlined in full within this policy.

We will therefore continue to follow the Hierarchy of Behaviour and Sanctions but with amendments.

Children will not be sent to another class for reflection. Instead they will go to a member of SLT for

reflection.

Lunch time procedures will be followed as outlined in the hierarchy but children from different groups will

not be expected to complete their time out in the same space.

This policy is constantly under review and will be amended from time to time as the need arises. We will endeavour to make Tufnell Park Primary School a sanctuary for learning and to ensure that children leave our care having achieved their maximum potential, suitably equipped for the demands of secondary education and a successful adult life.

Reviewed September 2020

Appendix 1 Tufnell Park Primary School - Hierarchy of Behaviour and Sanctions (Y1 to 6)

Sanction Criteria/notes Example behaviour

Inside the classroom – under supervision of class teacher

1. Verbal or visual reminders

Class teachers to use class system of behaviour management – traffic lights. Desired behaviour needs to be made explicit to child. Verbal reminders.

- low level, off task behaviour - interfering with other children’s work - inappropriate movement around class - constant chatting or fidgeting - pushing in line 2. Isolation in class

Class teachers to use class system of behaviour management – traffic lights. For a fixed period of time, made clear to the child – use sand timers where appropriate. At a table, on the carpet, in an area where other children aren’t. Opportunity to reflect on behaviour. Child reintegrated with ‘fresh start’.

3. Sent to another class Blue reflection slip to be completed

Class teachers to use class system of behaviour management – traffic lights. Sent to phase class, or other by prior arrangement with teacher. Time duration = maximum of 10-15mins - needs to be made explicit by sending blue slip. Opportunity to reflect on behaviour and complete work. Child reintegrated with ‘fresh start’. If child refuses to be sent to another class, warn that further sanctions may be incurred – ie 4 and 5.

- constant disruption of teaching/other children - constant talking over teacher - refusing to follow instructions - throwing pencils, rubbers etc. - winding up peers - damage to others’ property/work - answering back to an adult 4. Miss playtime

Pink reflection slip to be completed

Decided by class teacher. Child needs to be supervised by class teacher. Opportunity to reflect on behaviour and complete work. Class teacher to inform/meet with parents to reinforce expectations and discuss strategies to improve behaviour. Three or more incidents in a week - move to 5.

5. Sent to or removed by SLT Green reflection slip to be completed

Child must be accompanied - by adult where possible, or child if considered appropriate. If child refuses to be taken to the SLT, then a note should be sent to SLT for them to come and remove child. If SLT unavailable, then child must stay with you; do not send to the office staff. SLT will come when available. Child has reflection time with SLT and decision is made as to the most appropriate sanction, including step 6 and above. Parents will be informed by member of SLT and discussion to reinforce expectations and discuss strategies to improve behaviour.

- Physical violence - abusive language - bullying incident - continued refusal to follow instructions - vandalism

6. Pre-planned on-site exclusion

Decided by SLT only. If child is kept out of class, then work will need to be collected from class teacher. Parents will be informed of any internal exclusion and discussion to reinforce expectations and discuss strategies to improve behaviour. If number and frequency of incidents high, move to Sanction 7/8, and strategies/plan to avoid further exclusions including referrals to outside agencies.

SLT decision

7. Informal Exclusion In agreement with parents

Decided by SLT. If and when incident warrants ‘jumping’ hierarchy of sanctions (see examples of behaviours and sanctions - Playtimes, a.m./p.m., days in other classrooms, where possible in different schools – noted in child’s file. Reportable lunchtime exclusion of one week for Red card.

- physical violence where adult restraint required/physical aggression - malicious abusive behaviour towards any adult/child - persistent and pre-meditated bullying - premeditated theft of school property 8. Formal Fixed Term

Exclusion If and when incident warrants ‘jumping’ hierarchy of sanctions (see examples of behaviours and sanctions) - can be another partnership school/home off site exclusion.

Outside the classroom – including lunchtime and playtime

Lunchtime

Yellow and Red cards

Child sent to mobile for Time Out with Leadership Team member (10/20 mins).

Behaviour Report completed by reporting staff member.

Child completes Behaviour Report in mobile with staff member, reflecting on behaviour.

THEN, IF APPROPRIATE…

Reporting Leadership Team member to:

- Give yellow card

- Inform parents – incl. by letter – and invite to respond

- Keep record in Time Out folder

If two Yellow cards are given in one term, the third is deemed as a Red card – jumps to

Sanction 7

In playground/dining hall/around school, breaking of the Tufnell Park Way, incl: 10 mins (with LT discretion) - being indoors without permission - playfighting - disruption of other children - bad language - refusing to follow instructions (escalates to 20 mins if child refuses TO) 20 mins (with LT discretion) - abusive behaviour towards any adult/child - fighting - bullying

Extreme or persistent cases If two or more occasions in a week of removal: plan written by AHT Inclusion, parent and class teacher for available therapeutic support, referral to other agencies where appropriate. Also, nurture time may be appropriate for TA to support.

Pastoral Referral (other agencies)

Assessment must be summarised in written form to class teacher/head and parents. Pastoral plan written and approved by parents/carers and school, involving the child as much as possible and where appropriate (i.e. regarding age).