Behaviour & Discipline Policy
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Striving for excellence; caring for the individual
This policy takes account of Government recommendations and includes
reference to the school’s core aims and a statement regarding the school’s
ethos.
Our Core aims

Curriculum development and delivery
We achieve maximum learning outcomes in literacy, maths and across the
curriculum using the most appropriate teaching methods.

Pupil welfare and pastoral care
We promote the health and safety of all of the children and provide a caring and
supportive pastoral system that takes account of their needs.

Moral and spiritual development
We develop children's moral values and a spiritual awareness based upon the
Christian faith with respect for and understanding of other religions.

Personal and social development
We develop personal attributes of confidence, self-discipline, a sense of purpose and
community aligned with tolerance and understanding towards others.
Our behaviour and discipline policy specifically aims to:

provide staff with a consistent approach towards behaviour and discipline

enable children to grow into responsible adults

provide parents with an understanding of the school's approach to managing
behaviour and ensuring discipline
The school ethos
Our ethos is defined by our worship, the taught curriculum, our extra-curricular
activities and the “hidden curriculum”. The “hidden curriculum” is what is learned as
being a part of a school community and, specifically, a Church of England school.
We place emphasis upon the value of the individual and the uniqueness of human
beings. We share the message that we should care for and respect each other. We
find time for each other and we provide time for the children to talk about their
feelings during circle times and PSHE lessons. We have provided Worry Boxes for
the children to communicate worries in an additional way. However when we provide
time to find out about poor behaviour, we do not excuse it but seek to find out the
reasons behind it. Our Golden Rules, written by the children, provide a framework for
positive behaviour. All parents of children starting in Reception are asked to sign our
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Home School Agreement to confirm their agreement to support the school’s policy on
behaviour and discipline and to encourage their children to follow the Golden Rules.
We value and celebrate a range of achievements, not just those linked with academic
success. We seek to understand our children and to set appropriate targets for them.
We are careful to promote the self-esteem of those identified with special educational
needs.
We encourage compassion towards and understanding of those less fortunate than
ourselves. In the past we have supported the work of many charities including the
Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter, Jeans for Genes and the Poppy Appeal.
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Golden Rules
Our behaviour and discipline policy is governed by our ethos statement and our
Golden Rules. The Rules are a guide for good behaviour for everybody at the school.
The Golden Rules are used as the focus of assemblies each autumn term. They are
returned to occasionally in assemblies during the rest of the year. They may also
form a part of discussions during classroom circle times when issues relevant to a
particular class of children can be discussed, led by the class teacher.
Children from across all classes have written a number of Golden Rules.
Our Golden Rules for Leverstock Green School.
We will be polite. We will listen when other people are talking.
We will play together safely. We will include other children in our games.
We will be kind. We will consider other people and their feelings.
We will look after all school property and other people’s belongings. We will take care
not to break or damage it.
We will be helpful to others. We will think of others before ourselves.
Training
We provide training and support for all members of staff to enable them to deal
appropriately with poor behaviour or discipline issues.
SEAL
The DCSF has produced a set of materials to support schools in developing the
social and emotional aspects of learning.
The school is committed to using SEAL resources as a basis for teaching positive
behaviour attitudes
Rewards and sanctions
We take a stepped approach to encourage good behaviour and to discourage poor
behaviour. This is outlined in the following guidelines for all staff:
Rewards
Rewards we use are:
 praise
 comments in books
 work shown to other children or members of staff
 work shared in assemblies
 allocated roles of responsibility
 A “Smiley Friday” sticker for following the Golden Rules at the end of a week
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There are also three star awards given to children who display exceptional work or
behaviour. These are awarded during sharing assembly on Fridays.
Sanctions
In most circumstances we use a stepped approach to sanctions:




We might give the child a visual sign e.g. a raised eyebrow, a pointed finger or a
move closer to the child to let them know that the teacher is aware
We might praise a child nearby who is keeping the rule. When the child who is
breaking the rule conforms, we give them praise.
We might draw the child’s attention to their behaviour through a description of
what is happening (“You are talking when I am talking”)
We might give the child an "official" warning. "The rule in this class or school is ....
After this, a child’s name will be written on the class whiteboard. Further
transgressions will result in the child being asked to work elsewhere in the
classroom. If there are further problems, then the child will be sent to the partner
class and lose their Golden Rules point for that day. A point lost can be won back
later in the week.
The Headteacher should be notified of a child who persists in disrupting the learning
of others. The whole class should not be given a sanction for the poor behaviour of
some.
Children who deliberately hurt another child either physically or otherwise, swear or
are rude to a member of the school staff or harm school property will lose their
Golden Rules sticker without warning and be given a detention. A senior member of
staff, usually the Head, will talk to the child before the teacher informs the child’s
parents. If this is a lunchtime detention, the Senior Midday Supervisor will inform
parents.
When behaviour becomes a continuing problem
Teachers should have regard to the following steps:
Step 1
Inform parents of poor behaviour. Ask for any reasons that they may be aware of.
Agree that you will contact parents with an update on behaviour in one week. Record
conversation in anecdotal diary
Step 2
If problems continue to persist after one week, discuss with INCo in second week
and record discussion in anecdotal diary before moving to next step
Step 3
With INCo support, initiate an IEP to run for two weeks supported by a report card or
similar record keeping system. Agree IEP with parents and review in two weeks
Step 4
With INCo support initiate second IEP which may include report card to Head, along
with parents, to run for two weeks
Step 5
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INCo and teacher meet with Head to discuss arrangements for external advice.
Pastoral Support Plan is drawn up by teacher, INCo and Head and shared with
parents and child.
Step 6
PSP runs for 18 weeks with fortnightly reviews and interim review at 9 weeks.
Exclusion kept under review.
At any time, exclusion may be considered for behaviour which goes beyond what is
acceptable at school.
At playtimes
The same high expectations apply to playground behaviour. The LSAs, the Senior
Midday Supervisor and her team have the right to expect the same respect from the
children as the teaching staff.
Children can be rewarded for exceptional behaviour at lunchtime through special
stickers used by Midday Supervisors.
The main sanction applied at lunchtime is the removal of the right to play with
children often asked to stand by the wall for a specified period of time.
There is a separate document that supports lunchtime staff and provides further
information.
Lunchtime staff should always make sure that the class teacher is informed of any
problems on the playground.
Certain behaviours may result in lunchtime detention. Letters are sent home by the
Senior Midday Supervisor informing parents.
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Bullying
Children fall out and occasionally lack the self discipline to keep their feelings under
control. This can result in any of the following hurtful incidents taking place.
 Physical:
punching, kicking, pushing, shoving, spitting or taking the property of others
 Verbal:
name calling, teasing, personal or racist remarks
 Non-verbal:
stopping speaking to somebody or ignoring them, spreading rumours, exclusion from
social groups, threatening or aggressive body language

Cyber:
sending abusive, upsetting or insulting e-mails, messages or texts on mobile phones
or electronic messaging services (MSN etc), posting abusive, upsetting or insulting
comments or photographs on websites or social networking groups
In themselves, the above examples do not constitute bullying. In such instances as
above, behaviour will be dealt with according to the behaviour and discipline policy.
Bullying is defined as something that takes place on more than one occasion and is
persistent in its nature. It can include discrimination against children with disabilities,
children of particular faiths, gender and gender identity and sexual orientation. It
involves the exercise of power and is deliberate. It can be carried out by an individual
or a group and causes serious distress to the victim or victims. Isolated incidents are
also taken seriously and are dealt with following the school's rules on rewards and
sanctions.
Preventing bullying
Our Golden Rules, written by the children, are displayed around the school Children
are rewarded for following the Golden Rules which promote good behaviour
The Home-School Agreement asks parents to support the school’s policies, including
behaviour, and encourage their child’s personal responsibility
We discuss bullying and related feelings during Circle Times and PSHE lessons
From time to time the school takes part in whole school anti-bullying initiatives and
bullying is a focus in worship when children are reminded to report bullying
We provide Worry Boxes for children as an additional form of communication
Action following an allegation of bullying
Governors and parents have worked together to produce a document which explains
to parents how allegations of bullying will be managed at school.
See appendix.
How we support victims of bullying
Discuss with the victim, and the parents, the needs of the victim
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Confirm the support that the school can give to the victim including referrals to
external agencies if necessary
Agree if a restorative conclusion can be organised
What teachers can do to prevent bullying behaviour
Let the children know when they begin each year that bullying will not be tolerated.
Encourage the children to tell an adult if they witness bullying or are being bullied.
Deal with bullying and intimidation as soon as they find out.
Listen and be sympathetic when a victim shares that they are being bullied.
Don't agree to keep it a secret.
Record names on the staff whiteboard to share a concern about children.
Get the bully and the victim to separately write down or draw what has happened and
sign it, if age-appropriate.
Involve the Headteacher and the parents straight away, so that the bully realises that
neither the teacher nor the parents will tolerate the behaviour and so that the victim
will receive sympathy from the parents and the teacher.
Bullies will be given an equal opportunity to be heard and a chance will be given for
them to change their behaviour, usually following the guidelines in the rewards and
sanctions section. It is important to remember that the behaviour of the bully and not
the victim needs to change in cases of bullying.
What the children can do to stop bullying
Tell an adult, for example their parents, another relation or a member of school staff,
or go with a friend to an adult if they witness bullying or if they are a victim of bullying.
The Worry Box is another good way to let an adult know.
Try to ignore comments or teasing.
Tell the bully to go away and say "no" in an assertive way.
Resist fighting back or retaliating as this will not help when teachers and parents
become involved.
Keep a diary of all the events and times and places and what is said and done in
words or pictures, as appropriate.
What parents can do to support the school
Support the approach of the school.
Resist telling your child to retaliate.
Take the incident seriously and listen sympathetically if your child tells you that they
are being bullied.
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Don't agree to keep it a secret.
Tell the class teacher or Head straight away.
Invite friends to play at home after school.
If your child is the bully, encourage him or her to apologise to the victim either
verbally or in the form of a letter.
Talk to your child to encourage an understanding of how the bullied child will be
feeling.
Encourage the child to maintain a diary of incidents.
Recording incidents of bullying
Schools do not have to keep records of bullying incidents. However, we wish to be
able to monitor the success of our anti bullying approach and look for any patterns in
bullying behaviour. Therefore all allegations are recorded and reported to the school
governors termly.
Bullying outside of school
Recent government legislation gives Headteachers the power to investigate incidents
which take place outside of school and which impact on school life.
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Appendix:
Managing allegations of Bullying
Bullying is defined as being an action which is
persistent, intends to harm or hurt and where there is an imbalance of
power or strength
PARENTS – follow these steps
STEP ONE: If you feel your child is
being bullied you should approach the
class teacher and explain your
concerns.
Where a child reports bullying to a
member of staff, the child’s parents
will be informed.
SCHOOL
The class teacher will investigate and
report back to you.
If bullying is found to have taken
place a number of actions will be
taken.
If bullying is not found to have taken
place the teacher will speak to
parents and child and explain the
reasons for this decision.
STEP TWO: If the situation does not
You may be asked to put your
improve or repeats itself after a period concerns in writing.
of time you should take your concern Either the Head or Deputy will
to the Head or Deputy.
investigate and report back to you.
STEP THREE: If you are still
The Chair of Governors will take the
concerned that the problem has not
matter up with the school and report
been solved you may put your
to you.
concerns in writing to the Chair of
Governors.
All investigations will be undertaken following the school Behaviour and
Discipline Policy, a copy of which can be found on the web-site or can be
obtained from the school office.
Discussions will take place with the victim, the perpetrator, and the parents of
both victim and perpetrator. Parents and victim may be invited to a meeting
with the perpetrator. Written notes will be taken at all meetings
Written reports will be taken from members of staff
Actions which may be taken whilst investigations are in progress
The victim and the alleged perpetrator may be separated.
An adult may be allocated to the victim to whom they can report any
problems.
Parents and/or victim may be requested to keep a diary.
The perpetrator may be excluded pending enquiries.
Work on bullying which is additional to the normal curriculum may take place.
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Actions which may be taken where bullying is found to have taken place
The perpetrator will be expected to take responsibility for the hurt caused.
A two week programme of sanctions to ensure further hurt is not committed.
Adult assigned to victim to report further incidents to and who will monitor for
an agreed period.
Offer of counselling for victim.
Referral to an external service or exclusion (internal or external) for
perpetrator considered.
Actions which may be taken where allegation is unsubstantiated
through lack of supporting evidence
Home-school diary issued to alleged victim to record incidents.
Named adult confirmed for alleged victim to report to and for parents to
contact.
Monitoring to take place for an agreed period.
Actions which may be taken where counter-allegations are made
Offer home-school diaries to both families.
Identify adult to monitor behaviours of both children and for parents to contact.
In each of the above three cases senior members of staff will contact all
parties at weekly intervals including the parents for their views on
progress until the investigation is completed.
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