Cardinal Newman High School Behaviour and Dicipline Policy (Draft)

Introduction

Cardinal Newman High School believes that in order to enable effective teaching & learning to take place, good behaviour, in a safe and secure environment, is necessary in all aspects of school life and that these standards of behaviour are clearly understood and appreciated by all members of the school community.  Such a community, based upon the Gospel values, will have consideration and respect for individuals and property and will share values which are just, fair and humane and enable all pupils to develop a sense of responsibility for their own behaviour and towards others and the community.  Our approach is a positive one which emphasizes the benefits for the whole school offered by an appropriate standard of behaviour. 

Rewards and recognition

A positive and encouraging school ethos is central to the promotion of good behaviour. Rewards are one means of achieving this. They have a motivational role in helping students to realise that good behaviour, while being the expected norm, is valued. Integral to the system of rewards is an emphasis on praise, both formal and informal, to individuals and groups.  Our current rewards system includes:

• Verbal praise, either personal or public
• Credits
• Merits which are reflected in KS3 school badges
• KS4 Commendations
• Rewards to be purchased in Merit Shop
• Subject stamps
• Postcards/letters home
• Positive comments in Student Planners, exercise books and on students’ work
• Transfer to higher sets to recognize achievement and progress
• Recognition in assemblies and Presentation Evening
• Prefect status
• Good references

Sanctions

Sanctions are needed to respond to unacceptable behaviour.  We shall spend time explaining to individual students why any sanction is being applied and what changes in behaviour are required to avoid future sanctions.  In such a way, students can move forward positively in the spirit of reconciliation.  The following sanctions are used by the school and their use is characterised by both flexibility and consistency.

• Extra work
• Referral to Head of Department/Head of Year/Senior Staff
• Phone call/letters home
• Withdrawal from school teams/events
• Withdrawal from school visits or journeys
• Detention – break/lunch
• Detention - after school following 24 hours written notice
• Reports – Uniform/ Punctuality
• Behaviour reports - Form Tutor or Head of Year
• Removal to another lesson (Dept. arrangement)
• Working with Form Tutor or designated member of staff
• Behaviour contracts
• Referral to Pupil Discipline Governors’ Sub-committee
• Supervised Study
• Fixed Term exclusion

If a student does not respond to a number of reasonable strategies and to reasonable expectations, or indeed if a student is involved in a serious incident, the Headteacher may ask the Governors to permanently exclude the student concerned.

Student Behaviour - Principles

We seek to create a caring and learning environment in the school by:

• promoting personal responsibility, good behaviour and discipline
• promoting self-esteem, self-discipline, proper regard for authority and positive relationships based on mutual respect
• ensuring fairness of treatment for all and consistency of response to both positive and negative behaviour
• providing a safe environment free from disruption, violence, bullying and any form of harassment
• promoting the well being of all vulnerable pupils such as those with SEN, EAL or specific mental or physical health needs
• encouraging a positive relationship with parents and carers to develop a shared approach to support students in making the right choices

To achieve this, staff and students have drawn up a set of guidelines which underpin our behaviour policy.

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