DISCIPLINE IN THE UK School behaviour policy Every

DISCIPLINE IN THE UK

School behaviour policy • Every school has a behaviour policy, which lists the rules of conduct for pupils before and after school as well as during the school day. • Schools set rules, and if students break these rules they are subject to discipline. These rules may, for example, define the expected standards of clothing, timekeeping, social conduct, and work ethic.

• Disciplining children is important to create a safe and fun learning environment. • Some scholars think students misbehave because of the lack of engagement and stimulation in typical school settings, a rigid definition of acceptable behaviors and/or a lack of attention and love in a student's personal life.

Education and Inspections Act 2006 • The act "is intended to represent a major step forward in the Government’s aim of ensuring that all children in all schools get the education they need to enable them to fulfil their potential". • Section 91 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 introduced a statutory power for teachers and certain other staff to discipline pupils.

My school’s policy The Warning System • Warnings can be issued to warn the pupil against any behaviour that is deemed inappropriate or disruptive in that lesson. • Warnings will be given clearly and the pupil will be informed of why a warning has been given. • Warnings must be given one at a time with reflection / action time.

‘Warning’ system • 1 warning – notification that your behaviour is inappropriate, and you need to improve it or more action will be taken. • 2 warnings – results in detention. • 3 warnings – results in a letter home. • 4 warnings – sent out of class, to the ‘quiet room’.

Detention • Detention is the punishment used to keep pupils in school/class during their own time. • Detention takes place at break time and/or lunch time. • If a pupil fails to attend this detention, there will be consequences for this. • In serious cases, an after school detention will be given. If an after school detention is issued parents/carers will be given 24 hours’ notice and they are required to collect the pupil. • Failure to complete after school detentions will result in further consequences being issued.

Quiet room • Pupils will spend a period of time in the quiet room which usually consists of two lessons and break or lunchtime, and can last for the equivalent of a whole school day. • When in the quiet room pupils will undertake general school work. • Members of staff will notify the parents/carers if a pupil has been sent to the quiet room. • Pupils are not allowed their phones in the quiet room and are asked to hand their phones in. • There will be consequences if a pupil fails to complete their time in the quiet room.

Suspensions and exclusions • Suspensions usually last 2 -5 days. During an exclusion the pupil is unable to attend school, and can be considered as a trespasser if they enter the school building/grounds. • Exclusions are permanent and the pupil will not be allowed to return to the school. • Exclusions are used in very serious cases, e. g. when the school has exhausted all other methods to improve the pupil’s behaviour, or for special circumstances.

Report system • If a pupil continuously misbehaves, they can be put on a ‘report’ for a week. • This will be required to be signed with a comment of their behaviour in class by every teacher they have in that week. • At the end of each day, their parents/carers must sign their report. • At the beginning of each school day, the pupil has to present their report to a senior teacher. • This is used as a way of monitoring their behaviour, and making sure the parents are aware of their daily behaviour in school.

• Notice the good behaviour - misbehaviour is usually designed to get attention so find a way to praise the troublemaker for something good done. • Be polite – say please and then thank you when they've done what you've asked. • Cards posted home to parents praising good work or behaviour, usually timed to arrive on a Saturday • 'Treats' built into lessons such as games, or activities the students find more enjoyable.

• Shouting doesn't usually work. It just ups the noise level in the classroom. • Discussing behaviour after the lesson can help, you can explain what you expect and give the student a chance maybe to express what's bothering them/why they are misbehaving. • Knowing that you can send a child to someone else for a while helps too – you can get the class settled and when the pupil returns, they hopefully will settle. If not, it helps to have a referral system in place.