Behaviour

At Downend School we expect our students to behave in a way that supports our PRIDE values and ensures school is a safe and happy place for everyone. Respectful behaviour allows our classrooms to be creative, challenging and interesting places for learning but also allows the wider school community to be a positive environment so individuals can thrive.

Our approach to behaviour is paired with our approach to Pastoral Care in order to support our young people in making the right choices.

Please click on the following link for the CSET Behaviour Policy.

Our Classrooms

Downend School values the teaching and learning in classrooms and wants every child to fully benefit from all the opportunities available to them during the school day. It is in everyone's interests for us to work in distraction-free classrooms.

To support positive behaviour in lessons we have a behaviour protocol to ensure students and teachers can engage in lessons and make good progress. Students are regularly reminded through assemblies and by their tutor about classroom expectations. There is also a poster in every classroom which is a visual reminder.

There are 4 basic expectations of classroom behaviour for students:

• Work in silence - unless your teacher gives you permission to speak
• Raise your hand if you need help
• Do your very best in lessons
• Follow instructions from a member of staff first time

If a student does not meet classroom expectations their class teacher will give them a warning. Students will receive a warning for the following behaviour:

• Talking when others are
• Not raising hand to speak
• Refusal to do the classwork
• Derogatory comment to another (even if in jest)
• Defiance (not following instructions)
• Having something confiscated
• Rudeness
• Arguing

The teacher will tell the student why they have given them a warning so they have an opportunity to stop, think, reflect and adjust their behaviour thereby allowing the lesson and learning to continue. If a student behaves in a way that a second warning is issued they will be asked to leave the classroom and spend the rest of the lesson in the Ready To Learn room (RTL). Students can be sent to RTL from their lesson without a warning if the teacher deems the behaviour to be a serious incident. Serious incidents may warrant an additional consequence or intervention.

An after school detention will be issued as a consequence of being sent out of a lesson to RTL. Parents/carers can expect to be notified by text the same day if their child has been sent to RTL with details of the detention.

At the bottom of this page, you will find the RTL protocol and escalation of consequences if students are persistently sent to RTL .

Punctuality

Being punctual is a key life skill and essential for lessons to begin on time and without disruption. Students are expected to be on time for tutor and all lessons.

If a student is registered late by their class teacher a text will be sent home to let parents/carer know. Students who are regularly late will receive a 20 minute detention on either a Monday or Wednesday at lunchtime in the RTL room. Being regularly late means you have been registered as late to tutor and/or lessons on at least 2 occasions out of 5 of a rolling period.

Social Conduct

We understand that school is a social place and acknowledge that our young people often face challenges navigating peer and staff relationships. We expect our students to show respect and kindness to others in the school community.

Students who do not behave in a way that meets these expectations will be held accountable for their actions.

A variety of consequences will be applied depending on the seriousness of any incident following an investigation into the circumstances. Consequences may include a detention or series of detentions, a period of time in internal isolation or hosted isolation at another school, being suspended from school, meetings with parents/carers and/or being placed on to a disciplinary stage (DIS). Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of potential outcomes following an incident.

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones are permitted in school but their use has strict conditions attached. Mobile phones should only be used during break and at lunchtime and only in areas allocated on site for these social times. They should not be used or seen when students are moving between lessons or when inside school buildings, this includes corridors, toilets and classrooms. Taking pictures or videos within the school grounds is not permitted. Students who have permission to leave their classroom for any reason will be asked to leave any mobile device in the room if they are expected to return.

Toilet Facilities

Students are expected to use the toilets at break and lunchtime. It is appreciated that there will be occasions when students will need to do so during lesson time and in these circumstances, a request can be made to the class teacher who will use their professional judgement when allowing individuals to leave a lesson. Students are expected to leave mobile phones in the classroom when visiting the toilet.

Detentions

Detentions are a negative consequence for undesirable behaviour and we expect students to take responsibility for their actions and attend detentions.

Parents/carers can expect to be notified of a detention for their child by text message.

A detention register detailing students expected in detention is placed on the noticeboard outside the student support centre so students can check if they are unsure about whether they have a detention.

Detentions cannot be rearranged except in exceptional circumstances and a request must be made to the school via the students head of house within a reasonable time frame for any request to be considered. Requests to rearrange for medical reasons/appointments will require evidence to be provided.

In addition to RTL and late detentions, the Head of House team supervises a house detention on Friday lunchtimes. All central detentions are located in the RTL room.