Positive Behaviour Principles for Co-op Academies Trust

All schools within the Co-op Academies Trust are unique - serving local communities in different contexts. We want our Academy leaders to develop their behaviour approach, policy and systems based on their own beliefs and values and in their understanding of the community they serve.

At the same time, we know that there are key principles in developing a strong culture of positive behaviour, that are evidence based and common to schools where behaviour is good or better. These are laid out clearly in the EEF Improving Behaviour in Schools research; and visible in many of the great schools in our Trust and up and down the country.

Our aim is for all pupils (and staff) to attend a Co-op Academy where behaviour is safe, orderly and conducive to learning. Good behaviour leads to better outcomes for all and is key in closing the achievement gap. School culture will develop - whether we attend to it or not. We know that our job is to ensure that culture is the one we have intentionally created. This is done through great systems and great leadership.

All schools must adhere to the principles outlined in this document. Each Academy should be able to evidence clearly, how they believe each principle is demonstrated in their setting; implemented with rigour; and have an accurate understanding of how successfully they feel each is embedded. We have to be certain that our values, rules and systems are not a strapline or a poster on the wall. This framework should support leaders in developing a strong culture that will lead to great outcomes.

Support in Implementing the Behaviour Principles:

To support all academies in implementing this approach, academies should use the

Co-op Academies Trust Behaviour Policy Template (to be personalised by each Academy) found here.

The Principles

Leadership and Management:

An overriding ethos and approach

A behaviour policy clearly underpinned by mission and values / ‘Ways of Being’ or an evidenced approach (e.g. Positive Regard / Positive Discipline / Pivotal).

The values should be explicit and permeate the academy e.g. through language, posters, visuals, scripts, scaffolds, signage)

Data rich

As a minimum, detailed data analysis should be shared regularly at SLT / ALT meetings and actions created as a result. Pastoral staff, teachers and SLT should be acting on clear metrics and data for their year groups and be held to account for the data. Data should make staff aware of the hot spots (teachers / areas of school / times of day / week) and robust actions carried out by all members of the team. Headlines, highlights and improvements over time shared with all staff and whole school drives made clear to all staff in response to data.

Systems and Norms:

Defining misbehaviour

Absolute clarity over behaviours that will and will not be acceptable including clear tariff for behaviours / consequences and likely outcomes. Certainty of sanction issued carried out and completed.

Safe corridors and orderly Spaces

Clear expectations for spaces beyond the classroom (corridors / assemblies / cloakrooms). These should be written, shared, visible in school and practised by all during staff and pupil induction and regular training. Form part of assemblies / behaviour curriculum, monitored and revisited.  Posters and visuals to support.

Threshold checks

Schools should have a clear and robust process for challenging and checking uniform at school threshold, including how uniforms will be corrected, families or pupils supported and (if required / appropriate) consequences around non-compliance.

Warm welcome  

Schools must have a clear ‘warm welcome’ or organised start to the day. For some this might include line ups, for others it might be meet and greet from SLT. Others might do morning meetings. At a minimum, SLT should be on the gate meeting and greeting pupils as they arrive, other staff placed strategically around the building and activities set up in class / tutor for a prepared and purposeful start. All schools should have a breakfast club - accessible for all pupils and free for PP pupils.

In- Class behaviour system

This may differ in primary and secondary schools, but all schools should have a very clearly articulated and faithfully implemented classroom strategy for behaviour. In secondary, this should be a ‘three point plan’ (or similar)  so that pupils are not given multiple opportunities to misbehave without intervention. System should be underpinned by warm challenge; positive framing, language of choice and a ‘connect, correct, connect’ approach with regular staff training on how to correct behaviour without escalation. Visuals and posters should create clarity around the system.

Lesson removal

Again, this will differ for primary and secondary, but are processes and systems in place to ensure that a. pupils are removed if they have failed to respond to support, intervention and the classroom system and b. If they are removed, they don’t go on to disrupt the learning of others and are removed to a suitable, supervised space. Any pupils removed from lessons should have a plan for continuity of education and that they are not disapplied from the curriculum. Suitable follow up, sanction, review and support should attempt to ensure that further lesson removals are rare.

Centralised systems for behaviour (detentions / removal)

Detentions and lesson removals should be a centralised policy to ensure consistency and fairness. Schools can decide how involved class teachers and other staff members are - which must be clearly articulated in the policy. Same day consequences and unconditional fresh starts the following day as a norm to ensure pupils do not have consequences hanging over their heads. Consequences should be purposeful and meaningful and include elements of restorative practice; reparations; reflection and apology.

No mobile phones

Importance of schools not having mobile phones is well evidenced. Schools need to ensure they have a clear policy that bans mobile phones that is clearly articulated, practised and all staff accountable - easily enforced / tracked. Mobile phones not seen or heard in building.

Structure unstructured time

A wide range of activities for pupils to complete at lunchtime should be available where possible, with the library / safe quiet spaces available (as well as active ones). Thought should be given as to how to structure unstructured time to reduce break / lunch / bullying incidents.

Recognition

A clear, fair and non discriminatory recognition policy in action - not just applied to the more challenging pupils when they behave well. This should be clearly articulated; regularly reviewed through pupil panels and easily reinforced.

Building Relationships

Pupil Panels

Half termly pupil panels as a minimum expectation, to discuss behaviour and current perceptions of what is going on in the school. Discussions include topics like Bullying; hot spots; rewards; consistency; behaviour trends; improvements and next steps. A clear focus could be set up for each half term and cycled around throughout the year.

Every Lesson, Every Day

Leaders and pastoral staff regularly drop in to classrooms, and try to ensure that each lesson, every day is visited, to support classroom culture and be highly visible to all members of the community. In primary, this might be at strategic points. This is not just patrolling corridors, but opening doors and entering rooms to support a positive culture.

Parents

Intentional communication and interactions with parents to support approach to behaviour, ensure timely communication and build relationships that strengthen the 3 way partnerships. Schools should have systems, CPD, support for staff and scripts / training opportunities to support staff in building positive and productive relationships with families.

Staff Training and CPD

Scripts and Scaffolds

As a minimum there should be training about unconditional positive regard, positive framing, warm challenge (e.g. setting pupils up to succeed rather than fail and to create a positive culture); de-escalation and language of choice with clear guidance, practice and scripting / scaffolding to ensure culture is built through conversations and pupils receive a consistent approach.

Simple classroom routines for consistency 

Clear classroom routines in evidence and used for all staff to follow developing a consistent culture and predictability. Examples could include:

• Teacher ‘threshold’ and warm welcome
• Track the teacher /speaker
• Cold call / no hands up
• Do Now
• Exit routine

Whole school consistency

A clear understanding through policy, practice, handbooks and guidance that every member of staff has a responsibility to uphold the policy and pull in the same direction. Clear training, regularly revisited with staff that ‘What you walk past you promote’ and clarity around the need to stop and check actions have been completed. A conscious effort on the use of the right approach and language to support and develop a positive culture.

Pupil Support and Development

A behaviour curriculum

Clear behaviour curriculum delivered by class teachers; assembly; tutor time and other key points focusing on how we live our values, how to be good citizens and explicitly teaching the behaviours that we want to see in and around school. Should include all of the routines and systems in place at school and support pupils in understanding their responsibility and practical ways they can be good citizens, kind humans and valuable community members.

Reintegration

After suspensions and time away from the academy, there should be clear plans for reintegration to reduce the likelihood of behaviours recurring. Actions should be recorded and systems in place to regularly follow up, review and triage support. As a minimum, reintegration meetings should include: reflection on the incident; elements of reparation; direction to extra curricular and at secondary, a careers interview. Consideration given to the right conversations, the right people in place and the right support should be clear.

Team around the school

Academies have a data driven approach to supporting vulnerable pupils to ensure support  intervenes with the right children at the right time. Regular meetings involving pastoral, attendance, safeguarding, SEND should analyse data (from a vulnerability matrix or similar) and work to recognise unmet need and further support. The data driven approach ensures that it is not just the most ‘visible’ or vocal  who access support.