In class behaviour:
Around the academy:
If we all follow these expectations, we will create a happy, positive atmosphere where pupils have high quality learning experiences and are given the opportunity to be their best.
At Bishop Young Academy we use the following key words to summarise this approach.
They encourage our community to be the best they can be:
Students must have their planners with them at all times. Although we use Class Charts to log all positive and negative interactions electronically, there is also an expectation to use the planner to support students to manage their learning time and conduct. It is integral to the Behaviour for Learning Policy, and it allows staff, students, parents and carers to have an overview of students’ day to day performance at the Academy at all times, particularly if they have limited access to Class Charts. The tutor is responsible for checking planners on a daily basis and ensuring that all students complete them correctly. The planner remains the property of the school and all students must keep them in good condition and free of graffiti. If a student damages or loses a planner, then they must pay for a replacement. Students who forget their planner will be given a day sheet. These students must present their planner to their tutor the following day and hand in their day sheet. They will need to purchase a new planner immediately if they do not present their planner.
To keep track of student behaviours more effectively, each consequence will have an attributable behaviour point.
The greater the number of behaviour points, the greater the concern. As the total number of behaviour points for a student increases, the range for alternative strategies of support or sanctions required would also increase. This will range from detentions, report cards, isolation, parental meetings, IBP’s, contracts, family support etc. This is where the support from the Year Leaders can have a really positive impact.
At the end of every school year, behaviour points are reset to zero. Although reset, to try and provide a fresh start for all students, behaviour points accrued since starting Bishop Young Academy are examined to look for patterns of behaviour. This historic viewpoint is taken into consideration when making future decisions regarding serious sanctions.
Student circumstances and actions will be considered individually and support and/or sanctions will be tailored to the individual student where appropriate.
Year Leaders will monitor trends in behaviour both in and out of the classroom and they will adopt strategies to support individual students as necessary.
If a pupil fails to meet the school expectations, they will receive a behaviour for learning comment on Class Charts. If a pupil is issued 6 behaviour for learning comments in one week, they will receive a one-hour BfL detention. Comments will be issued for not meeting the expectations in the following areas: uniform, jewellery, out of class behaviour, eating, chewing and drinking, poor oracy and no planner.
In addition:
The following seven steps explain the classroom-based sanctions. The intention is that students will always work within this framework. Teaching staff should always aim to prevent students from reaching Stage 4. Students should not be removed from class for trivial reasons. At no point should a student ever be sent to stand outside a classroom.
However, when students disturb the academic progress of their peers or prevent effective teaching, they must be removed from that environment.
Students who arrive late to lesson, or do not have the correct uniform or equipment will automatically receive negative points on Class Charts and the assigned sanction.
This is not recorded and should always be directed at individual students and not the whole class. Staff must indicate clearly that what they are doing is unacceptable.
If a student continues to behave unacceptably the planner is handed to the teacher.
Step1 and Step 2 - No further action needs to be taken provided that students return to behaviour that is consistent within the rules.
If a student continues to behave in an unsatisfactory manner, a Step 3 comment is recorded on Class Charts and the student could be moved in class (S3 comment = 1 negative behaviour points on Class Charts).
Each curriculum area leader is responsible for monitoring the number of step 3 comments awarded in their subject so that they can support students and staff appropriately. This will be a standing item online management meeting.
Teaching staff can also set their own learning / restorative conversation time with students through Class Charts. These can be at break, lunchtime, or after school. Parents do not need to be notified of same day detentions, unless not doing so would compromise a pupil’s safety.
If the student is persisting to behave in an unacceptable manner, then they move to Step 4, and they are removed from the classroom. If the teacher records a ‘Step 4 Removal’ on Class Charts, then the student is removed by the session manager and will be placed in another classroom within the department (Step 4 Removal recorded on Class Charts -1 point). This will result in a 30 minute after school personal development / restorative conversation.
Each curriculum area identifies colleagues who can receive students in any one lesson and creates a Step 4 timetable. It is an expectation that this is displayed in all classrooms.
If the teacher records a ‘Step 4 Session Manager’ on Class Charts (-4 points), then they consider it to be inappropriate to move the student to another classroom and they are placed in the Room for Reflection (RFR) for the remainder of the lesson and they will attend a moved room personal development / restorative conversation after school for 1 hour.
If a student reaches Step 4 (session manager removal) twice in one day they will do a full day in the Room for Improvement (RFI) the following day plus a 60 minute after school personal
development session.
If a student needs to be removed from a lesson quickly due to serious disruption or defiance, and moving through the steps would not be appropriate, then the teacher records an ‘Express Session Manager’ call on Class Charts and the student is prioritised and removed as soon as possible. They are instantly removed to the RFI room and senior staff are consulted. This will give the leadership team and the pastoral team time to consider further action. The student will also have time to reflect on their actions and work on resolving any issues that they have with close one to one support. When it is appropriate, the member of staff who logged the ‘Express session manager’ on Class Charts will need to email the relevant Year leader with an account of what happened.
There will always be a comprehensive bank of work from all curriculum areas in RFI that will allow students to continue working in a purposeful environment.
Students will be isolated for the full day in the first instance and will not socialise with other students. They will also stay for 1 hour after school. However, this can be for significantly longer periods of time if required to meet the needs of the student.
There are regular escorted toilet breaks and students will be provided with lunch. Students will move to Step 6 when they hit the RFI day trigger points, together with negative point trigger points or for serious incidents.
If a student fails RFI through poor conduct they will be excluded. They will then repeat RFI the following day when they return.
Sanctions for students that are persistently placed in RFI (recidivists)
When a student has been placed in RFI on 3 occasions they are considered to be a recidivist and a Pastoral Support Plan will be agreed with the Year Leader, parent/carer and the student. This is to prevent any further time being spent out of learning.
When a student has accumulated a specific number of behaviour points and they have spent the final period in isolation they will be placed on a behaviour contract. Breaking the contract will result in the student being placed in either RFI or RFR. Year Leaders and Achievement Directors and SLT will work closely with students who are on a behaviour contract. Once the contract has been broken on a fourth occasion, the student will be suspended from school for fixed term period.
Students who persistently break their behaviour contract or who commit particularly serious misdemeanour can expect to find themselves at Step 7.
Depending upon a student’s suspension history and the nature of the offence, the suspension pattern could be:
1 day, 3 days, 5 days, 10 and 15 days of suspension
Students and parents will attend a Governors’ Disciplinary Panel within 15 days.
Bishop Young Academy is a fully inclusive school, and we will always work with our students and their families to avoid a permanent exclusion. However, there are extremely serious incidents which warrant this.
We work very closely with other Academies across the city, and we use their isolation / seclusion rooms where appropriate to support our students.
If a student is sent to RFI 4 times in an academic year, they serve 2 days at another school’s isolation unit, and this will be followed by 3 days in RFI on their return.
In the instance of a 5th day in RFI in a year, isolation will be served in another school for 1 week.
A 6th day in RFI in a year will mean 5 days at another school will be followed by 5 days in RFI on return.
A 7th day in RFI in a year will mean 5 days fixed term suspension, then 5 days at
another school and will be followed by 5 days in RFI on return.
An 8th day in RFI in a year will mean 5 days fixed term suspension, and 7 days at
another school which will then be followed by 5 days in RFI on return.
A 9th day in RFI in a year will mean 5 days fixed term suspension, then 9 days at
another school which will then be followed by 5 days in RFI.
A 10th day in RFI will mean the student will be referred for permanent exclusion or a managed move to another school.
Students always spend a minimum of 5 periods in RFI and parents / carers are made aware that this has happened. Where necessary there will be a meeting within school.
Off-site direction is when a pupil attends another education setting to improve their behaviour, and this can be done without the consent of parents. This will happen when interventions or targeted support has not been successful in improving a pupil’s behaviour. When planning for an off-site direction, the maximum period will be discussed and agreed. The Off-site direction will be reviewed at regular intervals agreed by all parties.
Some students find it difficult to conform to our expectations and some of these students benefit from a fresh start at another school. The placement of students at other schools is done through the process of a managed move and this is part of a planned intervention. Students remain on roll at Bishop Young Academy but attend another school for a six-week trial period. This can be terminated at any time by the receiving school and extended up to twelve weeks. Where this placement is successful, the hosting school can choose to take the student onto their roll on a permanent basis. Managed moves are voluntary and agreed with all parties involved, and only occur when it is in the pupil’s best interest.
