Children learn best in a safe, secure and positive environment and staff, parents and children all have a role to play in creating and supporting such settings. Each child has the right to expect courtesy and respect and, in turn, has a responsibility to respond similarly to their peers and to all adults within the school.
St Bartholomew’s Primary seeks to establish and maintain high standards of behaviour across all stages of the school. A strong emphasis is placed on the recognition, encouragement and rewarding of positive behaviour through Pupil of the Week certificates, the House system, ‘Cool Class Cup’ and on-going, daily use of praise by all members of staff. At times, sanctions may need to be applied to children who do not respond to the school’s positive behaviour strategies and who find themselves falling below the standards of behaviour and conduct expected within the school. In order to be effective, these sanctions are applied fairly and consistently across the whole school community.
St Bartholomew’s Primary has three core rules which are used across all stages of the school:
RESPECT YOURSELF
RESPECT OTHERS
RESPECT PROPERTY
Staff are encouraged to discuss and ‘unpack’ these rules with their class at the beginning of the year to formulate more explicit classroom expectations, appropriate to the age of the pupils and the particular working practices and routines of the class teacher.
Engaging learning activities, appropriately differentiated work, good classroom organisation and effective teaching methods are key to keeping pupils engaged and motivated and to maintaining good behaviour. Classrooms within St Bartholomew’s are organised to promote order and minimise disruption and uncertainty. They also aim to be stimulating environments which develop independence and initiative. Furniture is carefully and thoughtfully arranged and pupils have suitable and easy access to resources and learning materials. Wall displays are current and lively and help develop self-esteem through pupils’ contributions being recognised, visible and valued.
Rewards
Each week, Class Teachers will nominate a pupil from their class to be awarded a Pupil of the Week certificate at assembly. This can be given for positive behaviour, excellent work, improvement in a given area, outstanding manners, good effort, etc. The reason for the award being given will be written on the reverse side of the certificate.
The ‘Cool Class Cup’ is awarded weekly by the Head Teacher (in consultation with staff) to the class that has demonstrated outstanding behaviour and effort or who have shown the greatest improvement or sense of team work. The winning class are given the ‘Wi’ for a full week as a reward for their success. An extra playtime is awarded to a class once they have won the Cool Class Cup four times.
There are four Houses in St Bartholomew’s: Drumpellier, Lochend, Monklands and Summerlee. Children can be awarded House points for good behaviour both in and out with the classroom. Points are added up each week and the House trophy is awarded at assembly. The overall winning House each term receives a special reward from the Head Teacher.
The Cool Class Cup and House Trophy are displayed in a glass cabinet at the main entrance of the school. The Cool Class, winning House and names of Pupils of the Week are posted on the school website by close of school each Friday.
Class Teachers are encouraged to send pupils who have completed a task to an excellent standard along to the Head Teacher to receive a Head Teacher’s award. All pupils within the school have regular opportunities to share their work with the Head Teacher via ‘It’s time to show your jotter to Mr Young’ stickers, which are inserted randomly in pupils’ jotters.
In addition to the whole-school rewards system, individual Class Teachers are free to use their own rewards strategies such as group points and stickers.
Sanctions
The school operates a ‘traffic light’ system to manage pupil behaviour. ‘Traffic lights’ are displayed on all classroom walls, along with each child’s name. Sanctions are clearly displayed next to the traffic lights so that pupils are fully aware of the consequences of their actions. Sanctions are as follows:
- Non-verbal warning (child stays on the green light)
- Verbal warning (name moved to amber light)
- ‘Time Out’ within classroom (name remains on amber light)
- Name moved to the red light
- Referral to Head Teacher
- Detention
- Phone call/letter home
Traffic lights are continually monitored by the Management Team during routine visits to classrooms. Children who consistently display inappropriate behaviour meet with the Head Teacher to discuss their behaviour and agree on targets for improvement. If necessary, parents/carers are contacted.
