Behaviour
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ~ Article 19:
‘You have the right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, in body or mind’
We believe that relationships are the foundation of cooperation and respect. The purpose of our policy is to help staff and pupils to maintain positive relationships and create a calm, safe environment in which learning can take place. We have high expectations of each other, clear routines and understanding of acceptable behaviour at school. We celebrate our successes and use restorative practices to maintain strong relationships; healing harms and coming together as a community following conflict.
Behaviour at Hermitage
Our school is a community built on respect and understanding. We don’t just expect good behaviour—we actively teach it, celebrating positive choices and guiding our pupils when they get it wrong. By treating behavior as a key part of our children’s development, we empower them to become responsible, thoughtful members of our community.
Encouraging good behaviour
School staff, pupils and parents are clear about the standard of behaviour expected of pupils at Hermitage. Pupils work with their class teachers at the beginning of each school year to establish a class charter that is displayed in the classroom.
Staff members encourage good behaviour in a range of ways, including:
- Having clear shared expectations of good behaviour, linked to our school values
- Giving pupils opportunities to feel success and share their achievements, for example through our weekly star of the week assemblies
- Teaching children about their rights and how to respect the rights of others
- Encouraging pupils to take responsibility for the impact of their behaviour
- Promoting mutual respect through PSHE & assemblies
- Nominating pupils through our ‘Job Centre’ to take responsibility for appropriate duties around the school
- Providing 1-1 support through specialist practitioners such as learning mentors
- Building our partnership with parents and carers and communicating with them regularly about their child’s behaviour
- Recognising and celebrating good conduct
Managing disruptive behaviour
Pupils often misbehave because they are upset. Acknowledging a pupil’s feelings and providing feedback on how to improve makes them less likely to seek negative attention.
When managing an incident of difficult behaviour we:
- Always remain calm and objective
- Anticipate inappropriate behaviour in the first instance and try to prevent it from occurring
- Use rights respecting language to encourage children to think about the rights of others (see Appendix 6)
- Use Restorative Approaches to help the pupil understand their impact on others (see Appendix 4)
- Make the distinction between the behaviour and the pupil
- Try to ascertain the root cause of the problem and talk to pupils individually without an audience
- Communicate empathy by reflecting back their viewpoint and defuse the situation
- Discuss the consequences of their actions and give pupils choices. Help them to realise that they are in control and can bring about a change
- Avoid nagging and lecturing
- Follow our ‘sanction steps’ where appropriate
- Apologise when we make mistakes