Behaviour

Costessey Primary School has adopted and adapted the Pivotal approach to behaviour management whose aim it is to inspire, motivate and create measurable change in behaviour, relationships and learning. Everything we promote within our behaviour strategy can be linked back to three simple rules that we all follow in school:

Morning Greeting

We believe that consistency and relentless routines create a calm environment for all children. Our school day starts off with a rolling start where children have a 15-minute window where they can arrive. At this point they receive a personal greeted on the door from their class teacher then start their day by completing a task at their desk whilst music is playing. This first interaction can set the tone for the day and ensures that the wellbeing of every child is checked before the school day starts.

Positive Praise

The school’s approach to behaviour management is centred around ‘first attention for best conduct’ an ethos of rewarding children with positive praise is embedded throughout the school in a variety of ways:

‘Using Positive Recognition means that you know how to make each child feel appreciated’ – Paul Dix

Recognition Boards

These are present in every class and are a visual way of rewarding positive behaviours. A focus behaviour linked to the school rules of ‘Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Safe’ is set for each day and this is the focus in each class. Mini class celebrations are given once a certain number of children are added to the recognition board these range from playing music to dancing to a song.

Positive Phone Calls

Staff members make regular phone calls home when children have shown special effort or have gone over and above for that day. We believe that praise should be shared regularly with parents and carer so they too and celebrate with the child.

Positive Postcards

Each week, staff send a positive postcard home to children in the class who regularly go over and above within the school day. The children do not know they are receiving a postcard until it is delivered to their house. We look forward to children‘s excitement when they come in the next day after receiving one through the letterbox.

Hot Chocolate Friday

Staff can nominate children who regularly show great effort and are positive role models within the school, for Hot Chocolate Friday. This is where children are invited to spend part of the afternoon with a member of SLT in order to celebrate their wonderful behaviour.

Helping children regulate their own behaviour

Built into the school behaviour ethos is PIP and RIP, ‘praise in public’ ‘rebuke in private’ therefore any conversation needing to be had with a child about their negative behaviour is done quietly, at the child’s level with both parties retaining their dignity.   On the occasions when pupils do not demonstrate an acceptable standard of behaviour in line with the school Code of Conduct the teacher needs to first look at how the behaviour system can be adapted for that child much like you would differentiate a lesson, These adaptations may be in the form of a safe space in the classroom, now and next boards, busy boxes, optional movement breaks, individual 3-step routines etc.   Alongside this we have clear consequence steps which may need to be applied in order to address and correct the concern and achieve the desired standard of behaviour. The steps shown below are followed alongside a consistent script which is outlined in the school behaviour policy.   In cases where children really struggle to regulate their own behaviour we follow a tiered system of referral and support. The end goal of this is to ensure the amount of time children spend in class is increased and that their disruption to themselves and others is decreased. If we feel a child needs this intervention the support will be put in place through consultation with the child, teacher, teaching assistant, pastoral and the parents/carers. We believe that a ‘wrap-around’ approach to support will have the best outcome for the child.

If you feel you would like support or advice about behaviour please contact our Pastoral teams in the:

Honeypot – Mrs Youngman and Miss Youngman (EYFS, Yr1 and Yr2)  

Hive – Mrs Daynes and Miss Williamson (Yr3, Yr4, Yr5 and Yr6)

Please click on links below to access the current Behaviour Policy or the Anti-Bullying Policy.