Behaviour
Ethos
Higher Lane Primary School is an inclusive, welcoming school that values every member of the community for who they are, enabling all to flourish. Relationships are at the heart of our positive relationships and behaviour policy: we believe that building strong relationships is the key as it allows everyone to feels safe, learn, understand the respectful boundaries, and be happy. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders (staff, pupils, parents, and governors), through their actions, to promote and model these positive relationships. Our relationships and behaviour ethos is based around restorative practices, trauma informed approaches, zones of regulation to support pupils in understanding their own emotions as behaviours, and rewarding the positive behaviours we expect to see. It is important to remember that all behaviour is a form of communication, and each child expresses themselves differently, requiring individualised support, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. We value and celebrate the diversity within our school community while providing a consistent and supportive framework that encourages and guides positive behaviour.
Purpose
The purpose of our ethos is to guide all staff, pupils, and parents on our restorative and relationship focussed approach to behaviour management. This will allow the pupils at Higher Lane Primary School to enjoy a calm, and caring environment which will support every child both emotionally and educationally, to give them the best possible chances of success. Consistency, clear expectations and boundaries, and calm adult behaviour underpins this.
Restorative Practice
At the heart of our positive relationship and behaviour policy is Restorative Practice. Restorative Practice is an approach that focuses on repairing harm and building positive relationships as an alternative to traditional punitive disciplinary methods. It emphasises accountability, empathy, and community building to address conflict and promote a positive school environment. All staff are trained in Restorative Practice approaches, with refresher training provided by senior leaders in school. Key pupils are trained as Peer Mediators who can mediate conflicts between other students, facilitating dialogue using restorative questions and problem-solving.
Core Principles:
• Repairing Harm: Restorative practice prioritises addressing the harm caused by an incident, focusing on how to make things right for those affected.
• Building Relationships: It aims to foster positive relationships and a sense of community among pupils, staff, and the wider school community.
• Accountability: Restorative practice encourages individuals to take responsibility for their actions and understand the impact of their behaviour on others.
• Involvement: It involves all parties affected by the incident (including those who caused harm and those who were harmed) in the process of resolving the issue.
• Empathy: Restorative practice encourages empathy and understanding between individuals involved in a conflict.
Following a behavioural incident, a member of staff will:
1. Facilitate a Restorative Conversations- these are facilitated discussions where individuals can share their experiences, perspectives, and feelings related to an incident.
2. Use Restorative Questions- specific questions designed to help individuals reflect on their actions, understand the harm caused, and consider how to repair it.
3. Agree on consequences as a group- those who have been ‘harmed’ and those who ‘have harmed’ should agree on consequences which are in line with the child-friendly behaviour policy (in line with agreed school consequences/sanctions).
4. Inform parents/carers of the incident, actions taken, and any outcomes at the most appropriate opportunity (a phone call during the school day, or a conversation at the end of the school day).
Trauma Informed
Higher Lane employs trauma-informed approaches as part of our whole-school behaviour strategy. Several staff members hold diplomas as trauma-informed practitioners and have shared best practice, enabling all staff to understand and respond sensitively to the impact of trauma on pupils' behaviour. This approach recognises that challenging behaviours often stem from past experiences of trauma or adversity, and instead of focusing solely on punishment, we aim to provide support, build trusting relationships, and create a safe, nurturing environment. By doing so, we help pupils develop emotional regulation, resilience, and positive social skills.
Zones of Regulation and My Happy Mind
At Higher Lane Primary School, we use the Zones of Regulation to help children identify, understand and talk about their feelings. The Zones split emotions into four colours – blue, green, yellow and red – making it easier for children to recognise how they feel and why. This helps them learn how their emotions affect their behaviour and what they can do to manage those feelings in a positive way. We have regular check-ins in class, giving children time to stop, think and share how they are feeling, so we can support them as needed.
We also use My Happy Mind, a whole-school programme that teaches children about their brains, how to build positive relationships, and how to develop resilience and self-belief. Together with the Zones of Regulation, My Happy Mind helps create a calm, supportive environment where children feel safe, valued and ready to learn. These tools are an important part of our behaviour and wellbeing policy at Higher Lane.
Consistency of Approach
In implementing this approach to positive relationships and behaviour, Higher Lane Primary School acknowledges the need for consistency:
• Consistent language and a consistent response. Simple and clear expectations reflected in all conversations about behaviour.
• Consistent follow up. Ensuring certainty in the classroom and Senior Leadership level- teachers take responsibility for behaviour interventions, seeking support only where needed.
• Consistent positive reinforcement. There are routine procedures for reinforcing, encouraging and celebrating good choices.
• Consistent consequences. Defined, agreed, and applied at the classroom level, as well as established structures for more serious behaviours.
• Consistent expectations promoting appropriate behaviour.
• Consistent respect from adults towards pupils, even in the face of disrespectful pupils.
• Consistent respect from adults towards other adults, even in the face of difficult conversations.
• Consistent models of emotional control. Emotional restraint is taught, teachers are role models for learning.
“Consistency lies in the behaviour of adults and not simply in the application of procedure. A truly sustainable consistent approach does not come from a tool kit of strategies but in the determination of every member of staff to hold firm. The key is to develop a consistency that ripples through every interaction on behaviour. Where learners feel treated and valued as individuals, they respect adults and accept their authority”. Paul Dix.