Context for joining Behaviour Hubs
We are a one form entry school with 219 on roll, including our nursery. We are located in a small suburb of St Helens (Sutton Heath) and we are considered in the top 10% of deprivation locally. We have 18% Free School Meals, 21% Pupil Premium and 16.58% of pupils with SEND, including 4 EHCPs.
The school has faced significant turbulence prior to the new headteacher taking up post in Sept 2018. The school has been on a significantly challenging journey since this time.
Behaviour challenges and goals
When the new headteacher arrived in September 2018, there was significant turbulence within the school and behaviour needed addressing urgently. We regularly reviewed behaviour and made significant changes to the policy and procedures throughout the academic year 2018-2019.
Although changes and tweaks were being made, the pandemic presented school with additional challenges. The resulting needs post pandemic, including SEND and behaviour needs in particular, meant that we needed to ensure our approach was further refined and supported with learning, research and flexibility. In essence we needed to ensure that our systems and procedures, in addition to relationships, were refined or changed and resulting developments were progressive and sustainable.
A key challenge was staffing as we had some long term staff absence (in part resulting from children’s behaviour) and covering this placed significant strain on the system. We also needed to ensure we “bought staff along on the journey” and this posed challenges at times.
We had a small cohort of children who posed additional challenge post pandemic and that required significant adaptation. These children had combined challenges, including ACEs, SEND and behaviour needs.
We lacked a consistent approach to behaviour management and we needed to ensure that we had an appropriate balance of sanctions and rewards, in addition to a clear understanding of the graduated approach to behaviour management.
Solutions to behaviour challenges
Behaviour was a constant theme at the beginning of staff meetings and was regularly talked about as part of professional conversations. The initial staff questionnaire was incredibly useful, as we could see how staff felt about behaviour and the management of it. From this we were able to put procedures in place to address the anomalies.
We examined routines and procedures in depth and changed them where they were not working and adapted them where they were either misunderstood or lacking consistency approach. We made sure behaviour was EVERYONES RESPONSILBILTY and made expectations clear.
We increased SLT presence throughout the day, in corridors and during transition times. Expectations were modelled and staff were supported to better understand what was expected of them. We attended training network and open days and disseminated learning from these to staff. Behaviour was first on the agenda in weekly assemblies for the children.
We made the most of the support offered by our Behaviour Hubs Lead School and took on board advice about how to further improve through action planning and follow ups.
Impact on behaviour
We had our full Section 5 Ofsted inspection in March 2022 and behaviour and attitudes was graded as GOOD. The report said Pupils are kind and friendly to each other and visitors. They behave well. Staff act as positive role models…at breaktimes, pupils play happily with their friends. This is a testament to all the hard work we have put into both over time and during our Behaviour Hubs engagement and learning journey.
Behaviour has improved in the corridors, during transition times and at lunchtime. This is a result of a more consistent staff approach to behaviour management which is clearly understood by staff and children alike. There are far less incidents of “red card” behaviour and the children understand the seriousness of this if and when it does happen.
Low level disruption in classrooms has reduced and has led to increased learning time and less missed learning opportunities. This has translated into further improved behaviour and attitudes from all.
There is a greater understanding from staff about the importance of working together and the importance of maintaining rigour when it comes to non negotiables.
As leaders, we have a renewed vigour for ensuring (and not assuming) that all staff understand the vision and values and how our management of behaviour aligns with this. There has been a cultural shift in the way we all think about the management of behaviour.
Next Steps on your behaviour journey
We plan to adapt lunchtimes to staff it with existing teachers and teaching assistants to ensure children have a familiar adult to share their unstructured time with. We are conscious that this is not something that can be rushed and the “restructuring” of this must be very carefully managed.
Continue to embed the “cultural shift” and never assume that we are finished. By its very nature, this is a constantly evolving journey and we do not plan to rest.
Continue to work on our rewards and sanctions and build in a better balance of increased rewards to counteract the need for sanction.
Harness the value of school to school support and tap into any ongoing support, training and research as well as being a support to others as appropriate.