Context for joining Behaviour Hubs
West Sussex Alternative Provision College is a pupil referral unit in West Sussex, serving primary and Secondary aged pupils with social, emotional, mental health difficulties and a range of significant behavioural problems.
WSAPC intake is fluid and pupils can arrive at any time during their school journey. Many arrive at WSAPC either permanently excluded, respite from mainstream education or with applications for EHCPs and undiagnosed SEND needs. To ensure smooth transition, WSAPC’s mission statement is lived through the whole of WSAPC and not just through specific parts of the curriculum.
As a school we recognise the learning barriers pupils face and how important it is as a staff team to remove as many of these to support emotional dysregulation and behaviour. WSAPC will be a major support and stability in their school life, so it is essential to create the right culture for all pupils to thrive and support their next steps beyond WSAPC.
We firmly believe that education is a lifelong process and acknowledge that there may have been obstacles and past events that have blocked our pupils’ educational progress. With this in mind, we recognise that we need to address both the social and emotional needs of our pupils alongside and in conjunction with their educational needs.
The APC aims to provide a caring and positive environment where all are valued and supported through a personalised curriculum which challenges and inspires individuals to achieve their potential. Our Vision and Ethos is to Re-engage, Refocus and Reintegrate Future: Every pupil starts with a “clean slate” at WSAPC. We want our school to focus on the future of our children and to build upon their ambitions and hopes in order to make them a reality.
We want to deliver a wide curriculum offer in all of our centres that caters for the pupils’ development both academically and socially so that they can gain opportunities to further their educational careers in different settings whether it is back at a mainstream school, specialist school or college setting. At WSAPC, we do not have a “them and us”. We have an us! Our staff are dedicated to lead our pupils in an empathetic way in order to guide our pupils to make informed and positive
decisions. We are dedicated to work in an environment that promotes inclusion, equality and fairness and encourage our pupils to make positive changes for themselves, for their school community and for society.
First and foremost, we are a school. We may be a school for a short period of time as our pupils transition from one key stage to another or when they are considering different educational settings, but nevertheless we are a school. This means we expect our pupils to learn and respect each other at all times and to thrive in our community.
Behaviour challenges and goals
To build upon our existing ethos and school values. Challenges and goals included:
- To develop existing behaviour management systems (including rewards) to become a strong and consistent whole school approach
- To develop staff expertise in managing behaviour through effective CPD and a
consistent whole school approach - Staffing structure is a challenge in a small school
- Our Director of Learning was redeployed and was leading on the Behaviour Hubs work. This was picked up by our COO
- Staff recruitment and retention (a national issue)
- Current behaviour climate and social issues in the local areas
- Staff ‘buy in’ to whole school approaches, and simplifying the system so clear for all pupils, staff and stakeholders.
The challenge has been trying to embed a behaviour approach that balances consistency and equity. There has been tension between standardised expectations and the diverse needs of individual children.
Solutions to behaviour challenges
The Behaviour Hubs modules, together with the sharing of good practice through INSET days and, in particular, ongoing development.
The Limes College (a Behaviour Hubs Lead School) supported us in ensuring clearer, simplified valued systems were in place for pupils, staff and stakeholders.
The challenge of staff ‘buy in’ and continued regular consistent CPD sessions, involving all staff with their input to help inform systems and policy. Each school has spent time reviewing documentation and personalising it to their setting. This is where discussions were held to help understand and unpick the balance of consistency and equity. The Behaviour Hubs programme helped us understand that as an alternative provision it is important to have a policy that allows us to use equity in sanctions. This involved considering the unique factors influencing behaviour. It means tailoring consequences to address the specific needs and circumstances of each student, ensuring a fair and just response.
Regarding rewards, we recognise that different students may be motivated by different incentives. It involves offering personalised rewards that resonate with each student’s interest or needs. APC have moved from a central rewards budget and approach to managing this at school level to achieve this.
Introduction of pastoral leads in each setting to support behaviour.
“The DFE Behaviour Hubs programme emphasises sharing best practices to strike a balance between consistency and personalised approaches, fostering a positive learning atmosphere for all pupils.”
Impact on behaviour
- Steps for behaviour introduced – posters are clear for staff and students to refer to
- Behaviour policy updated in 2023
- Tutor time discussion regarding steps for learning
- Restorative conversations
- Ready, Respectful, Safe’ and ‘right place, right time, right thing’ whole school ethos embedded across school
- ‘Go to’ staff for pupils (Pastoral lead in each school to regulate behaviours)
- Calm spaces / triage rooms set up in all schools to allow ‘Talk, Support, Reset’
- Weekly reward assemblies to share successes across the school
- Sanctions discussed at debrief to ensure consistency and equity. Empowering staff to make decisions.
Our most noticeable outcome from the Behaviour Hubs programme is the need for consistency in managing behaviour. Consistency in managing behaviour provides a stable environment, helping pupils understand expectations. However, acknowledging individual needs through flexibility and equity is crucial for tailored support.
Next steps on your behaviour journey
The following next steps will help embed a balanced approach to behaviour:
- Continued professional development. Provide ongoing training for teachers to enhance their understanding of behaviour management strategies, emphasising both consistency and flexibility
- Collaboration. Continue to encourage collaboration among staff at debrief to share successful practices and learn from each other, fostering a supportive and cohesive school culture
- Parental involvement. Continue to engage parents in the process, keeping them informed about behaviour strategies used in school, and seeking their input to align strategies between home and school. We are already inviting parents to join us at lunchtimes to chat to staff and see their students in a learning environment. They are also welcome to join in with the learning experience after lunch
- Further developing Edukey and individual support plans. Continue to implement personalised behaviour plans for students, considering their unique needs and challenges, ensuring equitable treatment while maintaining consistent expectations
- Data analysis. Regularly analyse behaviour data to identify patterns, adapting strategies as needed. This helps in tailoring approaches to individual and collective needs. This is always changing in the APC due to us being a short stay provision and the cohort changing regularly
- Review and reflect. Periodically review the effectiveness of behaviour management strategies, reflecting on successes and challenges, and adjusting the approach accordingly.