Behaviour Policy

Principles

JCA aims to empower – to empower the individual and to empower the community.

• We aspire for students to thrive academically; to flourish and grow as young When they leave us they will have a strong sense of self, their place in the world and the agency to fulfil their potential.
• We aspire to create a learning community where staff and students are engaged, challenged and inspired, and thus will take risks, make mistakes and learn from them.
• We aspire to meet the needs of every person in the Academy. We will embed a supportive and compassionate culture in which the whole person is nurtured, and the voice of students is valued.
• We aspire for our Academy to be the community’s school of choice underpinned by trusting and respectful relationships between staff, students and parents.

We will achieve all of this by ensuring that students feel a sense of belonging and acceptance within the academy, that students’ efforts, skills and values are recognised to build self-esteem, that learning environments feel “safe”, encouraging active participation, risk taking and positive engagement and, through maintaining high standards underpinned by the expectation that everyone works hard and tries their best.

Strong relationships, empowering learning environments and consistent boundaries and well-understood routines that everyone know and understands are the key to psychological safety, enabling every person in our community to explore, develop and express their individual identities, to thrive academically; to flourish and grow as young people.

Ready to Learn is a whole school learning policy which covers all aspects of school life. By establishing JCA as a welcoming, warm, caring and friendly and place, with strong conditions for learning and clear expectations, pupils will have disruption free classrooms in which they are active learners and teachers will have disruption free classrooms full of motivated, responsive and engaged students.

The aims of Ready to Learn are:

1. To optimise the psychological safety of learners so that there is a culture of learning, ambition and achievement throughout the school, where no learning time is wasted through lesson
2. To empower teachers to deliver engaging and creative lessons, enabling staff and students to experiment and take risks, without concern for non-engagement and poor behaviour.
3. To provide clarity for staff and students about expected behaviour and the consequences of not meeting expectations.
4. To ensure students take responsibility for their own

Ready to Learn is a whole school system which relies on all staff engaging in it fully and using it in a fair and consistent way.

This Ready to Learn policy outlines the boundaries and routines, and the approach to student support, that make John Cabot Academy safe and secure for its students and staff.

This policy acknowledges our legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled children, children with special educational needs (SEND) and those with protected characteristics.

Psychological Safety

Research into cognitive science has demonstrated the unequivocal links between learning and the emotional centres within the brain. Feelings of belonging, acceptance and safety are critical for effective learning. Psychological safety is “a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes”¹ Students will develop psychological safety when they feel welcome and accepted, where there is a calm and familiar environment and where it is safe to engage in the learning process, to ask questions, experiment and to make mistakes. Repeated, positive interactions with calm, compassionate and emotionally regulated staff can result in enhanced student well-being and more effective learning. This is true for all students, but even more so for any students experiencing mental health challenges, additional barriers to learning or a history of trauma.

Creating Psychological Safety at JCA

Psychological safety is the key to empowerment. It is created through strong relationships, the development of learning environments where it is feels safe to take risks, and through consistent boundaries and well understood routines. The first 2 stages of Psychological Safety are Inclusion Safety and Learner Safety.

Inclusion Safety (Strong Relationships).

Staff create Inclusion Safety through building and sustaining trusting and respectful relationships with students through a multitude of positive interactions across the day, week, term and academic year. These interactions result in a sense of student belonging and acceptance.

Actions that build positive relationships include:

• Student meet and greet at the classroom door e.g. “Morning Sasha, good to see you”, “Afternoon Alfie, great work yesterday”.
• Welcome statements prior to challenge. e.g. “Morning Sabrina. Good to see you. Do you have a reason for not being in full uniform?”, “Casey it’s great that you are contributing to the discussion, but I have asked Amir to answer so please do not call out (that is your first warning)”
• Presumption of innocence when challenging e.g. “What is your reason for being out of lessons?” (rather than “Why are you out of your lesson?”)
• Positive attention first in all lessons; identify students getting things right before identifying a student not meeting expectations e.g. “We’re moving into quality audience, fab Amina already looking at me”.
• Recognising effort and achievement g. “that’s great effort”, “top answer”, “love that”
• Praise linked to desired behaviour g. “Great Lauren, not only have you given me an answer but you have explained the reasons for your answer”.
• Praise linked to personal qualities g. “Laiba you have focused brilliantly on this task for 15 minutes, that shows your ambition to do well”, “Zara you have been to first person willing to explain your understanding – that’s a really brave thing to do”
• Recording positive behaviours on Bromcom
• Showing knowledge of a student’s outside interests g. “Zara, how did the match go this weekend?”, “Alex, you were fab in yesterday’s Winter Concert”.
• Showing that you care g. “Mohamed, you are clearly really angry about something what has happened? Can I help with anything?”
• Showing a student that they are noticed g. “Good to see you back in school Daisy, missed you yesterday”, “I’ll be with you in 1 minute Casey, just need to see Mohamed first”.
• Showing a student that you are committed to supporting them e.g. “Alan, I have an enlarged copy for you”, “Omar, let’s do the first two examples together to check that you’ve got it”.
• Making positive calls to parents / carers.
• Acknowledging a mistake and making amends “Amandeep, I am so sorry, I said I would come to you next but have then been distracted by a question over here. I will be with you right now”.

Psychological safety is built upon staff displaying a welcoming, relaxed and confident demeaner. Staff should smile, talk calmly and slowly, display open, non-confrontational body language and give students personal space. Staff should always allow a student to finish their sentence (even when we disagree with what is being said) and should never use sarcasm.

However, staff are only human and there are a wide variety of reasons when we may find it more difficult to manage our response to our emotions. In these situations, staff should model emotional literacy to the students e.g. “I am feeling less patient today because I am suffering from a bad back”, model regulation techniques “I can feel myself getting frustrated, I am going to take 5 deep breaths”, and provide an apology when they have got things wrong. This is hugely powerful in modelling to students that everyone can make mistakes and that relationships can be repaired and strengthened through restorative actions.

Despite displaying respect, empathy and compassion, it is vital that staff maintain high standards and are rigorous in their challenge of students when expectations are not met. When challenging a student, staff should always remain calm, should speak slowly and assertively (not aggressively) and should explicitly identify the behaviour that they are challenging. Students should be reminded of the expectation, should be provided with a choice of next steps, and should be given take-up time to make the right decision. At all times staff should aim to present as calm, relaxed, patient and adamant. Where a student continues to refuse to comply with the staff direction, the incident should be recorded on Bromcom and support sought from the duty member of staff, the pastoral team or SLT.

Learner Safety

Learner safety is to feel safe to engage in the learning process, to ask questions, to experiment and even to make mistakes – not if, but when you make them. Learner safety is the enabling precondition that creates the curiosity and willingness to be brave in personal learning. However, children, adolescents and adults all bring inhibitions and anxiety to the learning process. These will be even greater for those experiencing anxiety, mental health issues and additional barriers to learning.

An environment that offers learner safety unlocks potential, cultivating confidence, resilience and independence. The creation of such an environment is not a passive act – it is an active decision to create a supportive and encouraging environment, to commit to be patient with learners, to deliver effective learning strategies and to provide the resources to enable all to learn. Focus should be on student effort rather than aptitude. Critically there should be no stigma, no shame or no embarrassment associated with failure, it is simply a stepping-stone to learning. We should reward failure because it is not failure – it is progress.

Actions that build learner safety include

• The use of familiar routines in your teaching
• Linking new knowledge to prior learning
• Effective modelling
• Working together as a class prior to independent learning (I-WE-YOU)
• The recognition and celebration of effort, participation and risk-taking
• Repeated and explicit recognition and validation of error as an integral part of learning
• The use of low-stakes quizzing
• The use of talk prior to writing
• The use of whiteboards
• Think, pair share
• The offer of other student / teacher support where a student is reluctant to participate
• The provision of model / correct answers for reference
• Elements of student autonomy / choice within learning tasks
• Teacher response to Rather than immediate correction, facilitate further exploration of student thinking “Tell me more, what are your reasons for this answer?”

Consistent Boundaries and Well Understood Routines.

Psychological safety and feelings of belonging are maximised within familiar environments with well understood expectations and routines. Paradoxically, students who have experienced trauma, unregulated home environments, anxiety and additional learning needs crave for, and benefit the most, from consistent boundaries that are enacted within a supportive and compassionate environment. Where student behaviour is outside of these expectations we will apply fair and proportionate sanctions in a consistent manner.

JCA Routines

Parents can see records of all behaviour incidents on the MCAS app.

Students referred to the Separated Learning Room will complete Maths, Science and English work linked to their curriculum. Students from Years 7 – 10 will work silently in the SLR for 2 periods, with this extended to a 3^rd period if they receive 2 warnings whilst in the SLR in any single period. Year 11 students will work in the SLR for the remainder of the period, and will then return to their next lesson. Repeated referrals to the SLR in a day will result in a longer period of referral for Y11 students. Failure to arrive at the room of their own accord or refusal to go to the Separated Learning Room will result in a further sanction.

At 2pm, parents are sent a text message outlining the behaviour incident and that their child needs to attend a restorative conversation. For any incidents logged between 2-3pm, the parents will be sent a message within 5 minutes of the incident being logged.

At the end of the day Students will also attend a restore conversation with the member of staff that has recorded the referral to SLR. This will provide an opportunity for the student and staff to reflect on how their actions impacted on the incident, and to agree how they will work together to avoid further incidents in the future.

Following the restore conversation, the member of staff who made the referral to the SLR should phone home and let the parents/carers know what has happened and why they sent their child to the separated learning room. This builds trust and transparency into the system and ensures parents get the whole story and not just one side of it.

If a student does not attend a restore meeting without due reason, they will face a further sanction.

Members of staff are to explicitly welcome students back to their classrooms at the beginning of the following lesson, giving them brief, positive guidance on what they would like to see differently within the lesson. If a member of staff has not been able to complete a restore conversation before this, then they need to contact the student Pastoral team who will arrange a convenient time for a conversation to take place.

Where a child has caring responsibilities that means they have to leave at the end of the school day, we ask the parent to work with the pastoral team staff to identify an appropriate time in the school day for a restorative conversation.

Where a child cannot get home as a result of attending a restore conversation the same day, we will ask the parent to let us know and the conversation will take place the next day.

See DfE guidance on Behaviour in Schools for more information on sanctions including detentions: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/651d42d86a6955001278b2af/Behaviour_in_schools_guida nce.pdf

Achievement and Behaviour Points

We celebrate achievement in all its forms – including academic success, extra-curricular engagement and service to the community. Students may be awarded an achievement point if they show excellent effort in a lesson, if they show kindness and support of others, if they make a contribution to the running of the school or if they represent the Academy in sport / music / drama etc.

Further celebration of student achievement may be through Year team celebration assemblies, through the provision of attendance, through staff phone calls home and through reward postcards.

Students will receive a negative behaviour point (minus 1) for any recorded referral to the Separated Learning Room, with this including for late arrival to lessons. Any recording of a Serious Incident will also result in a student receiving a negative behaviour point (minus 1 point).

Serious Incidents

Involvement in serious incidents may lead to range of wider sanctions including an extended period in the SLR, Suspension, an off-site direction (OSD) to another (CLF) school, or potentially Permanent Exclusion (PEX).

Serious incidents warrant a parental meeting. We may also need to report the incident to the police following this guidance: https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/incidents-at-school-college/

Serious incidents include, but are not limited to:

Lines in the Sand

There are some lines that we will not tolerate any students crossing. If these lines are crossed, it is highly likely that a student will not return John Cabot Academy. An indicative, but non exhaustive, list would include:

• Bringing recreational drugs into school
• Possession or drinking of alcohol in school, including drinking before school
• A weapon of any sort including pen knives and BB guns
• Persistent bullying
• Persistent disruption of lessons
• An unprovoked physical assault of another student or a member of staff
• Significant and deliberate vandalism
• Breaking onto site during out of school

Student Support

At JCA we will embed compassionate culture where we support students in building the skills to make positive choices. Where we have ongoing concerns about student behaviours, both within and outside of the Academy, we will follow a staged process of increasing levels of support (Graduated Response). This will include initial assessments of need. Identified need may then be addressed through additional academic intervention, pastoral support, internal and external mentoring, access to programmes to build self-confidence and resilience, mental health support and placement within other schools / Engage.

Physical Restraint

There are circumstances when it is appropriate for staff in schools and colleges to use ‘reasonable force’ to safeguard children. The term ‘reasonable force’ covers the broad range of actions used by staff that involve a degree of physical contact to control or restrain children. This can range from guiding a child to safety by the arm, to more extreme circumstances such as breaking up a fight or where a child needs to be restrained to prevent violence or injury. ‘Reasonable’ in these circumstances means ‘using no more force than is

needed’. The use of force may involve either passive physical contact, such as standing between pupils or blocking a pupil’s path, or active physical contact such as leading a pupil by the arm out of the classroom. Please refer to John Cabot Academy’s Positive Handling and Physical Interaction policy.

Searching and Screening

Searching can play a critical role in ensuring that schools are safe environments for all pupils and staff. It is a vital measure to safeguard and promote staff and pupil welfare, and to maintain high standards of behaviour through which pupils can learn and thrive.

Headteachers, and staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions, including electronic devices, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil may have a prohibited item listed below or any other item that the school rules identify as an item which may be searched for.

The list of prohibited items is:

• knives and weapons;
• alcohol;
• illegal drugs, including paraphernalia;
• stolen items;
• any article, including electronic devices, that the member of staff reasonably suspects has been, or is likely to be used:
  • to commit an offence, or
  • to cause harm or personal injury to, or damage to property of; any person (including the pupil).
• an article specified in regulations:
  • tobacco and cigarette papers, including vapes;
  • fireworks; and
  • pornographic

Under common law, school staff have the power to search a pupil for any item and will always seek co-operation of the pupil before. The member of staff should ensure the pupil understands the reason for the search and how it will be conducted so that their agreement is informed. If the pupil does not co-operate, further sanctions may be applied. A record of the search will be put in CPOMS and parents will be informed.

Please see the (link) government’s searching and screening for full guidance.

Being in possession of a prohibited item – especially knives, weapons, illegal drugs or stolen items – may mean that the pupil is involved, or at risk of being involved, in anti social or criminal behaviour including gang involvement, and in some cases may be involved in child criminal exploitation. A search may play a vital role in identifying pupils who may benefit from early help or a referral to the local authority children’s social care services. See Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children.

The school’s behaviour policy should be communicated to all members of the school community to ensure expectations are transparent to all pupils, parents and staff, and provide reassurance that any searching of a pupil will be implemented consistently, proportionately and fairly, in line with the school’s policy.

When exercising their powers, schools must consider the age and needs of pupils being searched or screened. This includes the individual needs or learning difficulties of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and making reasonable adjustments that may be required where a pupil has a disability.

Sexualised Behaviours

Sexualised behaviours at JCA are considered behaviours of a sexual nature that cause upset and / or harm to another person. Sexualised behaviours are considered either to be sexual harassment, sexual assault or sexual violence. They can occur in person or online and are not acceptable or tolerated at JCA.

All incidents of sexualised behaviours are taken seriously and are investigated fully with the appropriate agencies to ensure all children are kept safe and that appropriate sanctions and support are put in place quickly and effectively.

Reporting serious incidents to the police

The Brook traffic light system will be used as a tool to support appropriate sanction and support when dealing with sexualised behaviours and incidents at JCA. In some cases, this may mean reporting the incident to the Police.

Bringing the Academy into Disrepute

John Cabot Academy has the power to sanction students for their behaviour outside of the school premises and outside of school hours (DfE: Behaviour and discipline in schools (January 2016)). This includes when students:

• Take part in any school-organised or school-related activity
• Are travelling to or from school
• Are wearing school uniform
• or behaviour at any other time that poses a threat to another student or member of the public or that could adversely affect the reputation of the school.

We wish for students to be proud of their belonging to JCA, and to be positive ambassadors for the school. Whilst wearing their JCA uniforms, when travelling to and from school, students will be representatives of the school, and will play their part in shaping the perceptions of JCA within their communities.

Positive behaviours, such as respectful interactions with adults, helpful responses and friendly exchanges with younger students, will all help build positive perceptions and may encourage parents / carers to consider JCA as the right educational environment for their children.

On the other hand, negative behaviours such as anti-social conduct (e.g. malicious knocking on doors), boisterous, threatening and intimidating behaviours to others and / or deliberate damage or graffiti to property all have the opposite effect, and will damage the reputation of the academy within the local community. This may impact admission numbers, with this having a knock-on effect on limiting the opportunities that can be provided to the JCA cohort as a whole.

Negative behaviours in the community that damage the reputation of JCA will be classified under the umbrella term “Bringing the Academy into Disrepute”. These will be treated as serious incidents and will result in sanctions and parent meetings.

The first incident of Bringing the Academy into Disrepute will results in a minimum 2-day sanction, followed by a parent meeting to discuss the impact of the incident.

Any further incident of Bringing the Academy into Disrepute will result in a 5-day sanction and a further parent meeting. At this meeting it will be made clear that any further incident which damages the reputation of the school will result in a Permanent Exclusion.

A third incident of Bringing the Academy into Disrepute may result in Permanent Exclusion from the school.

Any incident will be fully investigated as a serious incident. After investigation, if required, the incident will be recorded as a behaviour incident on Bromcom using the various behaviour categories, and an additional record of “Bringing the Academy into Disrepute” will be added within the Support Events section of Bromcom.

Appendix 1: Classroom Expectations

Students are to follow these simple expectations in classrooms at John Cabot Academy:

• Arrive on time to lessons
• Enter the learning space quietly when greeted by the member of staff leading the lesson
• Place bags on the floor and equipment required on the table
• Follow the appropriate ready to learn behaviour for the task as directed by the member of staff
• Sit silently whilst the register is taken
• Listen in silence whilst the member of staff leading the lesson speaks
• Raise a hand to ask a question without calling out
• Work exceptionally hard without disrupting any other student learning
• Pack away equipment, tidy room and place rubbish in a bin when instructed by the staff member
• Students will wear their full Academy PE kit on days when they have PE

n.b. If students do not bring PE kit they will receive a kit mark. On the third kit mark they will be sent to the Separated Learning Room.

If a student fails to meet any of these simple expectations they will receive a 1^st warning. The second time during a lesson that a student fails to meet these expectations, they will be sent to the Separated Learning Room. Failure to arrive at the room of their own accord or refusal to go to the Separated Learning Room will result in a further sanction.

More serious misbehaviors warrant immediate removal from the lesson. These will be investigated by the Pastoral Team and may warrant a more serious sanction. These include, but are not limited to:

• Swearing at or about a member of staff
• Indecent exposure (of self or another person)
• Discriminatory comments or behaviours g. racist, sexist, homophobic
• Violent, aggressive or intimidating behaviour
• Unsafe or dangerous behaviour including ‘play’ fighting
• Hitting furniture, walls, or climbing on furniture
• Deliberate damage to displays or equipment
• Defacing equipment or school property
• Throwing items across the classroom

Families will be billed for damage caused either deliberately or inadvertently through reckless/out of control behaviour.

Appendix 2: JCA Learning Behaviours

Ready to Learn behaviours are what students will demonstrate when they are ‘ready to learn’. Below are descriptors of Ready to Learn behaviours for a variety of learning experiences

Quality Audience

• 3-2-1 countdown
• Eye contact with teacher / student speaking
• Active listening – be ready to give positive feedback and ask questions
• Positive body language – sitting forward, no fidgeting, empty hands

Learning Partners

• Quiet voices – two people
• Focussed talk – talking about what you have been asked to discuss
• Respecting one another’s opinions
• Be ready to stop on countdown

Group Learning

• Quiet voices
• Sensible movement around the room if required to move
• Equal participants – everyone is involved and has a role / responsibility
• Focussed talk – Talking about what you have been asked to discuss in a respectful way
• Be ready to stop on countdown

Individual Learning

• Quiet focussed environment
• Working on your own
• Stickability! Use resources around you to help you
• Hands up for teacher help

Exam Conditions

• Silence
• No turning around – eyes on your own work only
• No distractions g. tapping pen
• Hands up if you have a problem
• Allow time for reading through your work and checking spelling, punctuation and grammar

Appendix 3: Uniform Expectations

All students must be in the correct uniform, unless carrying a pass issued by a SSL/PTL/HoKS. This will be the regular uniform on non-PE days, and the full PE kit on days when they have PE. Uniform checks will be performed on arrival to school. If a student arrives in school without the correct uniform, they will be sent home to rectify the matter, or placed in separated learning until a parent or carer brings in the missing article or until the academy loans a replacement item of uniform to wear.

Refusal to wear loaned uniform items will result in Separated Learning until the issue is rectified.

During the school day if a student is not wearing the correct uniform and not carrying a pass, they will be sent to separated learning.

Expectations of uniform are:

• All uniform to be worn correctly at all times as directed in the uniform policy.
• Shirts tucked in, ties on.
• Blazers or jumpers to be worn at all times when moving around the Academy.
• Blazers can be removed when students are seated in a classroom with permission of member of staff
• Shoes to be worn at all times in the building unless in full PE kit – trainers can be worn outdoors for basketball or football activities.
• On entry to the building students in trainers will be asked to sit on the benches and change their shoes.
• Hoodies or other non-uniform jumpers will be confiscated until the end of the day.
• In the summer the Principal will direct when / if shorts can be worn and when blazers can be removed.
• If uniform is incorrect e. tie not on, wearing trainers the student(s) must be stopped and adjustments made.

Appendix 4: Social Time Expectations 

Student behaviours during social time can have a considerable effect on their approach to learning in the classroom. As such, it is essential they continue to promote a positive learning culture in social time at JCA. During social time students must remain in their designated social areas and follow the one-way system. Students are to follow these simple expectations in social time around the school site:

• Place litter in the bin
• Remove coats when inside the academy
• Walk when inside the academy
• Stay in designated areas for social times (not in stairwells, upstairs or wings)
• Hands off others
• Indoor voices when inside
• Move around calmly and quietly when inside – be thoughtful of others
• Eat in the correct zones – Refer to Dining Zone posters / year group designated

Social Time Immediate Warnings

Any behaviours during social time that destabilise a positive learning culture are unacceptable and must be dealt with immediately.

Student behaviours during social time that will result in a warning are:

• Chewing gum
• Eating or drinking outside of the designated zones
• Inappropriate language, noises or attitude
• Prohibited items seen or heard (must also be confiscated)
• Running inside the academy
• Physical interactions – ‘play fighting’
• Dropping litter
• Not tidying up after themselves
• Shouting
• Wearing non uniform inside (coats / hoodies etc)
• Being in non-designated social areas of the academy (stairwells, wings, upstairs or in a classroom

A second warning during social time will result in immediate removal from social time and the student should be taken to the Separated Learning Room by a member of the duty team. A student will remain there for the remainder of break or lunch.

More serious misbehaviours during social time will warrant immediate removal from social time where student should be taken to the separated learning room by a member of the duty team. These include, but are not limited to:

• Swearing at or about a member of staff
• Inappropriate sexualised behaviors g. sexual harassment or violence
• Indecent exposure (of self or another person)
• Discriminatory comments or behaviours g. racist, sexist, homophobic
• Violent, aggressive or intimidating behaviour
• Unsafe or dangerous behaviour including ‘play’ fighting
• Hitting furniture, walls, or climbing on furniture
• Throwing items inside or in a dangerous manner
• Deliberate damage to displays or equipment
• Defacing equipment or school property
• The sharing of and/or distribution of ‘over the counter’ pharmaceutical drugs (See appendix 10 for more details)

Families will be billed for damage caused either deliberately or through reckless/out of control behaviour. Refusal to go to separated learning during social time by students will regarded as defiance and result in a suspension for the rest of the day and a parent reintegration meeting before returning to the academy

Movement Around the Academy

Students are expected to walk at all times when in the academy, and will be required to follow the one-way system.

It is expected that the vast majority of our students will adhere to the one-way system. However, there will be a need to challenge students that are not following JCA expectations. The key is for staff challenge to be rapid and consistent, underpinned by an approach based on non-confrontation, de-escalation, support and clarity of expectation.

Students failing to meet our expectations regarding the one way system will fall into 2 distinct camps, and will need specific challenge depending on the situation;

Students who are testing the boundaries will need a reminder.

Hi [Insert student name], remember we have a one-way system, the rules are here to make sure everyone is safe. We all need to follow them. Please can you [insert specific change that the student needs to make].

Thankyou.

Students that are repeatedly or openly defying the one way system will need an offer of support.

Hi [Insert student name], I can see that you are not following the one way system. Could I help you? I can either help you to get to where you are going using the correct route, or I can help you with anything else that is bothering you.

This is a reasonable request. Are you choosing not to follow it?

If they still continue to not follow the instruction this will be considered as defiance and will result in separated learning for 2 – 3 periods + the loss of social time.

Appendix 5: Restorative Conversations

Any student who has been referred to the Separated Learning Room at any point during the day will need to complete a restore conversation between 3.00 and 3.15pm with the teacher that has made the referral to SLR.

Any student on the restore list must be bought down to the restore rooms by the tutor. Year 7, 8 and 9 students have restorative meetings in TF1, 2 and 3, Year 10 and 11 students have restorative meetings in the SLR room. The restore meeting rooms will be supervised by the relevant Year group Pastoral teams.

Any member of staff who has referred a student to SLR through the day must attend the appropriate restore room to complete a restorative conversation with the student. The restorative conversation offers an opportunity to reflect on the incident that occurred, to understand how it began and escalated, to consider the behaviour choices that were made and what other options may have been available (to both the teacher and the student), and to agree the actions that the member of staff and student may take in the future to reduce the chances of a repeat incident in the future. The role of the restore conversation is not for members of staff to demand an apology from the student or to apportion blame.

Throughout the restore conversation both staff and students should talk in a calm manner, should be able to speak without interruption, and should listen to the others’ point of view.

Students may approach the restore conversation with feelings of embarrassment, guilt, anger or shame regarding the incident that has occurred. They may find it difficult to reflect openly, may initially seem disengaged and will often not take responsibility for their behaviours. In these circumstances it can be helpful for members of staff to open with phrases such as

“I am here to work with you to make this right next lesson”

“Thanks for coming back this afternoon to help us have a much better lesson tomorrow”

“I wonder if [then give your opinion on what was behind the incident] – this is a great way to explore an issue.

On completion of the restore conversation a phone call should be made to the parents / carers explaining why the student had been referred to SLR, and the agreements that have been made in the restorative conversation.

Appendix 6: Separated Learning Room

Arriving in the Separated Learning Room.

Students must arrive at Separated Learning Room within 10 minutes of when the class teacher’s log was sent. If they do not, they risk failing the SLR and receiving a ½ day suspension.

Student Arrival

• Student is greeted on Student is registered in on year group SLR register and reason for referral recorded in the ‘handover notes’.
• Remind student of expectations within the room, the warning system (1^st warning to remind of expectations, 2^nd warning will result in extended SLR time and re-set conversation with Pastoral MoS, escorted to Pastoral MoS by roaming duty, 3^rd warning will result in suspension for the rest of the day). The warnings reset every period.
• Update register of students completing for that SLR period only with an “A1” mark (Modules, attendance, manage attendance), and then inform student when they will return to lessons with good behaviour, and when they will return if they receive 2 warnings. Note: All Y11 students will return to the next lesson unless it is a double lesson. In this case they will remain in the SLR until the double lesson is Unless they are late, in which case they go back to the 2^nd lesson.
• Remind the student that they will need to complete a restore conversation at the end of the Remind them of the location of their restore room (Yr7 – TF3, Yr8 – TF1, Yr9 – TF2, Yr10&11 – SLR)
• Ask the student if they have a pencil / If they do not then lend them a pencil / pen and give them a warning.
• Students late to school P1 return to lessons P2
• If a student is bought into the room by SLT / Pastoral Team and they communicate that the student needs to remain in the SLR room for a longer period that 2 sessions, the arrival and departure period, and the reason for the referral, should be recorded on the SLR register.
• If a student arrives very dysregulated give them a short amount of time to calm down. Use professional judgement regarding if beneficial to involve SSL at this time to help re-regulate.
• Duty member of staff (roaming) to attend the SLR promptly at the start of the period to collect the phone and remain in the room until the lesson handover is complete and the room is settled.
• Check there is a behaviour incident recorded for each If they were late/truanting, add one yourself, otherwise ask the duty staff to ask the member of staff to do it.

Setting and Supporting Student Work.

Schedule:

8.40am – 9.10am: Silent Reading. Provide book from crate to all students.

9.10 – 9.55: Maths.

9.55 – 10.05: Break

10.05 – 10.55: English

10.55 – 11.55: Science

11.55 – 12.55: Maths

12.55 – 13.15: Lunch

13.15 – 14.15: English: Do not allow reading of books – this needs to be written work

14.15 – 15.00: Science

• Student provided with paper, directed to appropriate work and directed to a seat (use seats from the front to the back but use professional judgement regarding seating positions of students who are likely to disrupt one another). It can be useful to set students a target / expectations regarding amount of work that needs to be completed during a session.
• KS3 Students will be expected to be completing either Maths, English or Science following the SLR session timetable. KS4 students may choose to complete other subject work depending on the resources available.

Appropriate work will be either:

• SLR Maths / Science / English Year group work-books
• Maths / English / Science KS1 / KS2 or KS3 workbooks*
• KS4 subject revision / workbooks*

Copy relevant / appropriate pages as

• At the end of the session identify the students that are to be leaving the room, and direct these students to return their learning resources to the correct Strongly supervise the return of resources to the correct places.
• Ensure at least one of the SLR members of staff circulates around the room, supports work completion and completes assessment of work wherever possible.
• Where a student is not completing work then intervene with “I see you are currently not working, is there anything I can help you with?” This may result in the student needing some additional guidance / support to re-engage in the work, or may result in different, more appropriate work being required. If your professional judgement is that the student is choosing not to work, then remind them of the expected amount of work to be completed in the session, and inform them that you will check-in again in 1 – 2 mins and expect to see their re-engagement in work

Registering Students on Bromcom.

Note: For P1 and P5 also ensure that the am / pm mark has been entered as present (/). Over-write any

existing “N” or “A” code made by their class teacher.

• At the start of each session all students remaining in the SLR from the previous period should be registered as present using the code “A1”.
• As additional students are referred to the SLR through the lesson, complete the entry protocol and then register them in the same way as above, changing their register mark to a “A1”.

Giving Warnings:

Note: Warnings reset at the end of each period. A student must receive 2 warnings in the same period to reach re-set conversation and extension of time. If it is warning 1 in P1, and then warning 1 in P2, the student does NOT have any extension, and is able to return to lessons at the end of the 2^nd period.

• When a student is not meeting expectations in the SLR a warning should be given following Ready to Learn The reason for the warning is explained and the expected behaviour re-stated.
• If this is a first warning this is recorded on the SLR register, and the student is reminded that if a second warning is given then they will have an extension of 1 additional period in the SLR, and the need for a re-set conversation with a Pastoral member of staff.
• If this is a 2^nd warning the SLR register should be amended to identify the new departure The Year group Pastoral time should be contacted to inform them that a re-set conversation is required. Students should NOT be sent unaccompanied to go to the Year group office, but should either be collected by the SSL or walked up to the office by the Duty member of staff. If the room is quiet, it may be reasonable that one of the SLR members of staff is able to complete this.
• If this is a 3^rd warning within a single period then the SLR member of staff should contact KWI / GRE or MOD regarding the need to suspend the student for the rest of the day. No decision regarding suspension can be made without the authority from one of these 3. If the decision to suspend has been agreed, the Year team should be asked to make contact with home to explain the decision to suspend. Note: Students cannot be sent home without the permission of their parent / carers.
• Where a 3^rd warning has been received, and parents / carers cannot be contacted or cannot give permission for the student to be suspended, then the student must remain on the JCA site. They may be supported by the Pastoral team in the Year Office, may need to be isolated in the corridor outside KWI’s office, or may be returned to lessons with a sanction to follow.
• Behaviour events in the SLR should be recorded in Bromcom via the individual students Profile page

SLR Break and Lunch. 

• SLR break is for 10 minutes 55 – 10.05, and SLR lunch is for 20 minutes 12.55 – 13.15.
• During SLR break and lunch students have access to the Street Canteen, the Street toilets and the open space between the A and B SLR students do not have access to the library at this time.
• At the start of the break / lunch students should be reminded of the start and finish time, the expectation that they remain between the A and B wings, and they must request to use the toilets from the member of staff. Only allow 1 male and 1 female student to visit the Street toilets at any one time during break and Inform students that if they go outside of the A and B wings then their SLR time will be extended by 1 period.
• Remind students when there is 3 – 4 minutes remaining of break / lunch that this is their opportunity to use the toilets.
• At the end of break / lunch, return the students to the SLR room, ensuring that they return to the same Stand at the doorway and ensure they enter one by one, in silence and re-direct them to their work.
• On return from break / lunch appreciate students for their hard work / meeting of expectations, and remind students of when they will be returning to lessons.
• If any students have not met expectations then amend the SLR register as required.
• Make sure any changes are shared.

End of lesson.

• Check that students that are nearing completion of their SLR sanction know which subject / room / teacher they will returning to.
• 2 minutes before the lesson end, direct students who are leaving to, one by one, return their work resources. Strongly supervise this so that resources are returned to the appropriate place.
• For students that are not returning to their lesson, direct them to continue their work However, it is reasonable to expect during this change over there will be some loss of focus.
• The new staff team will take responsibility for the change of subject / work resources at the appropriate time in the next session (change-over is approximately ½ way through each session)

Exceptions regarding staying in the Separated Learning Room.

A student must never be allowed out of the Separated Learning Room to attend a normal lesson, including a lesson to complete coursework unless in exceptional circumstances as agreed by the senior member of staff on duty. A student may only leave the Separated Learning Room if they have:

1. A public examination
2. Planned in school interventions
3. A planned lesson which has incurred personal cost for materials / equipment g. Food Technology
4. A pre-arranged appointment out of school – Doctors, Dental, CAMHS etc

Adapted SLR.

A small number of students will have adapted SLR provision in recognition of additional need. All of the students requiring an adapted provision will have been identified by the SENCO / Pastoral teams. A register of students with agreed adapted SLR provision is held on the JCA intranet / Inclusion / SLR / Adapted Provision.

Adaptations may include:

• Being able to access the library if the SLR is very busy
• To be able to check-in with Pastoral staff before entering the SLR or if a warning is given
• Being able to sit at the back / away from other students even when the SLR is quiet
• Direction to specific subject work outside of the set SLR schedule
• Reduced length of time in the SLR in response to out of lesson referral

Appendix 7: Graduated Response

At JCA we will embed compassionate culture where we support students in building the skills to make positive choices. Where we have ongoing concerns about student behaviours, both within and outside of the Academy, we will follow a staged process of increasing levels of support. Stages will be reviewed on a termly basis.

Stage 1

In response to 1 – 2 behaviour incidents / week across a term (e.g. 6 – 11 incidents within a 6-week term), a student will be placed on Stage 1 support. This will include a parent call by the tutor to talk through initial concerns, and then daily review of student lesson scores by the tutor via a daily report card. Parents will be given a weekly progress update by the tutor.

Stage 2

In response to 2 – 3 behaviour incidents / week across a term (e.g. 12 – 17 incidents across a 6-week term), a student will be placed on Stage 2 support. The Pastoral Team Lead will meet with parents to share concerns, and the student will be assigned a Key Adult, with this being either the Pastoral team Lead or Student Support Lead. The student will report to their Key Adult 2 – 3 times per week, with parents / carers receiving an update in response to each report.

In addition, the student will work with their Key Adult to review their timetable to identify periods of challenge and success, and may complete receive regular mentoring support. The student may well complete additional assessments with the SEND team to explore any undiagnosed barriers to learning.

At Stage 2 a range of other interventions will also be considered. This could include behaviour contracts, additional numeracy / literacy support, referral to the School Counsellor, Managing Emotional Triggers, Social Skills, Thrive and / or Educational Psychologist stage 1 assessment.

Stage 3

In response to 3 – 4 behaviour incidents / week across a term (e.g. 18 – 23 incidents in a 6-week term) a student will be placed on Stage 3 support. The parent will meet with the Key Stage Lead to communicate that the student is at risk of losing their place at JCA, and to outline the continued concerns. The student will be assigned a Key Adult, and will then report to them at the end of each day to review their lesson scores, with the parents receiving a daily update.

The student will be discussed at Team around the Child (TAC) meetings where other interventions will be considered. These may include continued internal mentoring, external mentoring, Educational Psychologist Stage 2 assessment, an off-site Direction to another Academy, Engage Placement and / or Integra Support.

Stage 4

In response to more than 4 behaviour incidents / week across a term (e.g. 24 or more incidents in a 6 week term) a student will move to Stage 4 support. The parent will meet with the Principal and the Assistant Principal (Inclusion Lead) to re-emphasise that the student is at risk of losing their placement at JCA, and to outline the continued concerns. The student will then report to their Key Adult at the end of each day to review their lesson scores, with parents receiving a daily update.

The student will be discussed at Team around the Child (TAC) meetings where other interventions will be considered. These may include continued external mentoring, Hospital Education and the use of placement in alternative provision.

Appendix 8: Investigation of Serious Incidents.

• Incident Occurs
• Incident reported to Pastoral Team
• Incident recorded on Bromcom by member of staff witnessing
• Pastoral Team investigates – student statements, staff statements, CCTV, phone images
• Head of Key Stage summarises on Serious Incident Form, and attaches collated
• Head of Key Stage makes recommendations to AP (Inclusion). Agree sanctions / next steps
• If Off-site Direction (OSD) required Pastoral Team liaise with
• If extended time in SLR following day – Pastoral team communicate with home so student is aware prior to coming into school following day.
• If OSD, Pastoral team make direct contact with home to communicate placement, to explain the purpose of the OSD is to improve behaviour, and to agree arrangements (arrival / departure time, location, lunch etc). NO OSD SHOULD TAKE PLACE WITHOUT DIRECT CONTACT WITH HOME. But they can occur without parental consent.
• If suspension to take place Pastoral Team / link SLT communicate suspension and reason for suspension to home.
• If suspension AP (Inclusion) communicates to Ops Manager / Attendance Officer / SLT PA for update of registers, writing of suspension letter, organisation of re-integration meetings
• Pastoral team feedback to staff involved and tutor
• Head of Key Stage places Serious Incident Form in Front Office
• For any OSD or suspension, Link SLT complete re-integration meeting and re-integration paperwork. This is attached to serious incident form.
• SLT PA scans re-integration form and attaches as link document in Bromcom
• Serious Incident Form and re-integration meeting paperwork returned to Pastoral Team for filing in student file.

Appendix 9: Power to use Reasonable Force

• Teachers may choose to physically separate students (where verbal instructions have not worked) where students are found fighting or who may, in the view of the member of staff, cause physical harm or damage to property.
• John Cabot Academy does not require parental consent to use force on a student.
• Staff will be supported if they feel that they can stop a student causing harm through physical intervention, but similarly, if staff feel they may put themselves at risk of harm through a physical intervention, then a member of staff may choose not to become involved for their own safety.
• Through this policy, staff, students and parents will be clear about when force may be used.
• The decision on whether or not to physically intervene is down to the professional judgement of the staff member concerned and should always depend on the individual circumstances
• Staff are guided by DfE guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachme nt_data/file/444051/Use_of_reasonable_force_advice_Reviewed_July_2015.pdf
• For further details see the JCA Safeguarding policy and CLF policy on reasonable force.

Appendix 10: Drugs and other Prohibited Items

Definitions

A drug is a substance, which, when taken into the body, changes the way we feel, the way we see things and the way the body works.

Our Role

Our school takes the lead to promote students’ wellbeing. We understand that we have a role to play in preventing drug misuse and we will educate children and young people as part of our pastoral responsibility.

We aim to

• Provide accurate information on drugs and alcohol through education and targeted
• Where necessary, use the powers of search and confiscation in line with Government
• Work with local voluntary organisations, the police and others to prevent drug or alcohol

Procedure Following an Incident

The school will consider each incident individually and employ a range of responses to deal with these. Parents/carers will be informed about the incident as soon as the facts of the case have been established.

1. Alcohol
   1. The school and its premises are alcohol free The school does not allow any alcohol to be consumed on school premises without prior authorisation for pre-arranged social gatherings for adults sanctioned by the Principal. Anyone found to be in breach of this rule will be sanctioned by the Assistant Principal (Inclusion) and/or the Principal.
   2. Any student who is found with or under the influence of alcohol will be referred to the Assistant Principal (Inclusion) and appropriate medical assistance sought in the first
   3. Any student who is found with or under the influence of alcohol will be dealt with by using the sanction of fixed term exclusion or alternative to Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.
   4. If a person passes or sells alcohol to another student then they will be Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.
2. Cigarettes (Tobacco) and Vapes
   1. Cigarettes or other smoking product (such as ‘vaping’ equipment) must never be brought into school.
   2. Any student who is found smoking or is with a group of students that are found smoking will be dealt with by using the sanction of fixed term exclusion or alternative to exclusion. Repeat offences will be dealt with by using an escalated Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.
   3. If a person passes or sells cigarettes to another student then they will be Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.
3. Solvents/Chemicals
   1. Solvents/Chemicals are hazardous to Students are not permitted to bring solvents into school. This includes correction fluid and pens, ‘Tipp-ex’ thinners or glue. Students are permitted to bring felt tip pens to school. All members of staff are responsible for the safe storage and use of solvents in their classroom. Where possible, these should be locked away when not in use. This includes glues and paints. Cleaners and premises staff should also ensure that their stores are locked when not in use and that solvents are held in a secure place
   2. Any student who is found with or under the influence of solvents/chemicals will be referred to the Assistant Principal (Inclusion) and appropriate medical assistance sought in the first
   3. A student who is found with or under the influence of solvents/chemicals will be dealt with by using the sanction of fixed term exclusion or an alternative to exclusion. Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.
   4. If a person passes or sells solvents/chemicals to another student then they will be excluded. Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.
4. Drug Related Incidents
   1. Drugs and associated paraphernalia never be brought into
   2. Any student who is found with or under the influence of drugs and drugs paraphernalia will be referred to the Assistant Principal (Inclusion) and appropriate medical assistance sought in the first instance.
   3. Any student who is found with or under the influence of drugs and drugs paraphernalia will be dealt with by using the sanction of fixed term exclusion or alternative to exclusion. Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.
   4. If a person passes or sells drugs to another student then they will be Persistent offenders may be permanently excluded.

Any response to drug related incidents needs to balance the needs of the individual students concerned with the wider school community. In deciding what action to take, we will follow our Behaviour policy. Additionally:

• When dealing with such issues we will also be mindful of DfE Exclusion
• Drug use can be a symptom of other problems. We will also be ready to involve or refer students to other services when This would usually be as a result of consultation with parents/carers.

Involving parents/carers and dealing with complaints

• We are not required to inform parents before a search takes place or to seek their consent to search their child.
• There is no legal requirement to make or keep a record of a search, but we may do
• We will normally inform the individual student’s parents/carers where alcohol, illegal drugs or potentially harmful substances are found, though there is no legal requirement to do
• Complaints about searching should be dealt with through the normal school complaints

Working with the Police

A member of the school’s Leadership Team will liaise with the police from time-to-time to discuss a range of community based issues.

Legal drugs

The police will not normally need to be involved in incidents involving legal drugs but we will inform trading standards or police about the inappropriate sale or supply of tobacco, alcohol or volatile substances to students in the local area or inappropriate use or supply of legal drugs.

Managing Medicines

Some students may require medicines that have been prescribed for their medical condition during the school day. These are managed in line with our medications procedure and in consultation with parents/carers and other medical professionals.

Controlled drugs

In taking temporary possession and disposing of suspected controlled drugs, we will endeavour to:

• ensure that a second adult witness is present throughout;
• seal the sample in a plastic bag and include details of the date and time of the seizure/find and witness present;
• store it in a secure location, such as a safe or other lockable container with access limited to senior members of staff;
• notify the police without delay, who will collect it and then store or dispose of it in line with locally agreed The law does not require a school to divulge to the police the name of the student from whom the drugs were taken but it is advisable to do so;
• record full details of the incident, including the police incident reference number;
• inform parents/carers, unless this is not in the best interests of the student;
• identify any safeguarding concerns and develop a support and disciplinary response (see below).

Drug Dogs and Drug Testing

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) recommends that drug dogs should not be used for searches where there is no evidence for the presence of drugs on school premises. However, we may choose to make use of drug dogs or strategies if we wish.

Intervention

We will work with parents/carers to help with identifying students at risk of drug misuse. The process of identifying will aim to distinguish those who require general information and education, those who could benefit from targeted prevention, and those who require a more detailed assessment of their needs.

Students whose parents/carers or family members misuse drugs

We will be alert to behaviour which might indicate that the child is experiencing difficult home circumstances. We will also be pro-active in the early identification of children’s and young people’s needs and in safeguarding the children in our care.

Screening is important in assessing needs. Where problems are observed or suspected, or if a child chooses to disclose that there are difficulties at home and it is not deemed a safeguarding issue:

• we will assess the student’s welfare and support needed;
• we may consider asking for support of support for the child such as Children’s Services;
• we may approach external support services and, where appropriate, the

Confidentiality

We will have regard to issues of confidentiality (although staff cannot promise total confidentiality to students). More information on confidentiality can be found in Working Together to Safeguard Children.

Appendix 11: Searching, Screening and Confiscation

The Principal and staff authorised by them have a statutory power to search students or their possessions, without consent, where they have reasonable grounds for suspecting that the student may have a prohibited item.

Prohibited items are:

• knives or weapons
• alcohol
• illegal drugs and associated paraphernalia
• stolen items
• tobacco and cigarette papers, vapes and puff bars
• fireworks
• pornographic images
• any article that the member of staff reasonably suspects has been, or is likely to be, used to commit an offence, or to cause personal injury to, or damage to the property of, any person (including the student).

The Principal and authorised staff can also search for any item banned by the school rules. School staff can confiscate any prohibited item found as a result of a search. They can also confiscate any item they consider harmful or detrimental to school discipline.