Dealing with Misbehaviour
Dealing with misbehaviour
The school has a clear behaviour policy, and a series of expectations of the way that students should behave when at school. This is essential to running a well-ordered school in which students can thrive, both academically and socially.
In line with our core values of Respect and Responsibility, we expect all students to treat each other with respect and conduct themselves in a responsible manner. This includes taking responsibility for any behaviour which may have a negative impact on other members of the school community, be this related to their wellbeing, educational development or both. We also have clear expectations for students as they travel to and from the school or in the local community in general, as well as how the conduct themselves online.
Why have school sanctions?
In the same way that parents or carers use praise, reward and the removal of privileges to encourage their children to behave in the way that they would wish, the school also uses rewards and sanctions.
For many minor matters, a discussion of the issues and the way to address these is sufficient. Where there is an ongoing problem, or the misbehaviour is more serious, then this discussion will be accompanied by sanctions.
The purpose of sanctions is to reinforce that certain behaviours or attitudes are not acceptable within our school community and/or within wider society when students progress to adulthood. For more serious ongoing matters, sanctions also serve as a form of warning that failure to correct misbehaviour could lead to temporary or, in extreme cases, permanent removal from the school in order to protect others’ education and/or well-being.
Deciding the sanction that applies
When an incident occurs, then a sanction will be set by the relevant member of staff in line with the school behaviour policy.
There are times when an incident needs investigation before a decision can be made. This may be because it is a reported concern without direct evidence as yet and/or because student accounts are at variance with other reports. In these instances, the following general procedure is followed:
1. Students concerned are asked to give an account and investigatory staff will ask additional questions to clarify sequencing, detail or any apparent discrepancies
2. Any witnesses will be asked for their account; this will include students and staff. Where possible, witnesses who are neutral i.e. not part of involved students’ friendship groups, will be used.
3. Any camera footage of the area at the time will be viewed
4. A decision will be made as to the likely pattern of events based on the evidence collected.
The school will make the final decision of the sanction that applies in any situation; this is its responsibility. Any decision is not subject to parental/carer approval, though the school would make every effort for parents/carers to understand the reasons behind its decision and how this complies with its behaviour policy.
The school will not accept that any individual student should be exempt from school sanctions. All students must comply with sanctions set by the school.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What happens if you can’t prove, without any doubt, what happened in a given incident?
We do not need to do so. Schools are expected to take into account the “balance of probability” as to what has happened, rather than the requirement to prove something “beyond all reasonable doubt” as is the case in a court of law. However, we always try to get as accurate a picture as possible before making any decision and serious decisions are taken by experienced staff following a thorough investigation of what may have occurred.
What happens if the school and a parent/carer disagree about the way to respond to an incident?
The vast majority of parents/carers are very supportive of the school stance, understanding that the school is a large and complex organisation with over 2000 students who all come from a range of home backgrounds with the subtle differences that make every family dynamic unique.
We cannot promise that our values and judgements will automatically reflect an individual parent's/carer’s views – though we do try to make sure that our stance is logical, clearly explained and that we have a consistent rationale that we apply fairly.
The school has the right to impose sanctions without parent/carer consent and – if necessary - will do so to make sure that, within the school context, children are dealt with fairly and consistently. However, we would always prefer to explain the rationale and gain parent/carer support rather than simply state our right to impose any sanction.
Can I refuse a sanction set for my child?
No. The school is legally entitled to set and impose detentions and other permitted sanctions, and does not require parent/carer permission to do so. However, if you feel that there is evidence that the school has not considered in making this decision, then we would encourage you to contact the member of staff, department or Year Team concerned.
What if my child has Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – do sanctions still apply?
All students attending the school may be subject to school sanctions.
If a child has SEND, and the school feel that a behavioural issue may be symptomatic of this, adaptations to the sanctions process may be made. Follow-up work with the student in question will also be adapted to take into account their SEND and support them as best as possible. For example, if a child has had a negative incident with another student as a result of an argument, specialist support may be given to that child to help them learn how to avoid conflict with peers moving forwards. In some cases, a sanction is an important part of helping a child understand that the behaviour in question was not acceptable and in helping them adapt their behaviour moving forwards.
Of course, whilst a child may have SEND, it does not always follow that behavioural issues are a direct result of or connected to their SEND as there may be many other factors at play. Further details about this area are provided in our Behaviour Policy.
What do I do if my child is upset by being given a school sanction?
It is very easy to become upset when your child is upset, and to act upon the information that they give you without knowing the full story. It is quite normal for children to perceive an event differently to responsible adults and/or to avoid telling parents/carers the fully story of an incident if they know their behaviour has fallen short of expectations.
We always recommend that you talk to your child and try to find out what is at the root of their upset. Often, it is worry about parent/carer reactions or your disappointment in them or they feel that they have let themselves down.
If children are upset that they have a sanction because they feel they have let themselves or you down, then that is a great credit to them – and makes it more likely that any misbehaviour will not be repeated.
If your child is saying that the sanction is unfair, see if he/she can explain why. As an adult, you may be able to give them the wider perspective that children typically lack. However, if you think that what your child is saying doesn’t sound right, then the best thing to do is to contact the school to check whether you have the full picture.
We would strongly recommend that you ask for clarification first, rather than going solely on what your child says to you. As noted, children can be prone to selecting the bits that soften a loved one’s anger with them – and this can give you a misleading picture of the situation.
However, there are inevitably some rare occasions when we haven’t got the full context of the situation; your help in giving us this extra information means we can make sure we are being as fair as possible to any children involved.
Does my child being given a sanction mean that the school will then view him/her as a problem or failure?
No. In the same way that parents/carers will pick up on misbehaviour at home, the school picks up misbehaviour at school. We all know that children will test the boundaries, make some poor decisions or let their emotions rule their response on occasion. Growing up and developing the skills to cope successfully with adult life is about learning from these mistakes.
However, where children don’t learn from the advice given at home or school, and keep on making the same mistakes, then this will become a more serious concern. The school will then talk to parents/carers about different ways to try to resolve the issues identified.
Even when a student has been sanctioned for a serious incident, we always move on positively. Even the extremely rare situation of permanent exclusion, we make clear our hopes and expectation that a young person can make positive changes to be successful in their future.
Does my child being given a sanction mean that parents/carers are at fault?
No. There are very rare cases when a child carries out instructions given by a parent/carer which puts the child into a position where the child is in conflict with the school ethos. In these situations, the parents/carers are compounding their child’s difficulties and we will also discuss this with you in the hope that we can work in closer partnership.
However, the vast majority of misbehaviours are not in this category but result from the child deciding on a course of action that parents/carers would not condone (and the child is most often aware of this, too).
What can parents/carers do to reinforce any sanction given by the school?
Parents/carers have a huge influence on how their children react to any sanctions given; the messages given by parents/carers at home are very important in terms of the effectiveness of any sanction. Parents'/carers’ discussions with their child about the better way to handle a situation, the rationale behind the school’s response (plus any further measures you feel appropriate) are enormously helpful and supportive of your child’s good behaviour at school and, hence, their long term social and academic success.
Do I have the right to be present if my child is seen by the Headteacher?
No. Parents/carers do not have the right to be present in discussions between any member of staff and a student, including the Headteacher. However, the school will often invite parents/carers to join a discussion of concern, or to review progress where issues have been identified and an action plan put into place.
What can I do if I believe that the school’s response to an incident is unfair or unreasonable?
As always, if you feel an approach is unfair or unreasonable, then you can write to the Headteacher and/or Governing Body asking for a review of the policy. If you think the sanction given for a particular incident is unfair or not in line with stated school policy, then you can use the informal or formal complaints procedure to make your case.