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Sunbury State School

Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students

based on The Code of School Behaviour

Rationale

Sunbury State School is determined to enact Education Queensland’s commitment towards provisions that ensure all young Queenslanders have a right to and receive a quality education.

 We believe that essential to effective learning is a safe, supportive and well-disciplined environment that respects the following rights:

o        The rights of all students to learn

o        The rights of teachers to teach

o        The rights of all to be safe.

Sunbury State School has a proactive approach to maintain peaceful, non-violent environments in which children and adults develop positive views of self and of others, learn positive appropriate ways of relating and are equipped with strategies enabling them to cope with difficulties in life in positive and appropriate ways. 

 Students are expected to:

o        Support and cooperate with school staff

o        Participate actively in the school’s education program

o        Take responsibility for their own behaviour and learning

o        Demonstrate respect for themselves, other members of the school community and the school environment

o        Behave in a manner that respects the rights of others, including the right to learn.

 Sunbury State School is expected to:

o        Provide safe and supportive learning environments

o        Provide inclusive and engaging teaching and curriculum

o        Initiate and maintain constructive communication and relationships with students and parents/carers

o        Promote the skills of responsible self-management to students

o        Promote our motto of learning for life through their actions and interactions.

 Families are expected to:

o        Provide safe and supportive environments

o        Meet their child’s basic physical and emotional needs

o        Initiate and maintain constructive communication and relationships with students and schools

o        Promote the skills of responsible self-management to their children

o        Support the school’s efforts to manage groups of and individual students.

Sunbury’s Beliefs about Behaviour and Learning

 The primary function of Sunbury State School is as a place of academic and social learning. Given the resources the school has and the outcomes expected from it by the wider community, we have developed a set of standard expectations which are based on a common set of values. The following diagram depicts the relationships between our values, the definition of these values and the common language we are going to use to ensure the clear understanding of these values and the shared aspirations of our community for our students.

 The aspirations and values above combined with the following expectations form the common language which our staff will use within our community when we explicitly teach about, model and use the values and standards. 

SAFETY means

þ       Safe use of equipment

þ       Acknowledgment and respect of the personal space of self and others

þ       Following of school practices and routines    

þ       Moving safely through the school environment

þ       Resolution of conflict without violence, or abuse.

 RESPECT means

þ       Respecting self, processes and procedures

þ       Respecting belongings of self and others

þ       Demonstration of an awareness of the rights and feelings of others

þ       Attentive listening

þ       Appropriate communication

þ       Following of school expectations

þ       Solving problems in a peaceful way.

EFFORT means

þ       Attempting set work to best of ability

þ       Effective management of time

þ       Contribution to life and activities of the school

þ       Demonstration of an interest in the life of the school

þ       Keeping small problems small by thinking first.

RESPONSIBILITY means

þ       Following instructions

þ       Making appropriate choices with or without supervision

þ       Accepting responsibility for own behaviour

þ       Being ready to work

þ       Using structures/processes of support.

We believe that student’s behaviours are determined by the interplay of three components:

1. Knowledge and skills: DO I KNOW WHAT TO DO? 

This is influenced by the social environment and in part the context

2. Ability: CAN I DO IT? 

This is influenced by developmental and/or physiological and/or psychological factors

3. Motivation: DO I WANT TO?

This element has a strong sense of choice, but can be heavily influenced by the context, social environment, physiological and psychological factors

In most circumstances we expect students to require less support in meeting our expectations the older they get.  We also expect that the older students will be positive role models for our younger students.  At all times, ability, skills and motivation of the students will be balanced with the needs and rights of school community members. 

Student behaviour that does not comply with the expected standards is not acceptable. Consequences will be applied to:

o        Provide the opportunity for all students to learn

o        Maximise the safety of staff and students

o        Assist students who exhibit challenging behaviours to accept responsibility for themselves and their actions, with the move towards modification of their actions.

Access to alternative programs and input from other agencies may be necessary for students who repeatedly do not comply with expected standards of behaviour to support their learning and/or the learning environment of others. Students who are unable to meet our defined expectations, regularly, with practical levels of support may not be enrolled in the most appropriate setting.

Most students are able manage their own behaviour most of the time, however, for a variety of reasons (knowledge and skills/ability/motivation) occasionally children are unable to display behaviours that are acceptable in our school. Sometimes this may be a “one-off mistake” or be part of “a pattern of behaviour”. The table below indicates our commitment to understanding students and therefore providing the most appropriate types of support for our students. Student behaviour may be influenced by a number of factors, outlined below.

 Students with Special Needs

Students with special needs fit within the broader aspects of our Behaviour Management Plan; with a clear focus on risk management of unsafe behaviours (possibly due to the predictability of certain behaviour traits of students with some syndromes/conditions). Consequences will  apply to students not using the specific support structures put in place for them. If inappropriate behaviours occur as a result of choice or motivation they are treated in a similar method as with other students.

Engaging curriculum

We recognise that poor behaviour is minimised when students are actively engaged with and interested in their own learning. Our school aims to provide quality teachers who are responsible for implementing quality learning experiences for our students using a wide repertoire of teaching strategies. We also recognise that not every second of every lesson is going to be “on the edge of your seat” teaching. The teaching process is made up of four key elements, exploration of new ideas, practice of those new elements (this often is the longest element), using those new skills and assessment (testing of how successful the whole process has been). Overall, an engaging curriculum is achieved at Sunbury through teaching that is generally:

o        Interesting allowing for in depth and often novel investigations

o        Logical in what is practiced a literacy and numeracy program that teaches the “fundamental skills” based on our understanding of “how children learn”.

o        At the right level for the student to do independently, or supported – with a responsive identification and intervention process that can readily feed information into a diagnostic process aimed at establishing strengths and weaknesses

o        Meeting the learning needs of the range of students, while taking into consideration the practical support. A range of teaching styles, whole class, group and individual, depending on the student’s needs and the desired outcomes.

Professional development

Professional development has focussed and will continue to do so around the areas of individual staff interest, systemic requirement and whole school focus.  When we understand students, how they learn and what their motivation is we are then better able to cater for their holistic learning needs. Our staff is committed to sharing their own expertise.

Our professional development budget will continue to focus on our whole staff striving for continual improvement in their skills, knowledge and understanding which will equip them to perform their duties at the highest level.  This will be done in such a way that the individual strengths of teachers (and staff)  is valued, and that life-long learning is the goal ( a skilful, balanced teacher, teaches the best, it is no good having a burnt-out expert).

Processes for facilitating standards of positive behaviour and responding to unacceptable behaviour.

Quality relationships and positive interactions flourish in a positive climate, the hall-mark of which is mutual respect.  At Sunbury we aspire to build students with integrity, positive self-esteem and citizenship. We believe that parents and the school staff have a joint responsibility to encourage children to develop these aspirations, by applying many strategies including:

·         Providing leadership skills and responsibilities

·         Creating an environment that fosters the development of trust

·         Providing positive models and images

·         Valuing, recognising and rewarding appropriate choices and actions

·         The provision of choices, whilst building the understanding that there are responsibilities and consequences for every choice

·         Providing clear and consistent boundaries to avoid confusion

·         Respecting children so that they can develop self-respect

·         Celebrating success and diversity

·         Support and caring for children as they learn to deal with their feelings.

At Sunbury all teachers develop their own individual class behaviour management plans which are based on our shared values, standards and common language. This is a proactive approach  where the plans clearly outline and identify the strategies that teachers use to ensure:

þ       Their classes are well-disciplined with minimum disruption to learning

þ       Appropriate student choices are recognised

þ       Responses to inappropriate student choices are planned, reducing the reactionary responses of staff.

These plans are developed in collaboration with students, and will show how teachers will explicitly teach the values and standards to their class.

Levels of Behaviour Support

It is clearly understood at our school that from time to time various students will require differing levels of support. In essence:

·         Students at the Whole school support level do the right thing with very little input from others

·         Students who require Targeted support require more input from the teacher, the administration and parents to maintain behaviours that have acceptable impacts on others. If this level of support is sustained then a formal diagnostic process is likely to be entered into

·         Students who require Intensive support require more input from administration, support staff, specialists, parents and possibly external agencies to maintain behaviours that have acceptable impacts on others. If this level of support is sustained then a formal diagnostic process is more likely to be entered into, unless there is already a clear diagnosis

   Model of percentage of students        requiring the various levels of support

Network of Student Support

This table represents a range of services/responses that may be deemed appropriate; each of the support level cases may be treated individually.

Behaviours that appear to be part of a pattern of behaviour due to their frequency are analysed and recognised as target behaviours. Individual circumstances are considered when investigating these behaviour incidents and the subsequent progression of students between levels. Some behaviour, including one-off behaviours may demand intensive support immediately, without a period of targeted support.

Consequences for unacceptable behaviour 

If a student behaves inappropriately there will be a consequence, the type and severity of it will depend on, a balance between:

o        The intention

o        The severity of that behaviour

o        The frequency of the behaviour

o        Any previous intervention or support for the student and

o        The outcome.

Any of the factors listed in the table “Understanding a student’s behaviour” may well have a limited impact on the consequence, they are more likely, however, to be used to establish processes that reduce the risk of such behaviours presenting again. Such processes rely on the student taking responsibility for “using” the support being offered by the school.

Consequences for unacceptable behaviour are primarily used as a way of sending a clear message to the offender and the other students in the school that certain behaviours are not acceptable, nor will they be tolerated. The purpose of the consequences is to not only stop that student from re-offending but to also serve as a deterrent to other students.

As in society, students that re-offend or who engage in more serious offensives are likely to face increasingly serious consequences. These increasing serious consequences may also be accompanied by organisational change as a means of “risk management”.

The consequences below are:

þ       Not an exhaustive list

þ       Not locked-step, they represent groups of strategies that may be used

þ       Are generally more serious towards the bottom of the list, with the understanding that some behaviours may warrant going straight to those more serious consequences.

þ       Applied where possible so that the consequence may have a logical link to the inappropriate action

þ       Clearly outlined in class teacher behaviour management plans.

Initial issues with safety/respect/effort/responsibility around learning which is inclusive of learning in all settings, specialist lessons, classroom, playground, and movement around the school, might have a consequence that includes:

þ       Tactical ignoring/selective attending

þ       Direction/re-direction

þ       Rule referrals, rule questions

þ       Behaviour charts/reward systems

þ       Choices and logical consequences

þ       Key questions / responsible choices questions

þ       Low-intrusion techniques—cueing, body language, non-verbal signals, proximity

þ       Behaviour monitoring

þ       Seating plan

þ       Buddy systems

þ       Behaviour agreements

þ       In-class withdrawal / in-class supervision

þ       Time-out/cool-off cards

þ       Small group/whole class social skilling

Initial issues involving aggressive or violent behaviour or continued issues with around learning might have a consequence that includes:

þ       Playground withdrawal

þ       Playground restrictions: who/what/where

þ       Playground monitoring

þ       Mediation

þ       Parent contact

þ       Suspension

þ       Individual Behaviour Management Plans

þ       Teacher aide withdrawal/supervised sessions

þ       Behaviour work with Principal/Deputy Principal

Persistent and/or severe issues with safety/respect/effort/responsibility might have a consequence that includes

þ       Behaviour work with Behaviour Support Teacher/ Principal/Deputy Principal

þ       Use of appropriate mentors

þ       Peer mentoring

þ       Visits by external agency

þ       Case conferencing/parent interviews

þ       Subject withdrawal/changes

þ       Modified school attendance

þ       Referral to internal and external support agencies

þ       Alternative Education Program (AEP)

þ       Physical restraint

þ       Distance Education

þ       Supervised visit to alternative campus

þ       Exclusion

School disciplinary absences are used after careful consideration has been given to other alternatives.

Consideration of Individual Circumstances

Individual circumstances are considered when investigating behaviour incidents. A range of factors are considered and a measured response delivered. Consideration to individual circumstances is best done proactively, rather than trying to undo a messy situation. The responsibility of informing the school of significant circumstances falls upon the parents and the student themselves. The school will then do whatever is practical with the support of the parents and the student to ensure that there is support structures made available for the student to access.

One off mistake

Students at this school are “growing humans”. They are not perfect nor are they expected to be, they are however, expected to be learners.  Everyone makes mistakes, however, an important expectation of society and schools is for students to minimise these, and to accept responsibility and in doing things differently next time. A mistake can not be explained away through lack of thought or effort.

Playground Expectations

We recognise that play times afford children with great social opportunities.  Whilst it is appropriate that at times staff will direct play, it is important that children have every opportunity to learn to play independently, creatively, productively and safely.

To enhance consistency across the school, we have developed a series of general expectations for our play areas which will be included in our playground folders as well as specific expectations which will be specifically taught and revised regularly by class and duty teachers.  These expectations will be enforced by all staff eg all staff will address any student they observe running on the concrete at any time.

General expectations for adventure play areas:

¬     No tiggy or running games.

¬     All going one way on the equipment.

¬     No kicking, throwing of the impact absorbing material.

Specific expectations:

�    Students may not lift other students.  However a staff member may if they feel comfortable doing so and are mindful or correct lifting procedures.

�    Can reach out to two or three monkey bars but not jump to them.

�    No leaping off or jumping off equipment.

�    Use the slides front facing and on bottoms.

�    One direction on monkey bars.

�    No waiting on platforms.

�    Anti-clockwise direction on new adventure.

�    Flying fox must go there and back.

�    One at a time on rope bridge.

�    Waiting on spot for swings.

General expectations sand pit play areas:

¬     No burying of any items.

¬     Toys packed away 2^nd breaks only.

¬     Share equipment

Specific expectations:

�    Must stop first bell – and be explicitly monitored.

�    Shoes stay on but are emptied into the sand pit before leaving.

�    No throwing anything

General expectations multi-purpose court:

¬     Access by not going through out of bounds areas.

¬     Not open before or after school

Specific expectations:

�    No fence climbing

�    Children play safely and manage games and age groups.

General expectations oval spaces:

¬     No touch or tackles or slide tackles (soccer)

¬     Post pads must be up before any type of play.

Specific expectations:

�    Play in designated areas.

�    No throwing /kicking balls etc over kickboard.

�    No garden areas for play

�    Post pads must be up before any type of play.

Main undercover area:

¬     Tennis balls only

¬     Skipping Ok but not joining ropes

¬     Sitting whilst eating and before school.

Specific expectations:

�    Grassed area near toilets is not a running area.

�    Benches not to be moved by students

Expectations for children waiting for buses.

�     Students will go straight to their bus lines.  If they require a drink or need to go to the toilet, they must check with duty staff.

�     Students are expected to sit in a quiet and orderly fashion.

�     Once the majority of buses leave, the duty teacher may decide if the students who catch the later buses may play on adventure.

�     Students may not leave the school grounds until their bus arrives.

Expectations for students arriving to school prior to the 8.30 bell.

�     Students will be seated in the undercover area.

�     Students may not leave this area to put bags away and may not be in or around a classroom unless they have specific permission from a teacher.

Out of Bounds areas

�    Driveway between demountables

�    Bike racks

�    Bus and tuck shop areas out of bounds

�    Line marking for bus areas

�    Alcove between toilets and prep building is out of bounds

�    Janitor shed area

�    Staff car park.

Sunbury Processes or Common Understandings

Mediation

A process that is used by students to sort out conflict with people that they normally get along with. It is overseen by Administration and basically involves students looking at what went wrong, making at better plan for the future, and fixing up any damage that has been done.

Three strikes and Buddy teacher

A safety valve, intended to give students warning about their behaviour and ultimately to give the student and /or teacher and/or fellow classmates a break from the context which is not working. It is designed to be a short term buffer against the day to day fluctuations in a child’s ability and motivation to meet basic classroom expectations.

Referral slips

A referral process for significant behaviour that a staff member assess as warranting further investigation and possible consequences/support by the administration team.

Reflection

It is overseen by Administration and basically involves students looking at what went wrong, and making at better plan for the future, and fixing up any damage that has been done.

Withdrawal room

A lunch time process that occurs during playtime, focussing on a debrief and corrective counselling around an incident. This is also used further as a consequence for significantly inappropriate behaviour.  Students complete a form which describes their poor choice and requires them to determine 3 different courses of action they may have taken, with predicted outcomes.  Parents must sing these sheets which are then returned to the office the next school day.

Fun Day

During 2005 we introduced Fun Day as a way of recognizing and rewarding the majority of students who consistently meet our behaviour expectations.  Fun Day takes place during the last week of each term and involves all students who have had no more than one time out (lunch-time detention) playing games and participating in fun activities for a couple of hours. Students who do not participate in Fun Day work with the Principal and Deputy Principal.  Collaboratively each individual student develops a plan for what they need to do to improve their behaviour working towards being included in the next fun day. Fun day has been considered successful with high levels of student participation. Over time we are seeing Fun Day as a motivating factor to make sustained changes to behaviour.

Playground Folders

Folders contain forms to record minor playground incidents and consequences.  They also provide sets of prompts around each of the values for quick student reflection with all staff using a common language.  These folders importantly contain small stickers for staff to use to recognise and reward with some immediacy positive behaviours.  The expectations for each of the play areas will be in all folders. 

 Internal suspension

A period where the student works 1:1 with the administration team in the office area, without freely mixing with other students or staff.

Voluntary parent withdrawal

When a parent is asked to take the student home, often part of an IBMP, usually as a means of getting more information from the student, or encouraging cooperation or clarifying expectations. This is often used for children who are highly emotional, unco-operative or as an agreed consequence for a target behaviour.

Cool-off-time

A strategy that is established for some students that can be initiated by a student or staff, where the students exits a situation before they get too emotional and goes to an agreed cool-off person/place. This is not a consequence, it is a support designed to lessen secondary behaviours and stop the likely hood of a situation escalating. After emotions have settled, the student will return to the class to sort through the original issue.

Individual Behaviour management plan

A plan that outlines the support and reactions to specific behaviours. This is established to address the specific feature of a students demonstrated pattern of behaviour or a specific significant incident.  It shows the commitment that the school and family have to addressing the student’s needs, as well as outlining the student’s responsibilities.

Crisis plan

An element of an Individual Behaviour Management Plan that specifically outlines the schools reaction to specific behaviour.

Managed hours

A risk management strategy used so that the school can practically meet the support needs of a student. It is a voluntary agreement between the school, student and parents that accepts that a students needs are beyond what the school can practically meet all day, every day, without it being likely that the student will fail to meet the basic expectations.

 Current as of November 2006

Related legislation

·         Education (General Provisions) Act 1989

·         Section 21 of the Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2000

·         Criminal Code Act 1899

·         Anti-Discrimination Act 1991

·         Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000

·         Judicial Review Act 1991

·         Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995

·         Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997

·         Freedom of Information Act 1992

Related policies

• SM-06: Management of Behaviour in a Supportive School Environment - Schools and Discipline
• SM-16: School Disciplinary Absences
• HR-07-1: Code of Conduct
• CS-01: Gender Equity in Education
• CS-05: Educational Provision for Students with Disabilities
• CS-10: Drug Education and Intervention in Schools
• CS-15: Principles of Inclusive Curriculum
• CS-16: Cultural and Language Diversity
• CS-17: Anti-Racism
• LL-14: Hostile People on School Premises, Wilful Disturbance and Trespass Issues
• SM-05: Physical Restraint and Time Out Procedures - Students with Disabilities

 Please add additional policies that you consider relevant.

Some related resources

·         National Safe Schools Framework (ncab.nssfbestpractice.org.au/resources/resources.shtml)

·         National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools (www.valueseducation.edu.au) 

·         National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools – Queensland (www.education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/values/)

·         Bullying. No Way! (www.bullingnoway.com.au)

·         MindMatters (www.curriculum.edu.au/mindmatters)

·         School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (www.learningplace.com.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=24668)

·         Leadership Skills Training

(www.youngleadersprogram.com.au)

Send mail to  admin@sunburyss.eq.edu.au with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 Sunbury State School