Behaviour
At Gayhurst, we take pride in the high standards of good behaviour that our children exhibit in and around the school. We believe that good behaviour and respect for each other and our surroundings ensure a calm and productive atmosphere in which to learn. We have very high expectations of behaviour and always aim to develop children’s understanding of the impact of choices they make, whether positive or negative.
Positive praise for doing the right thing is very important to us here at Gayhurst and rewards for good behaviour are many and varied. They begin with praise and are reinforced with stickers, certificates and whole school recognition in the form of a ‘Gold Award’ which is awarded in an assembly. There are also whole class awards when the prize is a class picnic, cinema trip or other treat – sometimes picked by the children themselves.
Stay on Green
The school operates a ‘Stay on Green’ behaviour system whereby children are rewarded for ‘staying on a green’ by having golden time at the end of each week. Golden time is a fun time when children get to play games in their classroom or outside on the playground.
The ‘Stay on Green’ system works as follows: Every child has a pouch in their classroom that is displayed on the wall. They start every day with a green card. A child can then receive a different coloured card if they are not doing the right thing but are always given the chance to correct their behaviour and move back to green. The card system works as follows:
Verbal Warning – A teacher may warn that a different coloured card will soon be used if the correct choices are not made.
Blue Card – If behaviour has not improved, a blue card is put into the pouch in the classroom and the child has 5 minutes in a timeout chair or at a timeout table in the classroom.
Blue Card 2 – If behaviour has not improved, a second blue card is put into the pouch in the classroom and the child spends another 5 minutes in the timeout chair.
Yellow – If behaviour has not improved, a yellow card is put into the pouch in the classroom and the child spends 10 minutes in another class.
Red – If a child does not correct their behaviour after a yellow card, the next stage would be a red card. At this point, a member of the senior leadership team (Headteacher, deputy head or assistant head) will discuss the behaviour with the child and a letter home to parents would be sent home that evening. All red cards are analysed and patterns of certain types of behaviour are used to inform support for the child. If a child receives three red cards, a meeting with parents and the child is held with a senior leader. If a child receives six red cards, the child will be excluded from school for a day.
In cases of violence or extreme behaviour that puts staff, children or the child themselves at risk, the child will go straight to a red card without going through the system. The ultimate sanction is exclusion from school for a period of days (temporary exclusion) or permanently.
Green Points
Green points are awarded for outstanding conduct around the school. Children who display excellent manners and move around the school sensibly are awarded green tokens by members of staff. Each class has a green point box and the children put the tokens into this and watch it fill up over the week. Each week, the green tokens are counted and, during an assembly, we announce the winners of the green token award. There is a trophy and a cuddly bear for the winners!
Standards for Outstanding Conduct at Gayhurst
- Walk calmly and quietly inside the school building.
- Always use your good manners and be polite.
- Follow the stair rules.
- Make sure you are on time for teaching and learning. Go straight to your classrooms quietly.
- Line up properly. Face the front and make sure you are silent to show you are ready.
