Managing Student Behaviour

Principle: Carlton is a school where learning is optimised and students feel safe.

Everyone needs to develop self discipline and to accept responsibility for their own actions. Growth, self discipline and responsibility are enhanced by providing an environment where appropriate behaviours are recognised and celebrated so students have increasing opportunity to make positive decisions and choices.

Our priority is the safety and well-being of each individual student. As such no individual student’s rights shall over-ride the right to physical and emotional safety of their peers.

Suggested Strategies For Managing Behaviour

Positive and appropriate behaviours are recognised through compliments, house points, chance cards, class privileges and merit certificates.

Class and school rules are clearly evident in the classroom and regularly referred to.

Students use the language of ‘choices’ and ‘consequences’.

On the occasions where student behaviour in the classroom or playground requires consequences the following steps may be taken:

• Name on whiteboard/warning given and consequence signalled.
• Isolation in a particular place e.g in the classroom with no interaction with peers
• Student sent to another room to give the class ‘Time Out.’
• Sent to the withdrawal work space in the office.
• Detention 1 day, bullying detention 2 days.
• Family is contacted to talk with staff whenever there is an issue of concern.

An action plan may be put in place:

• supervised playground group.
• behaviour modification sticker programme.
• home / school notebook.

Use support personnel (Behaviour management co-ordinator, Deputy Principals and Principal).

Refer to support agencies. e.g. R.T.L.B., Group Special Ed., Life to the Max and Public Health Nurse.

When these strategies do not modify the behaviour the Stand Down option is considered.

Monitoring Student Behaviour:

It is advised that teachers keep an anecdotal record to help monitor the extent of the difficulty. The following steps are taken:- 

1. Advise the teacher in charge of behaviour management so they can assist with student management and programmes.
2. Review classroom programmes regularly so they are well planned, interesting and meeting the student’s needs.
3. Student Learning and Behaviour form is regularly updated and forwarded to the Deputy Principal.
4. Concerns may be raised at Team meetings to gather ideas and support.

Detention:

A daily detention programme runs from 12:30p.m.-1p.m. in Room 7. Student names and the reason for the detention is written into the detention book. Students complete the appropriate detention form. The emphasis is on acknowledging unacceptable behaviour, its impact on others, and what better choices could have been made. The form is taken home for the parent to sign and returned to school.

The Behaviour Management Coordinator monitors all detentions and liaises with teachers and families where a pattern of continued behavioural issues arise with individual students. Other measures (listed above) may be taken.

Behaviours that warrant a detention:- defiance, disobedience, disruptive behaviour, breaking school rules (except No Hitting, Swearing or Bullying where a bullying detention will apply), damaging property, swearing, stealing, and inappropriate behaviour.

Bullying Detention:

Bullying or intimidation, verbal or physical, is never tolerated at Carlton School. Every instance has severe consequences for the perpetrator. The Bullying Detention book records all bullying detentions.

Students whose behaviour constitutes bullying receive a 2-day detention with separate forms being completed and taken home on both days. In addition students are counselled regarding their behaviour.

The Behaviour Management Coordinator monitors all bullying detentions and liaises with teachers and families where a pattern of continued behavioural issues arise with individual students.

Behaviours that warrant a bullying detention: - physical assault (minor, major assaults fall outside this programme and will be dealt with by the principal as a separate case), verbal intimidation, physical intimidation and threatening behaviour.

Pastoral Care:

Carlton School utilises the MUSAC Student Management system. This system has a format for recording all behavioural issues on every student. This format is called ‘Pastoral Care’. Teachers’ and senior management enter details of offences, merits and supports given to a student over their time at Carlton.

This information is used when requesting interventions such as RTLB (Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour), and if a student needs to go through the Stand Down or Exclusion process.