In May 2023, we were visited by Ofsted and in November 2023, we welcomed a SIAMS inspection. On both occasions, the behaviour of our students was described as ‘exemplary’. The SIAMS report notes that ‘harmonious relationships and courtesy are strong features in the life of the school’ and ‘the school values of courage, respect, honesty, dedication, equality and love inform expectations’ across the school community.

Despite this strong foundation of positive behaviour for learning, our staff were keen to revisit the school values and ensure that there was a consistency of expectation for learning across the school. We wanted to use the opportunity to define what behaviour we should expect in the classroom and at social times. Treating the school values as the bedrock of who we are, we quickly established that the very best learning environment is, without doubt, rooted in respectful relationships. With this in mind, we have developed a new visual aid that really defines, and describes, what behaviour we expect from all members of the school community.

Posters will be displayed around the school and staff will be actively using the language displayed to recognise and reward excellent behaviour. Praise and appreciation are motivating for us all and, as a staff, we are committed to ensuring that our brilliant, hardworking learners are noticed and celebrated.

We will be launching our new framework - with a particular reference to recognising positivity - to the students during assembly in the coming weeks. We will be taking the time to explain our vision of all positive behaviour being rooted in respectful relationships and our commitment to recognising the students who consistently uphold our school values. We want our students to feel noticed, heard and appreciated.

We will also be discussing with the students the corrective work that will take place if their behaviour falls short of our expectations. Behaviour that isn’t respectful may, or may not, result in a consequence, but it will certainly involve restorative learning and reflection in order to reduce the risk of a concern re-occurring. There will be clear boundaries for everyone and expectations will be made explicit. Additional support will be put in place for students who need to re-align their behaviour. I will write again with more detail in this regard later in the term in preparation for the new academic year. For now, we will be focusing on celebrating lots of positive feedback this term.