Behaviour

The Academy's Code of Conduct outlines the simple rules students are expected to follow. This is drawn up in consultation with staff, students and governors and is reviewed annually. The Code of Conduct is issued to all parents. In lessons, students are expected to follow a basic set of rules which are outlined below.

There is a clear and consistent staged procedure, outlined below, which staff refer to during lessons. The Academy's uniform and attendance policies are also issued to parents before the students start the Academy. The Academy operates various forms of inclusion to help support our more vulnerable students.

The Academy may discipline students for misbehaviour when, taking part in any Academy-organised or Academy-related activity; travelling to or from the academy; wearing Academy uniform or when they are in some other way identifiable as a student in the Academy. Also, discipline may be applied where a student's actions could have repercussions; for the orderly running of the Academy; pose a threat to another student or member of the public; adversely affect the reputation of the Academy.

Classroom Rules

  • Be punctual to lessons.
  • Do not talk during whole class explanations.
  • Do not speak out of turn or cause low-level disruption.
  • Have full equipment ready.
  • Observe uniform rules at all times.
  • Be at your own desk and face forward.
  • Attempt all the work set.
  • Do not use mobile phones.
  • Do not chew or drink.

Lesson Staged Procedure

X - verbal warning; XX - second verbal warning; XXX - 15-minute break detention; XXXX - one-hour detention

Rewards

The rationale is to raise the profile of rewards in the Academy and be brought tightly in line with basic expectations relating to achievement, uniform, equipment, attendance, punctuality and behaviour. The rewards system is reviewed on a termly basis by taking into account the views of parents, students and staff.

Celebration of Rewards

All staff are expected to record achievement merits on our behaviour monitoring system, Class Charts, using the following criteria. Class Charts Positives must be awarded for each lesson according to criteria outlined by the teacher and / or Head of Department. There will occasionally be an Academy-wide criterion for awarding merits which could run for a specified period of time. Staff will be made aware of this via the Tutor Desktop. Form tutors can access an Academy-wide achievement merits table, which is updated daily, in the Rewards folder in the staff shared area on the Academy's computer network. This must be displayed at least weekly in registration. Merit Credit Cards are handed out half-termly when students reach the following levels.

Level Header 3
Platinum 300
Gold 200
Silver
 100
Bronze
 50

CV2 Club

Students remain part of the CV2 club if they have 100% attendance for a half term. Form tutors must monitor the students in their form class. Students who do not achieve the above requirements are removed from the CV2 Club. CV2 Club can be updated by accessing the Tutor Spreadsheet in the Rewards section of the staff shared area and changing the colour of the student's name to red. Those students' names which remain in green qualify for a CV2 Credit Card each half term.

Form tutors monitor students in each form class. Students who do not achieve the above requirements are removed from the CV2 Club. The CV2 Club is updated by form tutors at least weekly.

*All Credit Cards gained count towards qualification and discounts for the reward trips, fast queue passes for lunch and breaks, and any other rewards at the discretion of the Senior Leadership Team.

Contact with Parents

We try to inform parents at the earliest possible stage of any concerns, and to involve them in strategies to improve their child's behaviour. Our aim is always to work with parents to improve behaviour. This includes frequent informal contact by telephone, in addition to the more formal contact via letter, and at interviews and review meetings. Reports to monitor behaviour are reviewed by parents on a daily basis, while termly reports for all students include a measure of effort and progress.

The Heads of Year will be available to meet with parents in order to discuss any issues or concerns during the Academy day. Directors of Subject may also meet with parents outside of school hours in order to ensure that the students are working to their potential whilst in the Academy; discussing academic, behaviour, social or other issues that may arise from time to time. For students with emotional and behavioural difficulties, the SEND team meets parents and other agencies regularly, according to the SEND calendar.

For students who have been excluded on a number of occasions within a term (or Academy year) the Governing Body may decide to offer the parent a contract that will be signed by all parties to provide support to both the parent and the student to improve the student's behaviour. In cases of extreme behaviour an ABA may be offered to parents, or a meeting with the Community Police Officers linked with the Academy.

Barriers to Learning

Students are expected to respond to disciplinary procedures through advice from staff members who will follow the procedures outlined in the Behaviour Management Diagram. Classroom teachers will take responsibility for their own disciplinary procedures, supported in the first instance by their Director of Subject, and then by the Head of Year.

Examples of sanctions are outlined on the Behaviour Management Diagram. Should the student choose to act upon the advice of the classroom teacher and respond to any sanctions given, the incident will be recorded by the classroom teacher with no further action taken. Should the student fail to respond to the request of the classroom teacher and the sanction imposed, the Director of Subject will speak with the student involved and issue an appropriate sanction.

Similarly, should the student fail to respond to this, the Head of Year will take responsibility for disciplinary procedures. In instances where Health and Safety is deemed to be at risk, or the student is alleged to be responsible for serious misconduct (whether inside or outside of the Academy), where the Academy may be brought into disrepute, staff will request the assistance of a senior leader. Such instances may, at the discretion of the senior leader and ultimately the Principal, lead to one of the following sanctions: internal exclusion; fixed-term exclusion; permanent exclusion; night school; interview with Community Police.

The decision to exclude a student permanently would be taken in response to serious breaches of the Academy's behaviour policy, or if allowing the student to remain in the Academy would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the Academy. In the case of the Governing Body upholding a permanent exclusion, this can be challenged by an independent review panel. The review panel will not be able to direct the Academy to reinstate a student, but may advise that this should be the case.

The decision to exclude a student for a fixed period should be taken on the balance of probabilities, only in response to the Academy's behaviour policy, including persistent disruptive behaviour, where these are not serious enough to warrant permanent exclusion, and lesser sanctions such as detention are considered inappropriate. Serious Misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • Physical violence or assault against a fellow student or staff member.
  • Threats of violence or assault against a fellow student or staff member.
  • Foul or abusive language towards a member of staff.
  • Bullying or cyber bullying against a fellow student.
  • Theft on Academy premises.
  • Use or possession of drugs or drug-related paraphernalia, alcohol or cigarettes, or illegal substances.
  • Serious damage to school property.
  • Refusing Academy discipline.
  • Deliberately presenting a health and safety risk to themselves or others.
  • Invasion of another person's personal space.
  • Name calling.
  • Sexual touching.
  • Any anti-social behaviour within the Academy or when travelling to and from the Academy.
  • Malicious allegations against the Academy, the staff or the students.

If a student's behaviour poses a serious risk to health and safety, a risk assessment is completed with the parents and relevant agencies e.g. Safeguarding. The decision to sanction a student will be made by a paid member of Academy staff or a member of Academy staff authorised by the Principal.

The decision to punish a student and the sanction itself must be made on the Academy premises or while the student is under the charge of the member of staff. The punishment will not breach any other legislation and it will be reasonable and proportionate.

NOTE: Behaviour issues relating to the mis-use of ICT equipment and the internet stand alone from this policy and are dealt with separately.

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