Attendance and Behaviour

Behaviour

Everyone in the school has rights and responsibilities. To help protect our rights and to encourage responsibility, we have basic rules for our school. The School Rules form the basis of whole school and classroom rules and are a vital part of setting clear expectations throughout the school. It is important that these rules are discussed and referred to as part of behaviour management strategies.

The ‘St Vincent’s Way’ demonstrates our high expectations, the way we ‘do’ things around here. We model the behaviour we want to see.

As a restorative school positive strategies are used, whenever possible, to promote good behaviour. This enables pupils to construct good learning habits and helps develop a harmonious environment in which learning can thrive. We endeavour to put repairing the harm done over and above the need to assign blame or distribute punishments. This approach encourages those involved to identify ways in which they can repair a relationship and move forward. We hold ‘circles’ to resolve problems, children hold each other to account. By giving pupils these responsibilities, we are assisting them in creating their own strategies for avoiding and resolving conflict. It is also our strong belief that when a pupil makes their own recommendations, they are more likely to follow them rather than if an adult suggests or imposes them.

Children at St Vincent's have a right to:

• Be Safe - feel safe, cared for and supported

• Be Respected - be treated with respect and receive fair and consistent treatment from all adults and children in an environment that is free from prejudice

• Be Ready - have school environment that is pleasant, clean and engaging, have role models that are prepared and ready to be there when needed,

• Learn – have opportunities for learning that meet their individual learning needs and allow them to make progress

Our pupils have responsibilities:

- Towards others
- Towards their work
- Towards the school environment

Consequences

When using consequences staff ensure that they are constructive and allow the child to learn from what has happened. Sanctions can be given by the class teacher or the member of staff dealing with the incident. All staff follow a set procedure and use ‘the script’. A record of what has happened & how it was dealt with is kept. Some pupils may need ‘time out’ in a safe place to calm down and ready themselves to talk about what has happened. This will be followed by a restorative circle if appropriate.

Attendance and Absence

As few as 19 missed days over the school year reduces a child’s chances of success. Their SATs or GCSE results could drop by one grade across all subjects. Education is important to all children regardless of ability. It builds a child’s resilience and offers a safe and nurturing environment in which a child can learn lots of exciting new skills and knowledge every day, as well as learning to work with others and forging friendships which will support them through their childhood, with some friendships lasting well into adulthood.

Our expectations:

At St Vincent's we expect children to attend school on a regular basis. Research has shown that there is a direct relationship between attendance and potential achievement. Therefore, holidays during term time will NOT be authorised unless there are EXCEPTIONAL circumstances. All requests for holidays or leave of absence during term time MUST be put in writing on the form below to the Head of School, who will consider your request.

All illnesses must be reported to the office by 9:00am and on each consecutive day of absence.

If your child needs to visit the dentist or doctor please try to make appointments outside of school time if possible or at the end of the morning or afternoon session – evidence of all medical appointments must be provided for the absence to be recorded as authorised, e.g. appointment letters/cards.

If your child is suffering from sickness or diarrhoea, it is our recommendation that they do not return to school for 24 hours after their last incident – it is the parent’s responsibility to decide when you feel your child is well enough to return to school. Please inform us if your child has any other infectious condition or head lice so that we can work with you to try and minimise its impact and spread throughout the school. If a child has head lice, once the condition has been treated, the child can immediately return to school.

If your child is off for more than 24 hours, medical evidence must be obtained and provided to the school to enable the absence to be authorised.