Behaviour Policy

Behaviour Management Policy

At School of Play, we believe that children flourish best when they know how they and others are expected to behave. Children gain respect through interaction with caring adults who act as good role models, show them respect and value their personalities. The setting actively promotes British values and encourages and praises positive, caring and polite behaviour at all times and provides an environment where children learn to respect themselves, other people and their surroundings. 

Children need to have set boundaries of behaviour for their safety and the safety of their peers. Within our settings and clubs, we aim to set these boundaries in a way, which helps the child to develop a sense of the significance of their behaviour, both in their environment and that of others around them. Restrictions on the child’s natural desire to explore and develop their ideas and concepts are kept to a minimum.  

We aim to:

• Recognise the individuality of all our children and that some behaviours are normal in young children e.g. biting

• Encourage self-discipline, consideration for each other, our surroundings and property

• Encourage children to participate in a wide range of group activities to enable them to develop their social skills

• Ensure that all staff act as positive role models for children

• Encourage parents and other visitors to be positive role models and challenge any poor behaviour shown 

• Work in partnership with parents by communicating openly

• Praise children and acknowledge their positive actions and attitudes, therefore ensuring that children see that we value and respect them

• Encourage all staff working with children to accept their responsibility for implementing the goals in this policy and to be consistent

• Promote non-violence and encourage children to deal with conflict peacefully

• Provide a key person system enabling staff to build a strong and positive relationship with children and their families
• Provide activities and stories to help children learn about accepted behaviours, including opportunities for children to contribute to decisions about accepted behaviour where age/stage appropriate

• Supporting and developing self-regulation and empathy as appropriate to stage of development

• Have a named person who has overall responsibility for behaviour management.

The Behaviour Co-ordinator will: 

1. Advise and support other staff on behaviour issues.
   
   
2. Keep up to date with legislation and research relating to behaviour.
   
   
3. Undertake specialist behaviour management training and access further training as necessary ensuring knowledge and practice remains up to date.
   
   
4. Cascade information and knowledge to the team as required.
   
   
5. Maintain a calm disposition when dealing with a situation and handle potentially difficult situations with care and sensitivity regarding all parties involved.
   
   
6. Attend and contribute to meetings regarding individual behaviour plans/strategies, setting policy and supporting best practice. 
   
   
7. Work in partnership with families, the team, other professionals and/or agencies where necessary. Ensure that informed consent is gained where referrals may be necessary.

Children who behave inappropriately, for example, by physically abusing another child or adult e.g. biting, or through verbal bullying, are helped to talk through their actions and apologise where appropriate. We make sure that the child who has been upset is comforted and the adult will confirm that the other child’s behaviour is not acceptable. We always acknowledge when a child is feeling angry or upset and that it is the behaviour that is not acceptable, not the child.

Where temper tantrums have escalated beyond a child’s control physical support may be necessary by team members to prevent a child from either harming themselves, others or seriously damaging property. These measures would only be used where normal behaviour strategies and/or distractive techniques have not been successful. 

Where physical support has been deemed necessary an incident sheet will be completed that day to provide a record and parents/carers will be informed on the same day or as soon as reasonably practicable.  

Dealing with serious unwanted behaviour (e.g. excessive violence, continuous bullying or negative discrimination)

• We never use or threaten to use physical punishment/corporal punishment such as smacking or shaking. 
• We do not single out children or humiliate them in any way. Where children use unacceptable behaviour they will, wherever possible, be re-directed to alternative activities. Discussions with children will take place as to why their behaviour was not acceptable, respecting their level of understanding and maturity.

• Staff will not raise their voices (other than to keep children safe).

• In any case of misbehaviour, we always make it clear to the child or children in question, that it is the behaviour and not the child that is unwelcome.

• Any team member when referring to the child will not use the term ‘naughty’ and we ask that parents respect this as it is the unacceptable behaviour that needs to be addressed.

• We decide how to handle a behaviour depending on the child’s age, level of development and the circumstances surrounding the behaviour. This may involve asking the child to talk and think about what he/she has done. All staff support children in developing empathy and children will only be asked to apologise if they have developed strong empathy skills and have a good understanding of why saying sorry is appropriate.

• We help staff to reflect on their responses towards challenging behaviours to ensure that their reactions are appropriate.
  
  
• We inform parents if their child’s behaviour is unkind to others or if their child has been upset. In all cases, we deal with inappropriate behaviour at the time. 
  
  
• All unwanted behaviour which is observed as being persistent or reoccurring will be recorded on a BehaviourMonitoring Sheet. These sheets are kept in the child’s file. Parents/carers will always be made aware of the situation. The child’s key person will work in partnership with the setting behaviour coordinator and the setting manager will also be informed. 
• Following on from these detailed observations the child’s behaviour will be analysed, and an Individual Behaviour Planput into place. This plan involves the use of positive approaches to change behaviour. The child will be taught strategies to help cope with situations allowing them choices and removal mechanisms.
  
  
• Parents will be asked to meet with staff to discuss their child’s behaviour, so that we can work together to ensure consistency between their home and the setting. In some cases, we may request additional advice and support from other professionals, such as area SENCO or an educational psychologist.
  
  
• Should a child be found to consistently misbehave seriously, e.g. excessive violence, continuous bullying or negative discrimination, despite trying various strategies including advice from multi-agencies, he/she may be excluded from the setting. 
  
  
• We support children in developing non-aggressive strategies to enable them to express their feelings.
  
  
• We support all children to develop positive behaviour, and we make every effort to provide for their individual needs

Bullying

Bullying takes many forms. It can be physical, verbal or emotional, but it is always a repeated behaviour that makes others feel uncomfortable or threatened. We acknowledge that any form of bullying is unacceptable and will be dealt with immediately while recognising that physical aggression is part of children’s development in their early years

We recognise that children need their own time and space and that it is not always appropriate to expect a child to share. We believe it is important to acknowledge each child’s feelings and to help them understand how others might be feeling.

We encourage children to recognise that bullying, fighting, hurting and discriminatory comments are not acceptable behaviour. We want children to recognise that certain actions are right and that others are wrong.

The following procedure will be put in place if any of the above behaviour should occur:

• Staff are encouraged to ensure that all children feel safe, happy and secure.
  
  
• Staff are encouraged to recognise that active physical aggression in the early years is part of the child’s development and that it should be channelled in a positive way.
  
  
• Children are helped to understand that using aggression to get things, is inappropriate and they will be encouraged to resolve problems in other ways.
  
  
• Our staff will intervene when they think a child is being bullied, however mild or harmless it may seem.
  
  
• Staff will offer different activities to children when they feel play has become aggressive, both indoors or out.
  
  
• In extreme cases the child will be guided from the room or garden until he/she has calmed down and had time to reflect on their behaviour. In these cases, an activity such as reading will be offered to help calm the child. This withdrawal will always be supervised by a member of the team.
  
  
• If there is no improvement, or we consider the child to be an unacceptable risk to other children or staff, we may need to ask the parents to remove the child from setting.
  
  
• Staff will sensitively discuss any instance of bullying with the parents of all involved to look for a consistent resolution to the behaviour.
  
  
• If any parent has a concern about their child, a member of staff will be available to discuss those concerns. It is only through co-operation that we can ensure our children feel confident and secure in their environment, both at home and in the setting.

By positively promoting good behaviour, valuing co-operation and a caring attitude, we hope to ensure that children will develop as responsible members of society.  

Behaviour Management co-ordinator is:

Ashlea Brewin

Date reviewed: 26^th March 2023

Reviewed by: Ashlea Brewin

Reviewed annually or when there is a change in legislation