Behaviour

Behaviour Policy

Good behaviour is crucial to the effective operation of a school and IGS: Durham will always aim to encourage the highest standards in every pupil and member of staff. The school’s values (CREATE) are rooted in being respectful and courteous to others and every child striving to do his or her best at all times.

Background

Good behaviour will help ensure that every child gets the most out of school life. It

involves:

•  Being respectful to others, especially those who are different from you

•  Being polite and courteous

•  Being kind

•  Respecting teachers and doing what they ask you to do

•  Never bullying others

•  Getting on with your work and not distracting others

•  Doing your very best

•  Playing sensibly

•  Moving about school calmly and never running

Schools are obliged to have a Behaviour Policy and publish it on their website. The

Board is fully committed to implementing this policy and will review it, along with all

policies, on a regular basis, monitoring its effectiveness by talking to pupils, staff and

parents and by scrutinising the school’s records of rewards and sanctions.

In developing this policy, the school has taken account of Department for Education

guidance “Behaviour in schools”. It is important to clarify the powers teachers have in

the area of behaviour management. The guidance and legislation explain the

following:

Teachers have statutory authority to discipline pupils whose behaviour is

unacceptable, who break the school rules or who fail to follow a reasonable

instruction (Section 90 and 91 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006). The

power also applies to all paid staff (unless the Principal says otherwise) with

responsibility for pupils, such as teaching assistants.

 Teachers can discipline pupils at any time the pupil is in school or elsewhere

under the charge of a teacher, including on school visits.

 Teachers can also discipline pupils in certain circumstances when a pupil’s

misbehaviour occurs outside of school.

 Teachers have a power to impose detention outside school hours.

 Teachers can confiscate pupils’ property in accordance with the school’s

Searching, Screening and Confiscation arrangements and current DfE

guidance.

 Head Teachers, proprietors and governing bodies must ensure they have a

strong behaviour policy to support staff in managing behaviour, including the

use of rewards and sanctions.

Encouraging Good Behaviour

A behaviour policy is by no means just about dealing with poor behaviour. It is at

least as important to clarify, model and reward good behaviour so that children may

see what is expected of them and that if they behave well, that will be recognised.

Staff at IGS: Durham will regularly explain the school’s values and what good

behaviour looks like. Where possible, teachers will highlight examples of good

behaviour more frequently than they will point out poor behaviour. A system of merits

will be used and children’s progress will lead to rewards. In the primary years,

rewards are as follows.0

 50 merits will gain a Bronze Award,

 100 merits a Silver Award,

 150 merits a Gold Award and

 200 merits a Principal’s Award.

In the senior years, points are awarded on a similar basis.

Awards will be made in school assemblies.

Points and merits will be given for:

 very good work, taking into account the child’s ability and previous attainment

 acts of kindness to other children

 examples of courtesy and politeness

 other behaviour which reflects the school’s ethos and values

Staff will encourage positive behaviour through play and learning activities (circle

time/stories/role-play/puppets).

Assemblies will regularly focus on highlighting and promoting good behaviour. PSHE

lessons likewise will seek to clarify the good and respectful behaviours which

emanate from understanding and observing the Fundamental British Values. Where

possible, assembly topics will be colour coded to enable parents and others to see

where key issues, including British Values, are being addressed.

Classroom management is key to encouraging good behaviour. Teachers at IGS:

Durham take responsibility for the tidiness and cleanliness of their own rooms (aided,

where appropriate, by cleaning staff) and for lively wall displays; this will encourage a

welcoming, positive learning environment in which poor behaviour is less likely.

A major priority for the school is the quality of teaching. Where lessons are well

planned and excellently delivered, children are more likely to be wholly engaged in

enjoyable and challenging learning and less likely to be distracted or to misbehave.

The school’s policy is to actively help teachers to regularly improve their teaching

(including behaviour management) through training and sharing good practice, both

within and outside school.

Mobile phones and personal devices

Pupils will not have access to mobile phones or other personal interactive

communication devices at any time during the school day. Mobile phones are not

permitted in the school and must not be brought to the school. The only exception is

if a pupil is travelling on public transport to the school, in which case a “Brick” phone

is allowed, to enable the child to be contacted or to contact parents. Parents can

contact pupils through the numbers on the website during the day.

Any device brought to school will be stored in the Principal’s office, and returned at

the end of the day. The Principal may agree an individual exception where required

for a disability, medical condition or other compelling need, with suitable safeguards.

Any breach will be dealt with under this policy; confiscation or a search will follow the

school’s separate procedures.

Dealing with Poor Behaviour

From time to time, some children will not behave as well as they might. A system of

sanctions will be used and applied consistently and fairly.

Instances of sexual violence and sexual harassment, bullying, racism, homophobia

or similar unacceptable and/or discriminatory behaviour will be viewed as particularly

serious.

Firm handling of poor behaviour by the teacher will in most cases resolve the

situation, and it is usually his or her judgement which will determine how that might

best be done in the circumstances. Clear and understood consequences, however,

are important and the following will be applied:

 Most poor behaviour (e.g. distracting others in class) will be dealt with by the

teacher at the time

 Persistent poor behaviour will result in the child missing part of a playtime

 If the above measures fail to improve behaviour, the child will be kept in for a

longer period, usually at lunchtime, and supervised. (In such circumstances

the child must be given the opportunity to eat and drink and visit the toilet

etc.). Seclusion will never be used as a punishment. A part-time timetable will

not be imposed as a behaviour sanction; any exceptional, temporary

arrangement to meet an individual pupil’s needs will follow the Attendance

Policy.

 If further action is needed, it might be appropriate to deprive the child of some

other privilege (e.g. a games lesson)

 The next course of action will be to refer the matter to the Principal who will

admonish the child appropriately.

 If that fails to bring about an improvement the child’s parents or carers will be

invited in to school to speak to the teacher

 If at any time staff believe there are grounds to believe there are concerns

about the child’s welfare, this should be reported to the Designated

Safeguarding Lead. In particular, staff must be vigilant and aware of signs of

abuse (see Safeguarding Policy). They should also consider whether

continuing disruptive behaviour might be the result of unmet educational or

other needs. At this point, the school should consider whether a multi-agency

assessment is necessary.

 At all times, the school will consider a child’s special educational needs or

disability, make reasonable adjustments where required, and adapt its

response accordingly

 In extreme cases fixed-term exclusion may be considered. Permanent

exclusion is a final resort but the school will seek to work with parents to avoid

this if at all possible. Exclusion of any kind is covered in the school’s

Exclusion Policy .

Although teachers are authorised to use reasonable physical force in certain very

limited circumstances, this will be extremely rare and staff will seek to avoid any kind

of physical contact which might be construed as inappropriate. Staff are trained in

Restrictive Interventions in the light of our new Restrictive Interventions Policy, which

has been developed in response to guidance from the DfE.

Behaviours meriting both rewards and sanctions will be displayed in the classroom

and teachers will regularly remind children of them. It is vital that both rewards and

sanctions are applied with absolute consistency, so that children understand that

good behaviour will always be recognised and poor behaviour will be responded to

consistently and proportionately.

A Useful Checklist

The Department for Education recommend the checklist produced by Charlie Taylor,

a government adviser on behaviour management. This is helpful, supports our

stance on behaviour, and staff, especially Heads of School, will be trained in its use.

(The checklist is applied as appropriate to the age of pupils and the school’s

premises.)

Key principles for Heads to help improve school behaviour

Policy

Ensure absolute clarity about the expected standard of pupils’ behaviour.

Ensure that behaviour policy is clearly understood by all staff, parents and pupils.

Display school rules clearly in classes and around the building. Staff and pupils

should know what they are.

Display the tariff of sanctions and rewards in each class.

Have a system in place for ensuring that children never miss out on sanctions or

rewards.

Leadership

Model the behaviour you want to see from your staff.

Building

Visit the lunch hall and playground, and be around at the beginning and the end of

the school day. (Note: in our case, we do not have a lunch hall but value the

presence of a teacher in the room whilst children are eating lunch; this helps with

general discipline and also helps teachers spot potential issues, e.g., friendship

groups changing, certain children being left out etc.)

Ensure that other Senior Leadership Team members are a visible presence around

the school.

Check that pupils come in from the playground and move around the school in an

orderly manner.

Check up on behaviour outside the school.

Check the building is clean and well-maintained.

Staff

Know the names of all staff.

Praise the good performance of staff.

Take action to deal with poor teaching or staff who fail to follow the behaviour policy.

Children

Praise good behaviour.

Celebrate successes.

Teaching

Monitor the amount of praise, rewards and punishments given by individual staff.

Ensure that staff praise good behaviour and work.

Ensure that staff understand special needs of pupils.

Individual pupils

Have clear plans for pupils likely to misbehave and ensure staff are aware of them.

Put in place suitable support for pupils with behavioural difficulties.

Parents

Build positive relationships with the parents of pupils with behaviour difficulties.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the school’s Safeguarding Policy, Anti-

Bullying Policy, Attendance Policy, Mobile Phone Policy, Searching, Screening and

Confiscation arrangements, and Restrictive Interventions Policy. The school

recognises its duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments

for children with disabilities.

This policy was first developed in January 2017 and will be reviewed annually, or

sooner if requirements or school practice change.

The Independent Grammar School: Durham

May 2026

Reviewed: September 2026

Next review: September 2027