Ormeau State School
ORMEAU STATE SCHOOL
RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR PLAN
2016 - 2018
Ormeau State School
Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students (2016-2018)
(Based on The Code of School Behaviour)
1. Purpose
Education Queensland is committed to provisions that ensure all young Queenslanders have the right to and receive quality education.
Ormeau State School plays a significant role in the social, emotional and academic lives of children in the community. Through consultation with the community and the development of a positive meaningful relationship the school is responsive to the community’s expectations and requirements. The Responsible Behaviour Plan based on the Code of School Behaviour informs parents, students and teachers of their responsibilities and roles as a member of the school community and visitors to the school site.
Ormeau State School prides itself in high standards of behaviour. These high expectations of students, parents and teachers at Ormeau School make for a unique and distinctive approach to education. Community support of these expectations enhances the learning and enjoyment of all students.
The positive learning environment which Ormeau School strives to achieve follows a proactive approach to behaviour management. Our school incorporates numerous methods of rewarding positive and/or consistent contributions to our school.
The mutual respect of all stakeholders develops positive meaningful relationships that link closely to the principles of learning and teaching, productive pedagogies and principles of values education.
2. Consultation and data review
The original Ormeau State School Responsible Behaviour Plan was developed in collaboration with our school community. This was achieved through broad consultation with parents, staff and students and was undertaken through survey distribution and community meetings held during November 2009. A review of school data relating to attendance, absenteeism, school disciplinary absences and behaviour incidents also occurred from 2006-2009 to inform the development process.
The original plan was endorsed by the Principal, Chair of the School Council and Executive Director (Schools) in February 2009, and will be reviewed every 4 years.
3. Learning and behaviour statement
All areas of Ormeau State School are learning and teaching environments. We consider behaviour management to be an opportunity for valuable social learning as well as a means of maximising the success of academic education programs.
Our Responsible Behaviour Plan outlines our system for facilitating positive behaviours, preventing problem behaviour and responding to unacceptable behaviours. Through our school plan shared expectations for student behaviour are clear to everyone, assisting Ormeau State School to create and maintain a positive and productive learning and teaching environment, where ALL school community members have clear and consistent expectations and understandings of their role in the educational process.
Our school community has identified the following school values and expectations to teach and promote our high standards of responsible behaviour:
i. Values
Our school community has identified the following school rules and values to teach and promote high standards of responsible behaviour. These six values underpin our key beliefs.
O pportunity
R esponsibility
M anners
E xcellence
A cceptance
U nity
Values / ExpectationO pportunity / Students maintain a clean and positive school environment, observe safe and healthy practices and use opportunities given to them wisely.
R esponsibility / Students act responsibly and move in a safe and orderly manner adhering to designated boundaries. They dress appropriately so that they are safe during all school activities and behave in a manner that will not injure or misuse property.
M anners / Students show respect for others and use their manners at all times.
E xcellence / Students perform at their optimal levels in all pursuits. Each individual strives to excel at a level that is appropriate for them.
A cceptance / Students obey all school rules and accept consequences of personal decisions and choices of behaviour. Students show acceptance and understanding of differences amongst members of the school community.
U nity / Students work as a team to help support each other and promote understanding and a sense of belonging in their school.
ii. Beliefs
· At Ormeau State School we believe that a consistent approach to behaviour management is necessary to foster a positive learning environment.
· At Ormeau State School we believe that all individuals make choices and are responsible for their actions. We accept that there are consequences both positive and negative for the choices we make.
· At Ormeau State School we believe that positive relationships underpin the successful development of children academically, socially and emotionally.
· At Ormeau State School we believe that members of the school community have the right to a safe and supportive learning environment and that effective behaviour management and productive learning are inter-dependent.
iii. Expectations of School Community
At Ormeau State School our vision is the pursuit of excellence and quality education in a positive and supportive atmosphere. All members of the school community are expected to conduct themselves in a lawful, ethical, safe and responsible manner that recognises and respects the rights of others:
Students are expected to:
· participate actively in the school’s education program
· take responsibility for their own behaviour and learning
· demonstrate respect for themselves, other members of the school community and the school environment
· behave in a manner that respects the rights of others, including the right to learn
· cooperate with staff and others in authority
Parents/Carers are expected to:
· show an active interest in their child’s schooling and progress
· cooperate with the school to achieve the best outcomes for their child
· support school staff in maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment for all students
· initiate and maintain constructive communication and relationships with school staff regarding their child’s learning, well-being and behaviour
· contribute positively to behaviour support plans that concern their child
Staff are expected to:
· provide safe and supportive learning environments
· provide inclusive and engaging curriculum and teaching
· initiate and maintain constructive communication and relationships with students and parents/carers
· promote the skills of responsible self-management
Principals are expected to:
· play a strong leadership role in implementing and communicating the expectations in the school community
· ensure consistency and fairness in implementing the school’s Responsible Behaviour Plan for students
· communicate high expectations for individual achievement and behaviour
· review and monitor the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning
· support staff in ensuring compliance with the Responsible Behaviour Plan and facilitate professional development to improve the skills of staff to promote responsible behaviour
Our school rules have been agreed upon and endorsed by all staff and our school’s P&C Association and School Council. They are aligned with the values, principles and expected standards outlined in Education Queensland’s Code of School Behaviour.
4. Processes for facilitating standards of positive behaviour and responding to unacceptable behaviour
The first step in facilitating standards of positive behaviour is communicating those standards to all students. At Ormeau State School we emphasise the importance of directly teaching students the behaviours we want them to demonstrate at school. Communicating behavioural expectations is a form of universal behaviour support - a strategy directed towards all students designed to prevent problem behaviour and provides a framework for responding to unacceptable behaviour.
This whole school approach shapes, supports and recognises appropriate behaviours in all students. A small number of students may need additional support and timely intervention on some occasions. A limited number of students may not respond to these early efforts and may need more intensive support and/or flexible learning options to assist them to continue their learning.
Current programs are outlined below:
Whole School Behaviour Support / Targeted Behaviour Support / Intensive Behaviour Support· School Rules
· House Reward System
· Bullying Policy and procedures
· Planning Room
· Social Skill Programs
· Peer Mediation Program
· Leadership Program
· Student Council
· Special school events eg Sports
Day, Cross Country Race,
Swimming Carnival
· Musical Showcase
· Leadership Camp
· Eisteddfods
· Wakakirri
· Special Parades
· School Clubs
· Active Community Engagement
(ACE)
· Adopt-A-Cop
· Principal/ Class Teacher
Awards
· Gotcha Awards
· Pro-Active and Preventive
Behaviour Strategies
· School E-Newsletter
· Life Education / · Social Skills Program
· Drug Education Policy and
Procedures
· Sexual Harassment Officer
· BAT- Behaviour Advisory
Teachers support
· Enhancement Teacher
· Special Education Classroom
Teachers
· Individual Behaviour Plans
and intervention meetings
with all stakeholders
· Programs – developed for
individual student needs. / · BAT – Behaviour Advisory
Team
· Referrals to Alternative
Behaviour Sites
· Links to other Government Departments and agencies eg Child Safety, Child Youth Mental Health,
· Individual Behaviour Plans - Developed with all Stakeholders
· ICPs
· Guidance Officer
Ormeau State School implements the following proactive and preventative processes and strategies to support student behaviour:
· A dedicated section of the school E-Newsletter, enabling parents to be informed in school behaviour expectations.
· Students can be referred to Student Support Services for behaviour concerns.
· Comprehensive induction programs on the Ormeau State Schools’ Responsible Behaviour Plan delivered to new staff.
· Individual Behaviour Management Plans developed for students with high behavioural needs, enabling staff to make the necessary adjustments to support these students consistently across all classroom and non-classroom settings.
· Development of specific guidelines to address:
ü The Use of Personal Technology Devices* at School (Appendix 1)
ü Procedures for Preventing and Responding to Incidents of Bullying including Cyber-Bullying (Appendix 2).
i. Reinforcing Expected School Behaviour
At Ormeau State School communication of our key messages about behaviour is backed up through reinforcement, which provides students with feedback for engaging in expected school behaviour. A formal recognition and monitoring system has been developed. This reinforcement system is designed to increase the quantity and quality of positive interactions between students and staff. All staff members are trained to give consistent and appropriate acknowledgement and rewards.
Ormeau State School has a positive behaviour ‘GOTCHA’ system in place for recognising students who uphold our school values. This system has students working to set goals and achieve individually, as well as doing their part for their house team. Research indicates that the positive reinforcement and acknowledgement of appropriate behaviours is a far more effective method of teaching than the correction of inappropriate behaviours. With that said, this system has been implemented to celebrate student achievement of behaviour expectations, whereby there are no ‘quiet achievers’. Competency is not accepted as the norm, but rather is worthy of recognition. It also aims to refocus students with more challenging behaviours and reward them for their efforts too. If a student is ‘caught being good’ at school and upholding our Ormeau State School values, they are presented with a GOTCHA ticket. Students work hard throughout the term to earn GOTCHA tickets, with these tickets recorded in the classroom. Students set themselves goals for the GOTCHA level they would like to achieve by the end of the term.
10 GOTCHAS – Bronze Award
20 GOTCHAS – Silver Award
30 GOTCHAS – Gold Award
Gold, Silver and Bronze awards have students receiving certificates and school recognition. The Gold award is also accompanied by an end of term celebration to recognise those students who achieve this level, and their consistent application to behaviour expectations. As this is a merit system based on modelling appropriate behaviours at school, any student who receives a Planning Room throughout the term will not be eligible to achieve a Gold GOTCHA award. Planning rooms are considered a major behaviour incident. The GOTCHA process does reset every term, so there are plenty of opportunities for reflection and future goal setting. As an added group reward, any GOTCHA ticket a student earns is also categorised into their house team. The house who earns the most GOTCHAs throughout the term receives the House GOTCHA Behaviour Award, with a trophy presented to the House Captains. This aims to foster team spirit within the school.
WHOLE SCHOOL
· Prioritisation – classroom teachers identify students displaying at risk behaviours and submit to Student Support Services as the need arises
· Program Overview – Year level overviews may be developed identifying appropriate programs for targeted groups of students
· Values – explicit teaching of our school values.
· Behaviour / Effort Matrix – used to inform report cards comments.
· Explicit teaching of conflict resolution, anti-bullying strategies and social skills across all year levels
· Pro-social skills – identifying and reinforcing appropriate behaviours
· Positive Behaviour System – whole school focus on positive behaviour system utilising the house GOTCHA system.
· Positive reinforcement – staff use a variety of strategies including: verbal praise, certificates, class incentives, special events, etc.
· Unacceptable Behaviour - Misbehaviour is managed using the five step process.
ii. Responding to Unacceptable Behaviour
Students come to school to learn. Behaviour support represents an important opportunity for teaching and learning our values.
iii. Re-directing low-level and infrequent problem behaviour
When a student exhibits low-level and infrequent problem behaviour, the first response of school staff members is to remind the student of expected school behaviour, then ask the students to change their behaviour so that it aligns with our school’s expectations.
Our preferred way of re-directing low-level problem behaviour is to ask the students to think of how they might be able to act more safely, more respectfully or more responsibly. This encourages students to reflect on their own behaviour, evaluate it against expected school values, and plan how their behaviour could be modified so as to align with the expectations of our school community.
iv. Targeted Behaviour Support
Each year a small number students at Ormeau State School are identified through our data as needing targeted behavioural support. In most cases the problem behaviours of these students may not be immediately regarded as severe, but the frequency of their behaviours may put these students’ learning and social success at risk.