Student Relational Behaviour Support Policy

“I strongly believe that deep down in every child, however invisible, hostile or rejecting they may seem, is a deep longing to be seen, known and truly understood” (Louise Bomber, 2007)

Contents

1. Purpose
2. The principles and rationale underpinning our policy
3. Our vision
4. Our expectations for behaviour
5. How we provide a safe environment for learning
6. How we promote appropriate behaviour
7. What we do when things go wrong
8. Consequences
9. Roles and Responsibilities
10. Linked Policies
11. Review

• Appendix 1 – Grow and Learner Improvement Process
• Appendix 2 – Student & Parent Agreement
• Appendix 3 – Student & Parent Final Written Warning Letter
• Appendix 4 – Vaping/smoking and Antisocial Behaviour.
• Appendix 5 – sub-50% attendance
• Appendix 6 – Inappropriate Mobile Phone use in Lessons
• Appendix 7 – Student Dress Code Guidance
• Appendix 8: Guidance for Managing Inappropriate Mobile Phone Use (see Student Mobile Phone Procedure)
• Appendix 9 – Support information.

1. Purpose

This policy sets out our whole college approach to promoting excellent and positive relationships which underpin and support positive behaviour. It explains our approach to relationships, how it links to our core values promoted via our curriculum, and how it helps us make our college a community in which everyone is and feels safe, welcome and at home, so people can learn, discover, and achieve their potential. It also supports staff responding to behaviours using consistent and fair consequences as part of a behaviour continuum.

Effective classroom management is critical to the provision of a safe and supportive learning environment and helps build positive relationships. Research has consistently demonstrated the relationship between effective classroom management and both academic achievement, and teacher and student wellbeing.

Our approach is based on helping everyone to be and feel safe, building relationships, understanding individual needs, and supporting the development of self-regulation skills so everyone can thrive and achieve their full potential whilst and after their time at the college. The policy applies to all adults and students in our college, and we ask parents, carers, our community, and other adults involved to support it.

At the heart of our community are the people and the relationships they build. To make our whole college community work, we expect everyone to treat each other with respect, kindness, and compassion.

We know that meeting these expectations can be challenging. To help, we build a culture in which people can talk about how they feel, ask for help, learn from mistakes, put things right and get the support they need to achieve their potential, manage their mental health, well-being, feelings, and behaviours, so that they become confident, self-regulating adults and positive members of their community, who show tolerance, respect and support for others.

2. The principles and rationale underpinning our policy

• We see behaviour as a form of communication; to understand it is not to condone it, so we challenge ourselves to understand and meet the need the behaviour communicates, including the need for clear boundaries and support to face mistakes and repair them, build confidence and self-regulation.
• We have very high standards for behaviour and a relational and restorative approach to enable students to achieve them.
• We never tolerate behaviour, which is abusive, dangerous or destructive and will always challenge and address it.
• We are consistent in meeting the relational and developmental needs of our students as individuals.
• We model the behaviour we expect to see – we don’t shout, we are kind, compassionate and intelligent in our responses to behaviour.
• We notice what we want more of, rather than listing what someone has got wrong.
• We don’t use revenge, fear, coercion, bribery, threats, or humiliation.
• When behaviour is hard to understand and manage, we seek the best possible advice, work out what adjustments and interventions will help meet needs and work together to respond consistently and effectively.
• A student’s behaviour may be inappropriate or unacceptable but in themselves they are not, so we do not condemn students.
• All actions have consequences. We define consequences as the natural and logical responses to actions. We define punishment as the use of fear, shame or humiliation or revenge and because of this, we don’t use punishment.

3. Our vision

• Our own relationships, behaviour, and support for everyone to meet our high expectations for behaviour, will be excellent.
• All members of our college community will belong and be valued for who they are, their strengths and their needs. They will feel part of our college community. They will learn, grow, discover, and achieve their potential.
• All members of our college community will be supported according to their needs, helped to talk about and develop a better understanding of their emotions and feelings and how to manage them so they can be resilient, confident, and positive members of our community.
• When things go wrong and we make mistakes, we will be honest, reflective and seek positive solutions that enable everyone to face and resolve problems and repair damage and relationships.
• Our college will be a happy and safe place, where relationships are strong, needs are met, everyone feels valued and can learn.
• Our parents, carers and community will know that we value and respect them and will feel welcomed and included in the life of our college community.

4. Our expectations for behaviour

This policy places relationships and kindness as the foundation for learners to thrive, both academically and in relation to their wellbeing, and is underpinned by our values (Appendix 2):

• Ambitious
• Resilient
• Collaborative
• Inclusive
• Respectful

We will be:

• Ready to be in college, learn and work with others.
• Respectful, kind, supportive and compassionate
• Safe, resilient and seek to restore.

5. How we provide a safe environment for learning

• Our college is a safe, inclusive, welcoming place.
• We make sure that each of our students is known, recognised for their strengths, and given support for their needs.
• We know our students’ parents, carers, and our community.
• We meet and greet all students at the main entrance, as they come into our classrooms and as we walk around the college.
• We welcome parents and carers into college and listen and respond to their concerns and views.
• We treat each other with courtesy and respect.
• We don’t shout. We communicate in a calm and respectful manner, seeking to restore and reconnect.
• Our vision, values and our students’ achievements are visible as you walk round the college.
• We encourage empathy by guiding students to make choices based on empathy and mutual respect.
• We develop routines that help everyone to feel safe.
• When things go wrong, we are honest and just and always look for solutions that repair damage and relationships.
• We recognise and celebrate great and/or improved behaviour.
• There are safe places for people to go when they need calmness or reflection.
• There are outdoor spaces and/or rooms for students to use their energy safely.
• Every student has safe people who know them and who they can go to if they need support.

6. How we promote appropriate behaviour

• We recognise the power of positive attention. We believe that the biggest reward is to be noticed and valued by an adult with whom you have a relationship.
• We encourage students to have a positive view of themselves and their futures, so that they focus on future rewards and goals rather than always needing immediate rewards.
• We notice what we want more of, ensuring we communicate what was the specific action that the student did well.
• We use rewards such as certificates, Teams messages, Award Evenings, trips etc. to celebrate appropriate behaviour.
• We don’t run a token-based reward economy. We want our students to become resilient and self-regulating, so we do not build dependence on external rewards to motivate or encourage behaviour. Token economies can be too rigid to meet individual needs: for some the token is more important than the behaviour and then loses its initial impact, leading to ‘token inflation.’

7. What we do when things go wrong

• We don’t use a rigid hierarchy of escalating punishments. The Learner Improvement Process (Appendix 1) is collaborative and intended to promote positive behavioural change.
• We encourage staff to utilise a range of intervention types to maximise impact and promote positive progression and behavioural change. There may be occasions where the LIP may not be best suited to a student’s individual needs; where this is the case we will utilise a range of alternative intervention types such as letters, multi-agency meetings, engagement with business support function such as the SEND or Pastoral teams.
• We don’t use fear, threats, bribes, coercion, or humiliation.
• We don’t turn it into a power struggle – we are adults and it’s not about our egos.
• We don’t take it personally – even if it feels personal. Staff are supported to recognise the feelings that their work brings up for them, particularly when they are supporting young people who are struggling with their behaviour. We are clear that, though we may be upset or angry, revenge is not an appropriate or productive solution.

These strategies may gain initial compliance but don’t develop students’ self-regulation. Because they work with the fight, flight, freeze, top part of the brain and switch off higher order thinking skills; students don’t internalise a different way of behaving, they simply do what is necessary to survive in that moment. In some cases, where there is pre-existing trauma, this can be counterproductive or damaging.

Firstly, we manage ourselves:

• We respond in a way designed to help the student to learn to self-regulate, manage the underlying reasons for the behaviour, keep themselves and others safe, repair relationships and get back to learning.
• When dealing with difficulties, we can start to feel intense emotional responses ourselves. We might feel anger, frustration, upset or anxiety. However, when we are ‘dysregulated’ we can’t support others to regulate, in fact we are more likely to pass on our dysregulation to others. So, we recognise the importance of being able to self-regulate (check-in with yourself, take a breath, get support if needed) prior to managing any difficult situations in the classroom.

This means:

• We take a breath.
• We don’t take it personally (even if it feels personal).
• We are calm to create a sense of safety and order.
• We role model the behaviour we expect.
• We notice and praise the behaviour we want to see.
• We remind students of their good behaviour.
• We are focused on what the student needs and what anyone who has been negatively affected needs (not our need for control or ‘revenge’).
• We reflect on the wider context (the student’s experience and perspective).

Secondly, we help the students to:

• Be and feel physically and psychologically safe – including giving them time and space, other than in an emergency.
• Regulate their emotions and behaviours, for example by teaching them about breathing, how to release anger in non-destructive ways, naming and understanding their emotions.
• Reflect and build a better understanding of themselves and others.
• Deal with underlying issues.
• Learn other ways to manage themselves.
• Consider the impact on others.
• Put it right with others through ‘consequences’ e.g. restorative conversations and repairing damage with the right support to make this solution focused.

Thirdly, we address the issues:

• We look at what and how the student is learning; consider the appropriateness and effectiveness of the learning; ask and consider whether the student can access, engage and experience any success.
• We make sure we understand underlying issues and patterns for the student, their network and the college that are giving rise to the behaviour, seeking the input of parents, carers and professionals as needed.
• We make plans to pre-empt and address issues with those involved and ensure these are clearly communicated, so responses are consistent.
• We log issues and any positive progress accurately, looking at behaviours and circumstances that may have given rise to them.

If there is a major incident:

• We may need to place students on a Review Period until we can put in place the strategies above.
• Following a Reflective Conduct Review, including if any alternative provision has been accessed, we:
  • Make a fresh start.
  • Reintegrate, ensuring that damage and relationships are repaired and that strategies are agreed, shared, and adhere to consistently.

8. Consequences

All actions have consequences. We define consequences as the natural and logical responses to actions. We define punishment as the use of fear, shame or humiliation or revenge and because of this, we don’t use punishment.

We have a consequence system which is clear, transparent and provides structured and supported opportunities to resolve issues. It is recorded so patterns can be understood, and effective interventions implemented [see Appendix 1].

The GROW coaching model is a structured, solution-focused approach used to guide reflective conversations and support personal or professional development. It begins with clarifying the Goal, helping the individual define what they want to achieve in a clear and meaningful way. It then explores the current Reality, encouraging honest reflection on the present situation, strengths, and barriers. From there, the focus shifts to Options, where different possible strategies or actions are generated to move forward. Finally, the model concludes with the Workable way forward (often referred to as “Will”), where the individual commits to specific, achievable actions, building ownership and accountability for next steps.

Where initial support strategies and informal interventions have not led to sufficient progress, concerns will escalate to the Learner Improvement Process (LIP). This provides a more structured and monitored approach, bringing together the learner and key staff to agree clear SMART targets, review progress regularly, and identify any additional support required. The LIP sits within the wider intervention hierarchy and is used selectively to ensure that support is timely, purposeful and focused on enabling the learner to achieve positive progression and improved outcomes.

Sometimes, instead of using the GROW/LIP process, we send letters to students, parents, carers and guardians to address concerns such as vaping, anti-social behaviour, or low attendance. The sample letters provided in the appendix are examples and may be adapted based on individual situations. We strive to consider each person’s unique needs and recognise that receiving such letters can be challenging. Additionally, we might hold informal meetings at first to bring these concerns to attention. We believe in collaborating with parents, carers and guardians to provide a holistic, student centred support network.

We use a consequence which is logical and natural – if you drop litter, you pick it up; if you are rude you apologise; if you don’t do the work, you catch up; if you hurt someone, you repair the relationship. We deal with minor things in the moment. We start afresh after a consequence has been completed.

We use consequences according to what needs to be done to help the student to learn to behave differently and put things right. We log these interventions on our internal college systems to monitor and track progress. This means that we may utilise alternative forms of intervention outside of the LIP/letters such as:

• Supportive contact to establish reason(s) for concerns
• Parental/Carer/Guardian call/meeting
• Early EHCP review, Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting
• Multi-agency meeting
• Tutorial 1-1
• Fitness to Study meeting or any other relevant, bespoke intervention as agreed by the respective stakeholders to maximise positive progression and impact.
• *Bespoke interventions must be recorded to allow tracking of learner progress.

All intervention types are marked as complete at the start of an academic year, “new year, fresh start”. Students on “new” courses begin at the start of the LIP irrespective of previous interventions. Returning students in the second year of their study programme have existing GROW/LIPs marked as complete at the start of an academic year but performance related concerns would result in a continuation at the existing or next stage. This gives returning students the opportunity to “show us they have made a positive change”.

If there is a person affected by what has happened, then their feelings (but not their need for revenge) must be dealt with and respected via reflection time and a restorative approach.

We accept that the consequence of some actions under some circumstances mean that the student may not be in college temporarily or permanently. In both cases, we proactively engage in finding long term solutions and track their impact.

When a student is not achieving their potential, a bespoke intervention will follow to support positive change and be recorded on our college systems to allow us to track progress. This will usually be done by the Course Tutor but could be another member of staff as agreed during the departmental at-risk meetings.

9. Roles and Responsibilities

We believe strongly in relational practice which is at the heart of everything we do. Relational practice is embedded within our college values, and we ask that all members of the college community follow and promote them. We believe that if we collaboratively follow these values, they encourage us to be our best self and achieve our potential (Appendix 2).

Students

• Be present, ready, respectful, and safe.
• Support, communicate and collaborate as part of the college and wider community.
• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders to support positive behavioural changes; we can’t do this effectively without your input.
• Work collaboratively and respectfully with us when things go wrong knowing that actions have consequences; we define consequences as the natural and logical responses to actions.

Parent/Carers/Guardians

• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders to support positive student behaviour and celebrate success.
• Work collaboratively and respectfully with us when things go wrong knowing that actions have consequences. We define consequences as the natural and logical responses to actions.

All Staff

• Work collaboratively with policy stakeholders to impact positive change.
• Recognise that not all behaviour is a matter of choice and that reasonable adjustments must be made for students where possible.
• Recognise and reward positive behaviours and celebrate students when they show improvements in their attitudes and behaviours in and out of college.
• All staff should attend the necessary training, be aware of and practise the trauma informed principles and model positive behaviours.

All leaders and managers

• Set high expectations and hold aspirations for everyone’s behaviour.
• Model the behaviour they expect from everyone.
• Are open, honest, willingly accountable, notice achievement, challenge and support and are able to apologise when they get it wrong.
• Know their students, notice what they do well and support them to resolve problems when things go wrong.
• Know their staff and recognise their hard work.
• Do not fix everything but support the whole team to find solutions, resolve conflict via restorative practice.
• Ensure that the vision is shared, lived, and developed with staff, students, parents, carers and agencies.
• Provide flexible and accessible opportunities and a safe space for adults to debrief, reflect, have a professional conversation.
• Provide high quality CPD for all adults working in college.
• Work pro-actively with other agencies to ensure plans are joined up and solutions are found.

The Board of the Corporation

• Review the policy regularly and ensure its effectiveness in supporting and improving positive student behaviour.

Leadership Team

• Lead by example through accessing our relational training (Belong) and embedding this into practice.
• Recognise and celebrate examples of good relational practice.
• Monitor the application of the policy with emphasis on reported incidents.
• Highlight trends and support good practice to address identified areas of need.
• Seek to ensure that procedures linked to this policy are adhered to.
• Support the Learner Improvement Process where necessary.

Directors of Curriculum, Heads of Study and Programme Leaders

• Lead with standards in terms of relationships, behaviour, and attitudes towards learning.
• Recognise and celebrate positive behaviour and encourage others to do so.
• Support all colleagues across TSCG in maintaining the highest standards of behaviour through high quality teaching and learning and consistent implementation of the policy.
• Ensure that all relationship processes and procedures are adhered to including the following: Learner Improvement Process, Student Attendance and Reflective Conduct Re view Procedures.

Course Tutors

• Recognise and celebrate good behaviour.
• Arereflective practitioners and engage in continuous learning around relational practice.
• Agree standards and values expected/required from TSCG students. Once agreed, the values should be made clearly visible and applied consistently.
• Monitor individual and group behaviour in classes and take appropriate action to address any issues.
• Liaise with their Programme Leader, Director of Curriculum/Head of Study and/or pastoral staff regarding relational intervention strategies.
• Liaise with the appropriate Senior Manager over complex cases of concern.
• Follow the Learner Improvement Process (LIP) as appropriate to support students.

Director of Curriculum – Student Support and Safeguarding, Centre Managers – Student Support, Safeguarding and Behaviour and Pastoral Teams

• Recognise and celebrate positive relationships and highlight the positive impact of these.
• Ensure students understand the standards and values expected and they apply them consistently.
• Liaise with the Inclusion and Progression team where appropriate to ensure the needs of SEND students are properly understood.
• Be a reflective practitioner and engage in continuous learning around relational practice.
• Liaise with curriculum teams regarding intervention strategies.
• Support learners and curriculum teams with the implementation of the policy.
• Liaise with the appropriate senior manager over complex cases of concern.
• Support the Learner Improvement Process (LIP) as appropriate to support students.

10. Linked Policies

• Learner Improvement Process
• Student Attendance Procedure
• Reflective Conduct Review Procedure
• Student Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment Procedure
• Student Mobile Phone Procedure

11. Review

The Relational Support Policy will be reviewed bi-annually, and all stakeholders will have an opportunity to input their views as part of this review process.

Appendix 1 – Grow and Learner Improvement Process

*All GROW/LIP interventions will be marked as complete at the end of an academic year to give everyone the opportunity to make a positive change, “new year, fresh start”. Students beginning a new course will start the GROW/LIP process from the beginning irrespective of previous interventions. Students returning as part of the same study programme will continue from their existing or next GROW/LIP stage if concerns remain.

Subject to the severity of the concerns students may escalate to a higher-level LIP stage so as the nature of the consequence reflects the level of concern. Our priority is for students to be successful, achieve and be their best self, to ensure interventions are timely and impactful. *Escalation of interventions take place in exceptional circumstances with the combined agreement of relevant Director of Curriculum – Student Support and Safeguarding or Centre Managers – Student Support, Safeguarding and Behaviour.

If a GROW/LIP meeting is not attended the student will have one further opportunity to attend after which point the outcomes will be written and shared in their absence.