Restorative Practices

Our school actively supports and promotes Restorative Practices. This program is a way of being and learning together. Restorative Practices provides a foundation on which sound pedagogy is built and which contribute to the development of self-directed learners who are responsible for both their learning and behaviour.  This way of teaching and learning is aligned with the NSW Quality Teaching Framework.  The emphasis is on doing things ‘with’ children as opposed to ‘to’ them.  This approach facilitates and builds the capacity of a school to be a positive, welcoming and inclusive environment in which all stakeholders are empowered to play their part in a thriving learning community.

SCHOOL MERIT SYSTEM

MERIT POINTS 

Respect yourself and others

Always do your best

Play safely

MERIT AWARD  (1 POINT)

- Awarded (one at a time) by staff to any student for positive effort or behaviour relating to

   RAP rules
- Record of points for each student kept in their classroom

ASSEMBLY AWARD  (equivalent to 10 POINTS)

- Awarded at Assembly for behaviour relating to superior effort or achievement
- Each member of staff will award a maximum of 2 certificates per fortnight

- Each Assembly Award earns 10 merit points to be recorded on student’s classroom

   Merit Award tally

SCHOOL AWARD

- A large certificate awarded at Assembly for achievement of 100 points

- Name published in the school newsletter

SCHOOL MEDALLION

- Awarded at Assembly for 5 School Awards

- Name published in the school newsletter

HOUSE POINTS

COOKS             -          GREEN

GEORGES  -           BLUE

WOLLI              -          RED

House points will be awarded to students for behaviour relating to general school organisation and cooperation with day to day requests.

Tally of House Points will be kept in each classroom. 

Results will be collected by Year 6 SRC representatives each fortnight (Tuesday before Assembly) and recorded as follows:

3 points – winning house

2 points – second place

1 points – third place

Points for all classes will be collated (under the supervision of sports Coordinator or delegate) and results announced at the following Assembly.

A cumulative record will be kept and at the end of each term, the winning house will be rewarded with a “Principal’s Picnic”.

Discipline Policy

Work as One

to provide quality, equitable education

 in a caring, supportive and respectful school environment.

Marrickville West Public School views Student Welfare, Good Discipline and Effective Learning as an active relationship between all members of the school community.

‘Positive relationships are built upon effective interpersonal communication and respect for the contributions, needs and efforts of others.’ Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6

At Marrickville West Public School the principles of Restorative Practice are being integrated into day to day school practice.

There are four key elements to this practice:

• Responding effectively to behaviours that harm the development of positive relationships
• Working with one another
• The importance of a fair process
• Using key restorative (Socratic) questions

Restorative Practice has been developed to support and facilitate the building of healthy relationships.

The following Restorative Questions provide a basis for discussions with students:

At Marrickville West Public School three rules [RAP] underpin our Discipline Policy.

These rules are

• Respect Yourself and Others
• Always Do Your Best
• Play Safely

These rules encourage students to accept responsibility for the impact of their behavioural choices, to make and accept healthy and safe decisions and to monitor and apply self management to their own behaviour.

Students, staff and parents have developed the following explanation of these rules, which highlights the rights and responsibilities of all members of MWPS community:

Strategies to Promote Good Discipline and Effective Learning

Marrickville West promotes good discipline and effective learning by:

• Regularly reinforcing school rules and expectations.
• Encouraging students to reflect on and accept responsibility for their own behaviour following the restorative practices framework.
• Providing appropriate curriculum including programs that cater for individual needs.
• Providing opportunities for discussion and support to students and their parents.
• Providing students with a forum to address issues and develop broader leadership skills through representation on the Student Representative Council.

Marrickville West reinforces student achievement by:

• Regular personal acknowledgement of effort and success
• The use of merit cards, certificates, awards and other appropriate school based recognition.
• Appropriate contact with parents via interviews, mail or phone.
• Modelling of consistent, respectful behaviour by the staff.

Strategies for Dealing with

Unacceptable Behaviour in the Playground

Teachers on playground duty will record significant or repeated incidents of inappropriate behaviour in the Playground Behaviour Book.

Where incidents are of a serious or violent nature, the student will be immediately removed from the playground and Executive on duty will be called to manage the situation in accordance with school and DET policy.

(See “Serious Breaches of School Discipline Code”)

Incidents to be recorded in Playground Behaviour Book include:

•      Playground behaviour consistent with school rules.
•      Bullying another student or students.
•         Violence towards another student or student.
•         Swearing at another student or students.
•         Spitting at another student or students.
•         Being in an area that is out of bounds.
•         Playing in the toilets.
•         Damaging school property or the property of others.
•         Engaging in inappropriate or unsafe play.
•       Speaking in an inappropriate way to teacher.
•       Running away from or refusing to listen to a teacher.
•       Making racist comments to another student or students.
•         Teasing or putting down another student or students.

Hierarchy of response to unacceptable behaviour in the playground may be as follows:

• The playground behaviour books will be reviewed regularly by Executive staff.

• A student whose name appears 3 times in ten days will be interviewed by an Executive teacher.

An entry will be recorded in the School Behaviour Register.

One or more of the following may also occur –

the student may receive a rule reminder

there may be a conference with the student, victim, principal, class teacher

a letter may be sent home describing the behaviour(s) of concern

a meeting may be organised with student, parents and staff to examine difficulties experienced by the student and develop a plan to support the development of more appropriate behaviour choices

• Where a student chooses to continue to behave in a hurtful or dangerous manner, they may be denied access to the playground for a period of time while issues are addressed.

Strategies for Dealing with

Unacceptable Behaviour in the Classroom

Each classroom will develop a set of rules based on student’s rights and responsibilities. These will be clearly displayed in each classroom.

Regular class meetings will occur to promote and develop positive social skills and discuss issues which impact on learning and relationships.

These meetings are based on procedures outlined in Teacher Circles Booklet for Primary Students. The outcome of these meeting will often determine what steps need to be taken next.

Hierarchy of response to unacceptable behaviour may be as follows:

• Teacher gives student verbal reminder of rules.
• Official warning (e.g. Student name entered in class behaviour book.)
• Where a student’s behaviour is preventing others from learning, the student may be sent to a buddy class with work and/or a “rule reminder” to complete.
• Conference between student and teacher will occur. Copy of rule reminder sent home by class teacher for parent to sign and return to school.

(Copy of rule reminder will be kept in classroom folder)

• Meeting with Principal/Executive, student and class teacher leading to a behaviour plan or contract and possibly monitoring of behaviour for a period of time. Behaviour Monitor Sheet will be reviewed daily with student and signed by teacher, principal and parent.
• Where inappropriate behaviour poses a risk to the safety or the student or others, exclusion from excursions, free play time or other activities may result.
• Conference with student, parents, Principal/Executive (and others as appropriate) to develop a behaviour plan and make recommendations for future action.

Serious Breaches of the School Discipline Code

Serious breaches of school rules (e.g. violence) will be reported to and dealt with immediately by Principal/Executive. The incident will be recorded in the Behaviour Register and may result in a short or long suspension in accordance with N.S.W. Department of Education and Training “Procedures for the Suspension and Expulsion of School Students.”

Possession of weapons, illegal activity, violence or serious threats of violence will result in immediate suspension.

Where additional support is required to manage student behaviour, the school may seek parental consent to refer the case to the School Counsellor. The school may access DET support personnel (e.g. specialist counsellors or District Behaviour Team) and where appropriate, outside agencies (e.g. Marrickville Community Health Services).

If necessary the Principal, School Counsellor and parents will meet to consider other options for  the student. These may include additional support, exclusion from school or selected activities, or alternatives to current school placement.

Marrickville West Public School Student Welfare Policy reflects the policies, practices and procedures outlined in NSW Department of Education and Training documents. These can be found at www.schools.nsw.edu.au.

Anti-Bullying Policy

 Introduction

Marrickvile West Primary School and community agree that bullying, in any form (verbal, physical, social or psychological) is unacceptable and violates our school code. Our school practices adhere to the policies of the Department of Education and Training, specifically, the Anti-bullying Plan for Schools.

We believe –

Bullying is the intentional, repeated behaviour by an individual of group of individuals that causes distress, hurt or undue pressure.

Bullying involves the abuse of power in relationships. Bullying can involve all forms of harassment (including sex, race, disability, homosexuality or transgender), humiliation, domination or intimidation of others.

Bullying behaviour can be:

• Verbal eg name calling, teasing, abuse, putdowns, sarcasm, insults, threats
• Physical eg hitting, punching, scratching, spitting, tripping, exposure to substances that could cause harm
• Social eg ignoring, excluding, ostracising, making inappropriate gestures
• Psychological eg spreading rumours, “dirty looks”, damaging possessions, sending malicious emails or text messages, inappropriate use of camera phones.
  

Bullying:

• devalues, isolates and frightens
• affects an individual’s ability to achieve
• has long term effects on those engaging in bullying behaviour, those who are the subject s of bullying behaviour and the onlookers or bystanders
  

Students, staff and visitors have the right to expect that they will spend the school day free from bullying, harassment and intimidation.

When at school, we all have the right to:

• Feel Respected
• Learn in a positive environment
• Feel Safe
  

In order to preserve these rights for ourselves and others, we have the responsibility to follow the School Rules:

• Respect yourself and others
• Always do your best
• Play safely

Statement of Purpose

Strategies to Prevent Bullying

Through the following strategies to prevent bullying, we aim to empower the school community to recognise and respond appropriately to bullying and harassment and there by contribute to the general health and wellbeing of all students.

Our school employs the following strategies to effectively teach the skills and understandings that will lead to eliminating bullying behaviours.

• Restorative Practices –
  has been accepted by the students, staff and community as the foundation on which all school discipline and social practices will be based. Students are encouraged to develop the capacity to take responsibility for their behaviour and for the remedy of undesirably situations arising from their behaviour choices. Restorative Practices support the values of tolerance and respect that underpin our school philosophy.
  
• Class-based Teaching and Learning Programs -
  specifically targeting the development of skills and knowledge that will enable students to identify, respond to and prevent bullying behaviour.
  These units of work target each stage group and are based on the publications, Bullying, a Whole School Approach by Suckling and Temple (2001) and Bullying - Identify, Cope and Prevent, RIC Publications (2002).
  
  The anti-bullying program provides opportunities for students to discuss types of bullying, why some people bully, assertive and appropriate responses to bullying behaviour and strategies for the resolution of conflict. All units emphasise the important role of the bystander to incidents of bullying and of the power of a “no tolerance” approach when assertively supported, in an appropriate manner, by the moral majority.
  
• School values, rules and responsibilities -
  are consistently reinforced through school practices that promote strong, respectful relationships. The School Discipline Policy is applied consistently to address, as appropriate, any incidents of bullying that arise.
  
• Student Welfare, Discipline and Supervision Policies -
  will be actively implemented by staff to ensure that students are appropriately supported and supervised at all times.
  Teachers will be aware of their responsibilities under the Department’s Code of Conduct and will act in accordance with the agreed school code of practice.
  
  Teachers responsible for supervision in the playground will wear florescent vests to enable them to be easily identifiable by students.
  
  Incidents of inappropriate behaviour in the playground will be dealt with by the teacher on playground duty, supported by the executive as necessary.
  
  Inappropriate behaviour in the playground will be recorded in the Playground Behaviour Book. All serious or repeated incidents of bullying will be reported to the principal who will act in accordance with the Student Welfare, Discipline and Suspension/Expulsion Policies.
  
• Regular Monitoring, Evaluation and Review -
  of this plan will occur involving input from all stakeholders: students, teachers, parents and the wider community. These reviews may result in revisions to this plan at any time.

 Strategies to Deal with Bullying Behaviour

• Professional Training and Development:
  Staff, students and the community will have access to information that may assist in ensuring the health and safety of others eg Anaphylaxis, Emergency Care and Child Protection Training. School policy and practices will reflect Department of Education and Training guidelines.
  
• Reporting of Bullying:
  Bullying behaviour is reinforced by silence. All members of the school community are encouraged to report incidents of bullying to a staff member as soon as they become aware of it.
   
  Students should report incidents of bullying immediately to their supervising teacher.
  Parents become aware of incidents of bullying that have occurred at school and have gone unreported, are encouraged to speak to their child’s teacher or to the principal.
  
  Teachers will intervene in reported cases of bullying, according to departmental guidelines, and the school discipline policy. Teachers will be supported in their response by a member of the executive or the principal.
  
  Teachers will report incidents of serious or ongoing bullying behaviour to supervisors or to the principal. Intervention by executive or principal and implementation of student support and/or disciplinary procedures will occur in cases where bullying has been ongoing or has resulted injury or harm to another student.
  
  The level of disciplinary response will be determined by the nature and impact of the behaviour.
  
• School Response to Bullying Behaviour:
  In most situations, staff will respond to bullying behaviour in accordance with the school Discipline Policy. Each case will be dealt with according to the needs of the particular students involved and taking into account individual circumstances of each case.
  
  Responses may include:
  
  - Time out to allow “cool off” and reflection time
  
  - Restorative conferencing with student and victims, executive, parent and/or counsellor to assist the students to take responsibility for their behaviour, to better understand the impact their behavioural choices have on themselves and others and to begin to develop more productive and appropriate social skills.
  
  - Written rule reminders or letters sent home to prompt discussion between student and their parent/carer
  
  - Withdrawal of privileges
  
  - Suspension or expulsion procedures. In cases where suspension or expulsion of a student becomes necessary, parents will be provided with a letter giving details of incident and information regarding Departmental appeal procedures in accordance with DET policy and procedures.
  
  - Students responsible for bullying or other inappropriate behaviour may be referred to the Learning Support Team (LST) for further assessment and evaluation of support needs.