HEAVITREE COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL
BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT POLICY
Our pre-school believes that children and adults flourish best in an ordered environment in which everyone knows what is expected of them, and children are free to develop their play and learning without fear of being hurt or unfairly restricted by anyone else. We aim to work towards a situation in which children can develop self-discipline and self-esteem in an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement.
 

• We have a named person Amanda Mitchell who has overall responsibility for issues concerning behaviour.

 

• We require all staff, volunteers and students to provide a positive role model of behaviour by treating children, parents and one another with friendliness, care and courtesy.

 

• We require all staff, volunteers and students to use positive strategies for handling any conflict by helping children find solutions in ways which are appropriate for the children’s ages and stages of development – for example distraction, praise and reward.

 

• All staff and volunteers are made aware of our policies and where to find them.

 

• We expect all adults in the pre-school to apply the guidelines consistently, so that children have the security of knowing what to expect and can build up useful habits of behaviour.

 

• We praise and endorse desirable behaviour such as kindness, willingness to share and respect.

 

• We avoid creating situations in which children receive adult attention only in return for inconsiderate behaviour.

 

• We recognise that codes for interacting with other people vary between cultures and require staff to be aware of – and respect – those used by members of the pre-school.

 

• When children behave in inconsiderate ways, we help them to see what was wrong and how to cope more appropriately.

 

• We never send children out of the room by themselves.

 

• Corporal punishment, such as smacking or shaking, will be neither used nor threatened.  We will never threaten any punishment which could adversely affect a child’s well-being.

 

• We do not use techniques intended to single out and humiliate individual children.

 

• Physical intervention (where practitioners use reasonable force to prevent children from injuring themselves, others or damaging property), will only be used for the purposes of averting immediate danger of personal injury to any person (including the child) or to manage a child’s behaviour if absolutely necessary. Details of such an event (what happened, what action was taken and by whom, the names of the witnesses) are brought to the attention of our pre-school leader / Manager and are recorded as appropriate. The parent must be informed on the same day and will be required to sign the incident book to indicate that s/he has been informed.

 

• In cases of serious misbehaviour, such as racial or other abuse, we make clear immediately the unacceptability of the behaviour and attitudes, by means of explanations rather than personal blame.

 

• In any case of misbehaviour, it will always be made clear to the child/ren in question that it is the behaviour and not the child that is unwelcome.

 

• We do not shout or raise our voices in a threatening way to respond to children’s behaviour.

 

• We handle children’s inconsiderate behaviour in ways which are appropriate to their ages and stages of development – for example by distraction, discussion or by withdrawing the child from the situation.

 

• We work in partnership with children’s parents. Parents are regularly informed about their children’s behaviour by their key person. We work with parents to address recurring inconsiderate behaviour, using objective observation records to help us to understand the cause and to decide jointly how to respond appropriately.

 

• Adults will be aware that some kinds of behaviour may arise from a child’s special needs, and behaviour will be managed appropriately.

 

• If needed an individual behaviour support plan will be implemented and all staff made aware of the correct handling/dealing of individual children.

 

• The setting is aware of outside agency support in best dealing with challenging behaviours and will make contact/make referrals for further support if needed.