Child Behaviour Policy
Feb 2017: To be reviewed annually or as required.
All children from an early age are encouraged to respect each other and their immediate environment. Staff, parents and children have an active role to play within this process and by working together we will enable the children to become caring and
thoughtful individuals.
In order to achieve this. the staff and adults in MAUK Music and Dance School will:
- Endeavour to a positive model for the children with regard to friendliness, care
and courtesy. - Praise and endorse desirable behaviour such as kindness and willingness to
share. - Apply the rules consistently so that children have the security of knowing what
to expect and can build up useful habits of behaviour. - Take positive steps to avoid a situation in which children receive adult attention
only in return for undesirable behavior. - We recognize 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 school. - We never use physical punishment, such as smacking or shaking. Children are
never threatened with these. - We do not use techniques intended to single out and humiliate individual
children. - We only use physical restraint, such as holding, to prevent physical injury to children or adults and/or serious damage to property. Details of such an event (what happened, what action was taken and by whom, and the names of witnesses) are brought to the attention of Secretary and are recorded in our Incident Book. A parent is informed on the same day and signs the Incident Book to indicate that he/she 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.
- We handle children’s unacceptable 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 unacceptable behaviour, using objective observation records to help us to understand the cause and to decide jointly how to respond appropriately.
- Labelling words such as ‘naughty’ are not used.
- Children who misbehave will be given one-to- one adult support in seeing what was wrong and working towards a better pattern.
- Where appropriate this might be achieved by a period of ‘time out’.
- Children will never be sent out of the room by themselves.
- Staff will not shout or raise their voices in a threatening way.
- Should a child consistently display unacceptable behaviour staff will work in consultation with parents in order to support each other in ensuring consistency in the management of the child’s behaviour.