Amendments to Pentrehafod School Behaviour Policy during Covid-19 Pandemic
Behaviour Principles. Covid 19
Pentrehafod School acknowledges that children will have had a range of different experiences during the lockdown period which may have an impact on their behaviour presentation upon return to school. Some may present with frustration as a result of being isolated from friends or having missed a significant event or experience others may have experienced bereavement or loss or another, real or perceived, traumatic episode. For many, the process of re-engagement with learning and the school community, under unusual circumstances, may require some additional input and encouragement. As a result of these varied experiences children may present with behaviour that is not usual, this may include;
· Anxiety; lack of confidence
· Challenging behaviour
· Anger; shouting, crying
· Hyperactivity and difficulties maintaining attention
In light of the need for children to behave differently and to follow specific rules on their return to school during the Covid-19 epidemic, this amendment to the Behaviour Policy outlines specific changes to guidance that pupils will have to follow. Our sole guiding principle when making any changes or adjustments to policy is to be able to keep all of our children, families and staff safe and place their wellbeing at the forefront of everything we do.
Students must not attend school if:
1. They are experiencing any of the Covid symptoms
2. Are isolating as part of a household within which a member is showing Covid symptoms
3. Are isolating following a visit to a foreign country which is identified as being on the quarantine list for Wales
4. Have been instructed to isolate by ‘Track and Trace’
Behaviour Expectations:
· Break and lunch – all pupils must remain within their contact group during break and lunch times wherever possible. The school has defined a contact group as a year group. Each year group has
an allocated zone within which the pupils must remain other than to visit the toilet facilities ( see below)
· Use of toilet facilities – contact group shave been allocated toilet facilities that they must adhere to during the day – Years 7 and 8 are to use the toilets in the Pool Corridor or in the Maths Area, whereas Years 9, 10 and 11 use the toilet facilities located near the upstairs and downstairs Art rooms.
· Students must not cough or spit at or towards any other person
· It is expected that students engage fully with blended learning at home if they are in isolation and are not unwell
· On lesson changeover – students must make every effort to remain within their contact groups and remain socially distanced from other contact groups wherever possible.
· At the end of the day – students must leave the school premises at their allocated time. Students must not gather in large groups comprising of different contact groups.
School Routines and Procedures:
· Students should attend school at the start of the day according to the allocated time and go directly to their allocated area through designated entrance points (these are clearly signed). They must use hand sanitiser gel before entering the school building.
· Students must not socialise with students from other contact groups.
· Students must follow the one-way system around the school which is clearly signposted
· There should be no more than 3 students using the toilet facilities at any one time
· Students should not share equipment. If they borrow equipment from the teacher then the borrowed items must be placed in the designated wallets at the sanitising stations which are found in every classroom
· Teachers will spray desks and chairs with anti-viral treatment at the end of the lesson. Students are expected to wipe down their desks and chairs at the end of the lesson. There will be no requirement for this to take place at the end of the last lesson.
Hygiene and Health Expectations:
· Students must use hand sanitising gel before entering the school building, on leaving each lesson and on leaving the school at the end of the day
· Students must wash their hands in line with hygiene guidance when using the toilet facilities
· Students must follow the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ procedure when coughing or sneezing. They must not cough or sneeze into their hands and should use a tissue or their sleeve. They must follow hygiene steps after coughing or sneezing
· Students must tell a member of staff if they are experiencing any Covid symptoms
Face coverings / Masks:
· It is the school policy, in line with Welsh Government guidance, that face coverings should be worn in communal areas e.g. corridors where social distancing is not possible and the mitigation of classroom contact groups is not in place.
· Mask “designs” should be appropriate for the school environment.
· If medical exemptions exist, masks do not need to be worn but, other than for specific medical reasons refusal to wear a covering / mask could be considered a breach of the school behaviour policy and the graduated approach to behaviour management used.
· Exclusions for refusal to wear face coverings will be an absolute last resort but may be issued if there is a risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of the school community. An exclusion should only be issued when all other strategies have been exhausted and are as the result of continual and deliberate refusal to comply with requirements
Graduated response:
As part of a graduated response to supporting learners who are demonstrating difficulties in responding appropriately to the expected measures to keep everyone safe, an individual
risk assessment will be completed. The aim of this risk assessment is to identify areas that are or may be a barrier to maintaining the safety of the learner or others, and supporting them by putting in appropriate control measures.
If a student’s behaviour is deemed high risk, for example, refusing to adhere to safety measures, such as, hand washing, social distancing, or deliberate behaviours that put themselves or others at risk the following sanctions and disciplinary procedures could be used:
· Conversation(s) with student(s) which could include a verbal warning, exploring reasons for not following the expected safety measures and if possible seeking alternatives, moving seats if logistically possible and other behaviour management strategies in line with the behaviour policy.
· Once all appropriate behaviour management strategies have been exhausted, contact should be made with pupil’s parent/carer.
· If the health and safety of other pupils and staff members are put at risk by the pupils not adhering to social distancing measures, then the parent/carer will be expected to collect the student and a fixed term exclusion will be applied in line with exclusion guidance.
Pupils with Additional Learning Needs:
For some children, including those with attachment concerns or ALN, and especially those with ASD, the change in routines and lack of familiarity will require additional adjustment. Pentrehafod School recognises that behaviour could be a sign that for some individual children and young people there is an unfulfilled need and that the behaviour is communicating that there is a problem. The school will undertake an individual risk assessment for the child and use reasonable endeavours to make the necessary adjustments to reduce the stimulus that may be triggering the challenging response. Students with ALN are recognised as being particularly vulnerable and therefore have an urgent need to be re-integrated back into school as soon as reasonably possible. Pentrehafod School will continue to work closely with parents to implement supportive strategies that will inform an appropriate response. If necessary school will seek external support from other agencies such as Educational Psychologists, learning disability team, behaviour support team, health and safety officers or Early Help.