Choices & Consequences
Rossett School uses the ‘Choices & Consequences’ system which gives a consistent framework for staff to use when addressing issues of minor disruption in class.
The 5 ‘levels’ on the Choices & Consequences system are as follows:
- C1 first warning
- C2 final warning
- C3 student sent out to another class – detention issued
- C4 exclusion unit – detention issued
- C5 fixed term/permanent exclusion
Removal from a lesson
Removal from a lesson will only happen after due consideration of protocol. A student who has been warned twice about their behaviour will be removed from a lesson if that behaviour continues to disrupt teaching and learning in that classroom. A student may be removed for other reasons, including a single incident deemed sufficiently serious by the classroom teacher to warrant such a sanction.
Students removed from classes will be informed of why they have been removed and given ‘clear instructions’ as to where they should go and who they should report to. An after school detention will follow where the student should complete the missed work and there is an opportunity for restorative work to be done.
Parents will be informed and the incident logged on the student’s electronic behaviour record. The frequency of C3s per class will be monitored by the Director of Study, and per student by the Director of Learning, for signs of recidivism and to ensure the policy is being implemented consistently.
Removal may also be planned, as part of a personal learning plan or similar, where it is decided that this is in the student’s best interests. Parents will be informed/consulted as appropriate if this is the case.
If a student refuses to leave a classroom, the teacher should refer this to the Director of Study immediately, or to a member of the leadership team who will intervene. This is an escalation and any subsequent sanctions will reflect this.
Detentions
Detentions can take place during school hours, at lunchtime, after school or at weekends. If a student fails to attend without a satisfactory reason, they may receive a more serious punishment.
Parents are entitled to 24 hours notice of a detention that takes place outside normal school hours, so they can make arrangements for transport or childcare. The notice will tell parents why the detention was given and how long it is for.
The school may reconsider the detention in certain circumstances such as the detention falls on an important religious day.
Exclusion Unit
The Exclusion Unit (EU) serves the whole school community. It is an integral part of the Choices and Consequences system where students can be placed away from peers. The students will be provided with appropriate work from their teachers during the day so that they are not disadvantaged when they return to their lessons, having served their sanction. Students will be allowed short breaks to use the toilet and to obtain a meal at lunchtime.
- The EU is used for students whose presence around school and in lessons is compromised by their behaviour.
- Directors of Studies provide a bank of suitable work by year group/key stage. A range of suitable reading will also be provided by the Director of Studies: Access and Inclusion.
- Students will be isolated for a variety of reasons but primarily where their behaviour has been particularly disruptive, or where the school is investigating disruptive behaviour (‘pending’). This will allow classes to proceed as normal without a potentially disruptive student present, so supporting teaching and learning in that class.
- The Director of Behaviour Support will decide when the sanction is appropriate and who will be in isolation.
- The students in the EU are supervised by staff all day.
- A register is kept of students in the EU for staff to see. The C4 sanction is recorded on SIMS.
- Parents are informed of this sanction, the reason why and the duration of their stay.
Fixed Term Exclusion
A student who gets into serious trouble at school can be excluded for a fixed period of time.
Fixed term exclusion will be considered if:
- a student has seriously broken school rules;
- allowing the student to stay in school would seriously harm their education or welfare, or the education or welfare of other students.
Only the Headteacher or acting Headteacher can exclude a child. If a student is excluded for longer than one school day, the school will set work for them and mark it. If a student has 45+ days of exclusions in any school year, they will be permanently excluded.
The governors of the school consider exclusions but will only meet when:
- an exclusion is for more than 15 days in length;
- if the student has exclusions accumulating to more than 15 days in one term;
- if the exclusion is under 15 days and, the parents make a representation.
The governors will decide whether or not to uphold the Headteacher’s decision. The parents and the student are invited to attend and be heard at such a meeting, or submit written representations.
The school will contact parents on the day an exclusion is given and follow up with a letter including information on:
- the period and reason for exclusion;
- inform parents that it is their duty to ensure their child is not present in a public place during the first five days of any exclusion during normal school hours, whether in the company of a parent or not;
- any arrangements made by the school that apply from the sixth day of the exclusion.
Following a fixed term exclusion parents are expected to accompany their child back to school for a re-admission meeting, however, the child will be re-admitted even if the parent does not attend. If this is successful the student will be placed on report for a minimum of 3 school days to check their progress.
Permanent exclusion
Rossett School will usually only permanently exclude a student as a final sanction, after trying to improve the student’s behaviour through other means. However, there are exceptional circumstances in which the Headteacher may decide to permanently exclude a student for a ‘one-off’ offence.
If a student has been permanently excluded:
- the school’s governing body is required to review the Headteacher’s decision and parents are invited to meet with them to explain their views on the exclusion;
- if the governing body confirms the exclusion, parents can appeal to an independent appeal panel;
- the local authority will provide full-time education from the sixth day of a permanent exclusion.
The Headteacher will decide whether it is necessary to report an incident to the police or any other external agency.
Specialist Agencies
At Rossett we acknowledge that our students may benefit from the support and guidance of specialist agencies beyond our school. As part of our commitment to our students we may use external agencies to help support student progress.
