Recognition & Sanctions

Recognition

We know how important it can be for pupils to have their excellent work, effort, and contribution to the school community recognised. Research shows that this is most powerful when recognition takes the form of quiet, personalised words, especially when parents and carers can echo this at home. Our approach to recognition is designed with this in mind.

Pupils’ efforts, achievements and successes are recognised in progressive steps. At each step, praise is shared with parents and carers; we hope that you enjoy being able to talk with your child about their successes.

Please note that our approach to recognition is always evolving in response to research and the experiences of pupils; we welcome feedback.

Positive entries on Go4Schools       

Pupils can receive a positive entry on Go4schools under the following 4 categories:

• Excellent classwork – given for classwork that is of a particularly high standard.
• Excellent contribution – given for particularly strong contributions in lesson.
• Excellent homework – given for homework of a particularly high standard.
• Excellent work effort – given when a pupil tries especially hard within the lesson.

Staff are able to enter a comment to give more information on the positive entry that has been given. Pupils and parents/carers receive a weekly notification from go4schools with details of the positive entries they have received that week.

Postcards

When pupils’ contributions and efforts are really outstanding, staff are able to send an electronic postcard. This is a special achievement, often acknowledging a particular effort or achievement beyond the usual excellent conduct and work in lessons, perhaps with a positive impact on others in the school community. Staff are able to share details with pupils and their parents/carers via the message on the postcard. Postcard logs are kept and pupils who achieve the highest number of postcards throughout the year are invited to the recognition event at the end of the academic year.

Recognition event

The recognition event is held towards the end of the academic year and is a chance to celebrate the incredible efforts and achievements of pupils throughout the year, and the impact they have had on our school community. This means that a pupil has made an exceptional contribution over and above working consistently hard in lessons. Pupils can be invited along in two different ways:

1. They are identified by the postcard logs as having achieved in the highest percentages of postcards being received throughout the year.
2. They are nominated by staff/departments in the school for their outstanding contribution. For instance, this could take the form of winning an award, leading an event, or dedicating time to helping others.

Pupils and their parents/carers are personally invited along to the recognition event, where teachers and staff will also be present to personally thank and praise pupils for their contributions.

Sanctions

When a pupil’s effort or behaviour is found to be unacceptable, a variety of sanctions may be imposed. Staff will record unacceptable behaviour on our College Management Information System. Any incidence of unacceptable behaviour will result in a Behaviour Support detention during the lunchtime of the following day, which will be recorded in the homework diary. A ‘Yellow Card’ system is used in lessons to warn pupils when their behaviour is interfering with the learning of others, and an increasing level of sanction is used with pupils who persist in this. Tutors and Heads of Year monitor behaviour entries carefully and will contact you if the pattern of behaviour persists.

Your child will be expected to stay after school to catch up homework on the same day, if homework is not given in on time without a good reason. In this case, we will communicate with you by a phone call or text message.

A pupil may be put ‘on report’ if it is thought that his or her work needs very close monitoring, or if their behaviour is interfering with the learning of others. Parents are asked to sign reports each evening, so that good communication is maintained.