Ethos  

At Prudhoe Castle First School our ethos is who we are and at the heart of everything we do;

Caring Achievements Success Teamwork Learning Equality

The Curriculum and Learning

We believe that an appropriately structured curriculum and effective learning contribute to good behaviour.  Through planning for the needs of individual pupils, the active involvement of pupils in their own learning, and structured feed-back all help to avoid the alienation and disaffection which can lie at the root of poor behaviour.

It follows that lessons should have clear objectives, understood by the children, and differentiated to meet the needs of children of different abilities.  Marking and record keeping can be used both as a supportive activity, providing feed-back to children on their progress and achievements, and as a signal that the children’s efforts are valued.

Classroom Management

Classroom management and teaching methods have an important influence on children’s behaviour.  The class room environment gives clear messages to the children about the extent to which they and their efforts are valued.  Relationships between teacher and children, strategies for encouraging good behaviour, arrangements of furniture, access to resources and classroom displays all have a bearing on the way children behave.

Classrooms should be organised to develop independence and personal initiative.  Furniture should be arranged to provide an environment conducive to on-task behaviour.  Materials and resources should be arranged to aid accessibility and reduce uncertainty and disruption.  Displays should help develop self-esteem through demonstrating the value of every individual’s contribution, and overall the classroom should provide a welcoming environment.

Teaching methods should encourage enthusiasm and active participation for all.  Praise should be used to encourage good behaviour as well as good work.  All teachers receive annual training in classroom management.

Rules and procedures

Rules and procedures should be designed to make clear to the children how they can achieve acceptable standards of behaviour.

Rules and procedures should:

• Be kept to a necessary minimum;
• Be positively stated, telling the children what to do rather than what not to do;
• Be consistently applied and enforced;
• Promote the idea that every member of the school has responsibilities towards the whole.