Be Safe

Be Safe - Reflection

 

Reflection

“Life can only be understood backwards; but must be lived forwards” - Soren Kierkegaard. 

Reflection on one’s own practice is an important aspect of lifelong learning. At Kirkleatham Hall School we believe being a reflective community is the key to success in all that we do!

Reflection can take a number of forms, self-reflection, one to one supported reflection and group reflection. Reflection is an important part of debriefings, behaviour support meetings and training.

In-order for one to one supported and group reflection to take place positively and successfully it is as important to foster a supportive culture where challenge and questioning of practises and behaviour are expected and welcomed and not perceived as threat or insult.

It is expected that we will not always make the right choices but with independent and supported reflection we can plan and always develop our choices. Without reflection we will continue to make the wrong choices and this is not expectable.

When students exhibit out of character, challenging or behaviour requiring support including Team Teach, Reflection must take place this should be on an individual basis but also within classes and phases.

 

Flexibility and Uncompromising Support

When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." - Alexander Den Heijer

We believe flexibility is key in meeting the individual needs of all our students, Flexibility in our practice, our curriculum, our timetabling and our use of environments. 

When students require a greater level of flexibility and support, individual support plans are implemented and these are shared with all who support the student to ensure consistency.

 

Consequences / Support

At Kirkleatham Hall School we do not have a consequence system as we believe all behaviour is a communication, therefore this is a learning and development opportunity, for us as a school to put interventions in place to support students to communicate in the most appropriate way and be safe. Class teachers are responsible for formulating student support plans, in more complex situations school behaviour support meetings take place with SLT support. We work closely with Treetops Occupational therapy, LDCAHMS and the IPBS Team as additional support partners.

Natural consequences are the interventions we put in place to support behaviours and promote safety. 

Interventions: (list not exhaustive) 

  • Sensory diets

  • One to one time

  • Transition support from greeting to specifically planed transitions

  • Responsibilities

  • Environments from work spaces to individual spaces

  • Alternative activities

Consequences must seek to teach better or a change in behaviour not punish. We want our students to feel we are here to support them therefore consequences must be natural, relevant and logical. 

Consequences must never:

  1. Use ridicule, sarcasm or remarks likely to undermine a students self-confidence.

  2. Invite public or private humiliation.

  3. Apply sanctions to whole group or class.

  4. Should not leave a student unsupported or unsupervised.

  5. Never miss out on nurture interventions.

  6. Consistently deny a student access to a particular part of the curriculum.

 

Safety issues resulting in Suspension or Exclusion

In situations where a student’s behaviour becomes unsafe to the individual, other students, staff or members of the public, the Senior Leadership Team will consider suspension and exclusion. Ultimately the Head Teacher will make the decision to suspend or permanently exclude. 

Suspension would be used as a period of time to make the situation safe on the students return this could include staffing, environment and planning. 

Exclusion would only be considered in the most extreme situations where it is agreed that the situation cannot be made safe. 

Department for Education,

Suspension and permeant exclusion guidance 

Permanent exclusion. A permanent exclusion is when a pupil is no longer allowed to attend a school (unless the pupil is reinstated). The decision to exclude a pupil permanently should only be taken: 

  • in response to a serious breach or persistent breaches of the school's behaviour policy; and 

  • where allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others such as staff or pupils in the school.

 

Safeguarding and Behaviour

At Kirkleatham Hall School we recognise that changes in behaviour can be indicative of safeguarding issues and will be investigated as such as explained in our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.