In Pre-Prep, you will find a ‘restorative approach’, where boys are helped to identify what they have done wrong, how their actions have affected others and how they can resolve it.
Restorative practice is a set of principles that encourages children to take responsibility for their behaviour by thinking through the causes and consequences. This approach focuses on developing, maintaining and repairing relationships, and building a learning community based on respect, empathy and trust where children are empowered to take responsibility for their actions. A restorative approach gives us an alternative way to address behaviour and offers a consistent approach for responding to these issues.
This table, explains where our restorative practice has taken over from more traditional behaviour management strategies, which may have included behaviour charts, traffic light systems and time outs.
It takes a bit of time for our youngest children to understand that an action may have been hurtful or inappropriate and much of the time, ‘sorry’ is just a word used so that play can continue. Asking a child to say sorry, when they do not understand what they are sorry for is counterproductive and will often result in repeated misbehaviours. We encourage children to offer apologies based on sincerity. This allows children to understand responsibility and develop empathy for each other’s feelings giving an opportunity to learn and grow.
According to research from the University of Cambridge, staff, children and parents/carers who work restoratively report that this way of working leads to:
• A more respectful climate
• A shift away from sanction-based responses that aim to ‘manage’ behaviour, toward a more relational approach
• Better relationships amongst children and staff
• People feeling more supported when things go wrong
Our approach helps us to create safer, calmer, quieter and more productive learning environments where boys can reach their potential. It builds the foundations for excellent teaching and learning.
In classrooms, Zones of Regulation are used to help your child develop skills in the area of selfregulation. Self-regulation can go by many names, such as self-control, self-management and impulse control. It is defined as the best state of alertness of both the body and emotions for the specific situation. For example, when your child plays in a basketball game, it is beneficial to have a higher state of alertness. However, that same state would not be appropriate in the library. The Zones of Regulation idea is a based around the use of four colours to help children self-identify how they’re feeling and categorise it, based on colour. They also help children better understand their emotions, sensory needs and thinking patterns. The children learn different strategies to cope and manage their emotions based on which colour zone they are in. Additionally, the Zones of Regulation helps children to recognise their own triggers, learn to read facial expressions, develop problem-solving skills, and become more attuned to how their actions affect other people.
In Pre-Reception, staff address incidents straight away, allowing boys to explain what happened and what can be done to help. Good behaviour and friendship are modelled and praised in circle times, where we share stories and reinforce kindness. We role play situations where we look out for our friends and show them respect. Often, younger children find expressing their emotions very difficult. We work with them to provide the tools and model the language they need to express themselves so tricky situations are less frequent. Providing a safe learning environment, where adults form positive, caring relationships with boys and parents, helps to reinforce our message. Restorative practices paired with our key person approach make sure our children talk about their emotions, feel safe and know that their feelings matter.
In Reception, we often discuss how to treat each other. Again, circle time gives children the opportunity to discuss feelings and identify different emotions. In PSHE sessions, boys can act out scenarios that model kindness and how we should behave. They can easily identify the traits of a good friend and strive to show this in everyday life. A key person modelling the restorative approach gives the boys tools to resolve conflict on their own. Areas in the classroom highlighting the kind actions of the students and using descriptive praise to encourage children, helps them to make positive choices.
In Year 1, boys work together to resolve conflict in the playground as they know how to navigate tricky situations with each other. They are supported by staff to use their voice and express their concern when they do not like the actions of another. In PSHE lessons, we speak about respecting each other, following positive role models and setting personal boundaries. In situations that need resolution, a restorative approach has made the boys feel that there is value in speaking up if there is something wrong or if someone is taking play a little bit too far. It has helped us to develop meaningful relationships and gain trust. School awards refer to kindness and being a good friend.
Using the restorative approach, we give boys the tools and language they need to express themselves and communicate their feelings with others. A quote from the book ‘When The Adults Change, Everything Changes’ by Paul Dix sums it up perfectly, “But why crush behaviours with punishment when you can grow them with love? Visible consistency with visible kindness allows exceptional behaviour to flourish.”
Kelly-Ann Brennan
Deputy Head of Pre-Prep