Behaviour for Learning and Relationships

Behaviour and Relationships

Our Approach

At Orchardside, we welcome all students and we recognise that every student has a unique journey. We understand that there are often complex reasons why a child may face challenges in education, and we are committed to providing the support they need to thrive. Our approach is founded on trust, encouragement, positive relationships, and fostering a safe environment for students to reconnect with learning and personal growth. From teaching to mentoring, we emphasise resilience, respect, and responsibility in everything we do. We aim to inspire and motivate students to engage in learning, overcome challenges, and develop confidence in themselves.

Orchardside’s Charter of Rights and Values

Orchardside is a rights respecting community. We aim to nurture the right to learn by embedding rights captured in our Three Rs Charter within our approach to behaviour.

The three Rs are:

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Resilience

Our Three Rs Charter establishes a framework for our students, staff, parents and carers in which we can all work together to ensure that our young people thrive in all aspects of their lives. It ensures that everybody in our school community has the right to be respected, the right to take responsibility for their lives and the right to develop resilience when faced with challenge and adversity.

A Trauma-Informed School

We recognise that some students have experienced difficult or traumatic situations that impact their behaviour and learning. That is why we take a trauma-informed approach to behaviour, ensuring that:

• Our school environment feels safe, welcoming, and supportive.
• Staff are trained to understand the effects of trauma and respond appropriately.
• Students learn emotional regulation skills and coping strategies.
• Families are valued as key partners in their child’s well-being and success.
• We focus on each student's strengths and potential for growth.
• We invested in a full-time school therapist and school offer for social, emotional and mental health.

A Restorative Approach to Behaviour

Our approach to behaviour management is based on restorative practices, which focus on understanding and resolving issues rather than simply punishing negative behaviour. This means:

• Helping students reflect on their actions and take responsibility.
• Encouraging open conversations to repair relationships and develop resilience.
• Supporting students in making better choices for their future.

By using these methods, we create an environment where students feel safe, respected, and empowered to make positive changes.

The Restorative Pathway

At Orchardside, we believe that every member of our school community has the right to be respected, take responsibility for their actions, and build resilience when faced with challenges. When behaviour disrupts learning, our Restorative Pathway provides a structured and supportive approach to help students understand their actions and make positive changes. This pathway includes opportunities to:

• Acknowledge any wrongdoing and taking responsibility.
• Repair harm and respecting others through meaningful actions and discussions.
• Create a personalised behaviour plan to support future growth.
• Seek support for students, families, and those affected by negative behaviour.
• Reflect, learn and build resilience, helping students model positive behaviour.

Managing Behaviour with Care and Consistency

While we have clear expectations for behaviour, we also understand that students need support to meet them. Our Restorative Pathway ensures that when behaviour disrupts learning, students can reflect, repair relationships, and return to class ready to engage. If needed, students may spend time in our Restorative Thinking Space to do this.

The Restorative Thinking Space (RTS)

As part of our approach, we offer a Restorative Thinking Space (RTS), a safe and calm environment where students can take time to reflect and refocus. Managed by a designated staff member, this space allows students to:

• Process their emotions in a supportive setting.
• Begin restorative work to repair relationships and address behaviour concerns.
• Collaborate with staff to decide on the best steps forward.

A Fair and Supportive Approach to Behaviour

We have a graduated response to behaviour, meaning that consequences and interventions are proportionate to the situation. First-time or minor issues may result in gentle reminders or discussions, while more serious or repeated concerns will involve more escalating and structured interventions. The proportionate course of action and consequences is co-agreed in our Daily De-Brief

Daily De-Brief

At the end of each day, senior leaders and staff come together to review any behavioural concerns and decide on appropriate next steps. This process ensures a fair and consistent approach to behaviour management and helps maintain a supportive school environment. Daily debrief involves:

• Reviewing incidents logged on Classcharts and determining follow-up actions.
• Ensuring all relevant behaviour data is recorded accurately.
• Discussing specific issues and deciding on actions and outcomes.

Depending on the severity of the concern, actions could include:

• Expectation reminders
• Referral for additional support
• Verbal warnings
• Phone calls to parents and carers
• Restorative conversations with staff and other students
• Tutor reports
• Risk assessments
• Time in the Restorative Thinking Space
• Reconciliation meetings with teachers and other students
• Emails or text messages to parents or carers
• Senior Leadership Team involvement
• Meetings with parents or carers
• Senior Leadership Report
• Headteacher Report
• Suspension

Keeping Parents and Carers informed and involved

We believe that strong communication between school and home is essential. Parents and carers will always be kept informed about their child’s progress and behaviour through:

• Phone calls and meetings with staff
• Emails and text updates
• Opportunities to collaborate on behavioural reports​

Our Commitment

At Orchardside, we are dedicated to helping every student feel valued, supported, and capable of success. By prioritising relationships, understanding behaviour in context, and using restorative and trauma-informed approaches, we create an environment where all students can grow academically, socially, and emotionally.