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Reward and sanction

The aim of discipline at Pennthorpe is to guide children towards a set of values based on Christian principles and, in particular, to encourage helpfulness, honesty, courage, responsibility, service and courtesy. Discipline is built upon the premise that good manners and sensible behaviour are in the interests both of the individual and of the community. Rewards and sanctions exist to both motivate the individual pupil and sustain the harmony of the community.

 

Pennthorpe's golden rules

  • We work hard  - We do not waste time
  • We are gentle - We do not hurt others
  • We listen  -  We do not interrupt
  • We are honest  -  We do not cover up the truth
  • We are kind and helpful  -  We do not hurt other people's feelings
  • We look after property  -  We do not damage things
  • We move around the school safely - We do not go in areas where an adult is not present without permission

Good Manners

We also believe that our pupils should be taught and encouraged to observe normal good manners. This includes displaying civilised table manners in the dining room, standing back to allow an adult to pass through a door first, standing when an adult enters a classroom (Middle & Senior School), remembering the normal courtesies of saying please and thank you etc. Courteous and polite behaviour does not come naturally to children, and it is the responsibility of staff to ensure that high standards are encouraged.

Rewards

Plus marks are a useful method of rewards and can be awarded by any member of the teaching staff.

Plus marks, as well as being given for good work, are also awarded for responsible, helpful behaviour which, amongst other things, could include honesty, courage, kindness, thoughtfulness, persistence, tidiness, initiative etc. They can also be given as a reward for participating in an extra activity which enhances the life of the community.

Headmaster's commendations

The Headmaster's Commendation scheme is designed to recognise and reward outstanding work by pupils in Years 3-8. It is something the pupils should have to work hard to achieve.

The Commendations should be reserved for outstanding work - they may be awarded for an individual piece of work, or for specially hard work in a particular subject over a period of time.

The award of a Commendation is at the teacher's discretion and the quality of work required is judged by reference to each pupil's individual ability. In other words, Commendations are awarded in recognition of effort as well as achievement. In principle, therefore, a child of very modest academic ability should have an equal chance of earning a Commendation as should a gifted and talented pupil.

Only outstanding (according to ability) work can qualify for a Commendation and must be seen or sanctioned by the Headmaster.

The scheme takes the form of certificates, scrolls and medals culminating in the Headmaster's Gold Scroll and Medal. It is progressive in that every fourth Commendation comes in the form of a framed scroll rather than a certificate and every second scroll is accompanied by a Headmaster's Medal- bronze, silver and eventually gold. In order to win the Gold Scroll and Medal a pupil needs to win 24 Commendations.

Sanctions

The school delivers two immediate kinds of sanction designed to encourage pupils to accept personal responsibility for their actions.  These are Minutes and Minuses. 

In conjunction with the Golden Time system (outlined below) minutes are now used as the appropriate sanction in most cases of discipline. These should always be given after an appropriate warning has been given or where a published rule or recent warning has been ignored.

Golden Time

We have adopted the system called Golden Time to promote and reward positive classroom behaviour and to help maintain a calm and respectful classroom ethos. As a reward for the children's good work and behaviour, 20 minutes of Golden Time are set aside for all of them at the end of each week for activities and free play in their form groups with their Class Teachers or Form Tutors.  During the week, children may lose a minute of their Golden Time if, after an initial warning, they again breach one of the golden rules for classroom behaviour, e.g. by calling out rather than putting up hands!  Any minutes lost are then deducted from each child's Golden Time allowance at the end of the week.  We have found this an appropriate and effective way to encourage the habit of good classroom manners, since it starts from the positive premise of rewarding good behaviour, but at the same time brings with it just enough of a deterrent to keep minds focused! 

Minus marks are given only when an offence is seen as being more significant and where the Deputy Headmaster or Headmaster will need to be involved. These cases might also be ones where parents ought to be contacted or informed. This could include disobedience, rudeness, persistent poor behaviour, teasing, bullying, violence or dishonesty.

Where patterns of minuses exist or an offence is deemed to be more severe, a pupil may be referred directly to the Headmaster. In these cases parents will normally be informed.