Behaviour Policy
BEHAVIOUR AND RELATIONSHIPS POLICY 
The Behaviour and Relationship Policy aspires to reflect the aims of the College, to support a College environment, which allows for effective learning and helps to promote responsibility and an understanding of values for our students.
Relationships
Aims
To encourage our students as individuals:
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To fulfil their academic potential.
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To develop significant social skills and responsibilities.
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To support and respect each others cultures and beliefs.
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To learn to display consideration for each other and all members of staff.
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To show concern for their own possessions and those of others.
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To show concern and care for their environment.
Principles
This policy is based on realistic concerns for individual health and safety and a positive approach to provide a caring environment, individual care and supportive responsibility. It fosters the development of students by advocating an ethos of encouraging responsible behaviour and 'earned praise' through a system of appropriate rewards.
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A consistent, fair and appropriate manner must be adopted in dealing with discipline problems.
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Students should be praised for behaving in a positive manner. A Credit system will become an integral part of the College’s procedures in promoting positive behaviour.
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Teachers and parents should discuss at an early stage, causes for concern and try to resolve situations and modes of behaviour.
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The seriousness of the situation as well as the individual's needs and circumstances will have a consideration on the level of response.
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Students who do not comply with positive discipline may have privileges withdrawn or sanctions applied to them.
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The College Staff will be offered the opportunity to take part in a development programme for colleagues who feel that they would benefit from training or guidance in disciplinary matters.
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In order for the Discipline and Relationship policy to be effective there is the need for staff to agree procedures and be consistent in their implementation.
Behaviour
A healthy, disciplined atmosphere is a key ingredient in providing an effective and secure learning environment for our students. All members of staff must maintain these agreed standards for them to be effective. Students must also be fully aware of any behaviour procedures that involve them. They need to be aware of and appreciate that acceptable standards are expected within the College.
Aims
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To provide guidance for staff in dealing with situations that may arise in the classroom and outside the classroom.
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To highlight the responsibilities of the teacher inside the classroom.
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To outline a structure of referral that is effective and manageable.
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To provide staff with an outline of their duties and responsibilities in disciplinary matters.
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To communicate the use and purpose of the College's system of detention.
College Rules
The Behaviour and Relationships policy includes a full list of expectations of student behaviour in the following situations;
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In the classroom.
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Travelling to and from school.
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Regarding uniform and appearance.
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Towards College property.
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Towards other Students' property.
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Towards Student welfare.
The Pastoral System
Each student belongs to a Year Group and subsequently a Form Tutor Group. The Form Tutor Group of any student should only change during their time at the College in very exceptional circumstances.
The Form Tutor is responsible for the pastoral care of their Tutor Group. He/she is entrusted with the welfare of the group and the individuals in it, as well as having the responsibility for overseeing and encouraging the academic progress of each student in their Tutor Group.
Rewards
While rules and procedures protect rights and define responsibilities, rewards and sanctions are necessary to encourage and maintain the rules in class and throughout the school. It is our aim to strike a healthy balance between rewards and sanctions.
A system of rewards and incentives, applied with consistency by all of the staff, will help to establish and maintain a climate in which students come to appreciate what constitutes acceptable behaviour and positive attitudes. The fact that behaviour and attitudes of this nature are regularly celebrated within the College, reinforces this point. A list of some of the rewards in
Communication between all members of staff is essential in ensuring our students realise that their good behaviour is noted, acknowledged and appreciated.
Credit System
The vast majority of Blackwater students work hard and cooperate with staff. The purpose of the Credit System is to recognise and reward them. The system is based on positive discipline. Consistency in using the step wise approach to classroom management is vital. Students must be given a number of opportunites to accept responsibility for modifying their behaviour.
Credits will be issued to students by subject teachers and form tutors on a monthly basis. Students may receive 1 credit per subject and 1 credit for full attendance.
Sanctions
Sanctions too, are an integral part of our Behaviour and Relationships Policy. They help to uphold the rules and procedures. They provide students with the security of clearly defined boundaries and, in so doing, they encourage appropriate and acceptable behaviour. It is important to ensure that students are fully aware of the conditions which will lead, in all likelihood, to the imposition of sanctions.
Sanctions should be appropriate to the student’s misdemeanor. A list of some of the sanctions in
The Home, School partnership is vital in securing and maintaining our students’ good behaviour. It is essential therefore, that we keep parents regularly informed of their child’s progress and development within the College.
Detention System
All of the following must be viewed in relation to Article 5 of the Education (NI) Order 1998.
A detention may be held to support the efforts of teachers in maintaining agreed standards within the College and to encourage students who may be underachieving.
(Failure to accept the College’s procedures may result in temporary/permanent exclusion)
