Challenging Children

Description

Challenging Children examines how Herbert Morrison Primary School in Vauxhall, south London, continually adapts and refines its system of assertive discipline in line with the particular demands of individual classes.

Herbert Morrison is located on a council estate. It serves a challenging inner-city community with a large number of social and economic problems, yet the school is a remarkable oasis of calm.

This is mainly due to the work of headteacher Eileen Ross and her staff, who over the past five years have developed a behaviour management system that permeates the culture of the school.

The policy is rigorous in that pupils clearly understand the rewards and sanctions that will result from their behaviour, whether it be "smiley" faces which can lead to a certificate or "sad" faces which can add up to a visit to the headteacher.

Key points:

• A behaviour management philosophy must permeate all aspects of school life
• Implement the policy consistently and rigorously
• The pupils must clearly understand the rewards and consequences of their behaviour

Part of the series: Primary Management