Relational Behaviour Policy
This policy operates in the context of the school’s Behaviour Code and reflects the ethos of our school. Our Mission Statement ‘Love one another, as I have loved you, in our home, school and parish family’ underpins everything that we do in school and every policy that is written. We strive daily to live the Gospel values in our lives.
Policy Aims
- Create a positive culture that promotes excellent behaviour, ensuring that all pupils have the opportunity to learn in a calm, safe and supportive environment.
- Establish a whole-school approach to maintaining high standards of behaviour that reflect the Gospel values we promote as part of the Catholic Pupil Profile.
- Outline the expectations and consequences of behaviour
- Provide a consistent approach to behaviour management, based on a trauma informed, relational approach, that is applied consistently to all pupils and yet reflects the needs of individual children.
- Define what we consider to be unacceptable behaviour, including bullying and discrimination.
Policy Objectives:
- To provide a framework for our understanding and insight into human behaviour and how this relates to pupils’ educational attainment.
- To build a community which values kindness and empathy for others.
- To provide guidance to class teams, parents and carers, governors and other stakeholders on how to support our pupils to self regulate, manage their behaviour and feel safe to they are ready to learn.
- To provide a holistic, whole-person, inclusive model for our understanding of self-regulation and behavioural needs.
- To underpin our beliefs with evidence-based practice and current research.
The rationale
At St Anne’s we recognise that wellbeing and behaviour are inextricably linked. Research into child development, neuroscience and attachment theory all provide us with the understanding of the direct correlation between positive mental health and optimum educational outcomes. If well-being is high, then children can reach their full potential. When children experience safety in their relationships they open up to new learning; it is therefore vital that wellbeing is placed at the foundation of our school offer.
We recognise that behaviour is a form of communication, and we therefore take responsibility for listening to the needs a child is expressing through their behaviour, whilst setting clear boundaries and expectations. We encourage all stakeholders to recognise both their rights and responsibilities.
We recognise the link between understanding the needs of our pupils and how this contributes to their ability to self-regulate. We use this knowledge to build resilience by managing behaviour in a positive manner so they can be ready to engage with their learning. It is imperative we understand how, as caregivers, we can offer the pupils the security and relationships needed to meet the individual wellbeing and mental health needs and guide them along their journey in becoming independent, resilient, lifelong learners. Guided by the Thrive Approach, we will focus on relational connection and regulation first. We will do this by putting relationships at the heart of our approach by truly hearing and responding to our children’s voices, in order to create and foster a safe and happy environment where all feel secure and respected.
The approach
We believe that a trauma-informed, relational approach is the foundation of resilience and life-long learning.
Our Three Rules: Always try to be:
- Ready
- Respectful
- Safe
These three rules underpin the behaviour we expect to see in school from all staff and children. When discussing behaviour, we expect to hear the language of Ready, Respectful, Safe being used by children and staff. In the classroom, teachers will work with children to develop ‘charters’ which exemplify ‘Ready, Respectful and Safe’ so that everyone fully understands the expectations.
Our Relational Behaviour policy can be viewed by clicking on this link.
myHappymind at St Anne’s Catholic Primary School
At St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, we believe that every child deserves to feel happy, valued and confident, with the skills they need to flourish both in school and beyond. As part of our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of every child, we use myHappymind, a programme designed to help children understand their emotions, develop resilience and build positive relationships.
Our approach reflects our school mission:
“Love one another, as I have loved you, in our home, school and parish family.”
Through myHappymind, we encourage our children to understand themselves, celebrate what makes them unique and recognise the importance of kindness, gratitude, friendship and looking after one another.
What is myHappymind?
myHappymind is a science-informed mental health and wellbeing programme that draws on neuroscience and positive psychology. It helps children understand how their brains work and gives them practical strategies to manage their emotions, develop a positive mindset and navigate life's challenges.
The programme is delivered through engaging, interactive lessons and activities, helping children develop skills that they can use in their everyday lives. It supports our wider work to create a nurturing, inclusive school where every child feels safe, respected and able to succeed.
What do the children learn?
The myHappymind programme is organised into five modules, each focusing on an important aspect of children's mental health and wellbeing.
Meet Your Brain
Children learn about how their brains work, how their emotions affect them and how they can use strategies such as Happy Breathing to help manage their feelings. They also explore the importance of a growth mindset and learn that they can develop new skills through practice and perseverance.
Celebrate
Children discover their individual character strengths and learn to recognise and celebrate the qualities that make them special. This helps to develop self-esteem, confidence and an appreciation of the strengths of others.
Appreciate
Children explore the importance of gratitude and learn to notice and appreciate the positive things in their lives. They develop habits that help them recognise acts of kindness, celebrate successes and value the people around them.
Relate
Children learn about building healthy relationships, developing friendships and showing empathy. They explore how listening, understanding different perspectives and treating others with kindness can help everyone feel that they belong.
Engage
Children learn how to set meaningful goals, overcome challenges and persevere when things become difficult. They are encouraged to believe in their abilities, develop resilience and take positive steps towards achieving their goals.
How does myHappymind support our children?
The skills developed through myHappymind complement our wider curriculum and our commitment to nurturing the whole child. Children are encouraged to put their learning into practice throughout the school day, helping them to:
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Understand and manage their emotions.
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Develop confidence, self-esteem and a positive mindset.
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Build resilience when faced with challenges.
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Recognise and celebrate their individual strengths.
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Develop positive friendships and relationships.
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Show kindness, empathy, gratitude and respect.
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Set goals and develop a belief in their own abilities.
We want our children to know that their feelings matter, that everyone has strengths to celebrate and that asking for help is a positive step. By developing these skills from an early age, we aim to equip our children with habits that will support their wellbeing throughout their lives.
Working together with families
We know that children's wellbeing is strengthened when school and home work together. Families play a vital role in helping children practise the strategies they learn in school, and we encourage parents and carers to talk with their children about their myHappymind learning.
Simple activities, such as talking about something that has gone well during the day, recognising one another's strengths, practising calm breathing or discussing how to overcome a challenge, can make a real difference.
myHappymind also offers digital resources for families through its parent platform and app. These resources can help parents and carers explore the programme's ideas and reinforce children's learning at home.
You can find out more about the programme on the official myHappymind website.
Helping every child to flourish
At St Anne's, we want every child to feel that they belong, that they are valued and that they have the confidence to be themselves. Through myHappymind, alongside our Catholic values and our wider pastoral provision, we continue to nurture a community where children learn to care for themselves, care for others and approach the future with hope and confidence.
Together, we are helping our children to develop happy, healthy minds and the skills to flourish in our home, school and parish family.