School Wide Positive Behaviour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Philosophy:

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At Ararat West Primary School, we are committed to building a leaning community where all students feel socially, emotionally and physically safe. The school behaviours of Respect, Resilience and Aspiring are supported by a behaviour matrix and are explicitly taught as a part of the curriculum. The matrix provides consistent language, clear expectations that are made visible to all students.  The support of parents, teachers and children is needed to ensure the positive climate is created. The School Wide Positive Behaviour (SWPB) is imbedded in everything we do at Ararat West Primary School making sure we have a culture that does not tolerate bullying or harassment while also providing an effective framework within restorative practices occur.

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SWPB emphasises that classroom management and preventative school discipline must be directly linked to the curriculum to ensure maximum success for all students. A clear structure of positive reinforcements, which includes rewards is essential in complementing and encouraging appropriate behaviours and preventing inappropriate behaviours.   

Schools that implement school wide systems of positive behaviour support focus on teaching appropriate behaviours of all students.

SWPBS is an evidence based whole school approach to teaching expected behaviours (a restorative approach rather than punitive).

SWPBS doesn’t replace Tribes, You Can Do It, restorative practices, rather it brings all these terrific concepts together.

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Behavioural expectations are defined

A small number of clearly defined behavioural expectations are defined in a matrix which act like a set of rules but are written in a positively way.

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Behavioural expectations are taught

The behavioural expectations are taught to all students in a real-life context. These example are imbedded in our curriculum.

 

Appropriate behaviours are rewarded

Once appropriate behaviours have been defined and taught, they need to be acknowledged on a consistent basis.

 

Inappropriate behaviours are corrected

When students break one of our behavioural expectations, clear procedures are needed for providing information to them that their behaviour was not acceptable. The key behaviour is then explained and taught.

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School Values:

Our school behavioural expectations have been developed through a process of engaging all school stakeholders (students, parents and staff) to ensure that the positive climate becomes the norm at Ararat West. It is extremely important that everyone is involved in the program.

All members of the school community are responsible for modelling appropriate behaviours as set out by the school behavioural matrix. We believe that positive personal relationships are key to facilitate successful growth in a child.

 

At Ararat West Primary School:

We are Respectful:

We Respect our self, others, the school and the community.

We are Resilient:

We keep trying and work through challenges.

We are Aspiring:

We always do our best and encourage others with positive behaviours.

 

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Why is it important:

Some students have not yet learnt how to behave appropriately, but they can learn.

Punishment, especially when used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies, is ineffective.

Introducing, modelling, and reinforcing positive social behaviour is an important step of a student's educational experience.

Students learn appropriate behaviour in the same way a child who doesn’t know how to read learns to read—through instruction, practise, feedback, and encouragement.

Teaching behavioural expectations and rewarding students for following them is a much more positive approach than waiting for misbehaviour to occur before responding.

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The Resilience Project

We are grateful and proud to partner with The Resilience Project to deliver curriculum to support the mental health and wellbeing of our students and the wider community. Through presentations, school curriculum, events, the TRP App, and Wellbeing Journals; we share the benefits of GEM - Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness; and easy ways to practise these in everyday life.