Behaviour
All behaviour is a form of communication
At Poulner Infant School and Nursery, we believe that children learn and thrive when they feel safe, understood, valued and connected. Our approach to behaviour is therefore rooted in strong relationships, nurture and a genuine understanding of the individual child.
We recognise that all behaviour is a form of communication. When a child is finding something difficult, their behaviour can tell us something about how they are feeling or what they need. Our role is to look beyond the behaviour, seek to understand what may be driving it and help children develop the skills they need to communicate, regulate and make positive choices.
Relationships First
Positive relationships are at the heart of our approach. Our adults take time to know children well, understand their individual needs and build trusting relationships where children feel they belong.
Adults aim to be calm, consistent and curious. We model the behaviours we want children to develop and recognise that children often need us to help them regulate before they are ready to reflect, problem-solve or learn.
We place a strong emphasis on positive recognition, noticing children when they are making good choices, demonstrating our values, showing kindness, persevering or making progress. We want children to understand what they are doing well and feel proud of the positive contribution they make to our school community.
Our Values in Action
Our school values of Collaboration, Creativity and Challenge help shape the way we learn, play and behave together.
We encourage children to collaborate positively with others, think creatively when solving problems and embrace the challenge of managing emotions, repairing relationships and making better choices.
Alongside our values, our simple school expectations help children understand how we look after ourselves and one another:
Be Ready • Be Respectful • Be Safe
Restorative
When things go wrong, we believe children need opportunities to reflect, repair and reconnect.
Our restorative approach helps children understand what happened, how others may have been affected and what can be done to put things right. Consequences are used thoughtfully and meaningfully, with the aim of helping children learn rather than simply punishing a mistake.
We recognise that fair does not always mean everyone receiving exactly the same. Children develop at different rates and may have different needs, experiences and abilities to regulate their emotions and behaviour.
Our approach is therefore adaptable and personalised. Some children will need additional support, different strategies or reasonable adjustments to help them feel safe, regulate and succeed. Maintaining high expectations and providing individualised support go hand in hand.
Above all, we want our children to know that making a mistake does not change how we feel about them. Our adults will remain calm, help children understand what has happened and support them to move forward positively.
Connect. Understand. Repair. Grow
At Poulner, behaviour is not simply something we manage – it is something we understand, teach and support together