Parent Council Liaison Meeting 18 February 2014 Promoting Positive Relationships in Renfrewshire Education Establishments Susan Bell – Education Manager (GIRFEC) Louise McCrory – ASN Manager Parent Council Liaison Meeting 18 February 2014

Promoting Positive Relationships Policy Included, Engaged and Involved (Part 2) – Standard Circular 8 on school exclusion Parent Conferences

Duty of education authority in providing school education (1) Where school education is provided to a child or young person by, or by virtue of arrangements made, or entered into, by, an education authority it shall be the duty of the authority to secure that the education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person to their fullest potential.

Better Behaviour, Better Learning Discipline Task Group BBBL (2001) 36 Recommendations Connect Report – good practice Government funding for implementation of BBBL and supporting pilot projects Discipline Stakeholder Group (2004)

Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2009 Cycle of policy into practice informing new policy Intelligence gathering National networks ADES LA meetings 2009 BiSSR Policy Guidance: Building Curriculum for Excellence through Positive Relationships and Behaviour 2010 Language,tone,focus on implementation Discipline Stakeholder Group re-named Scottish Advisory Group on Behaviour in Schools (SAGBiS) 2009 Cycle of policy into practice informing new policy Intelligence gathering National networks ADES LA meetings 2009 BiSSR Policy Guidance...Building Curriculum for Excellence through Positive Relationships and Behaviour 2010 Language,tone,focus on implementation Discipline Stakeholder Group re-named Scottish Advisory Group on Behaviour in Schools (SAGBiS)

Policy Context – Response to Research “Curriculum for Excellence cannot be delivered without good relationships and positive behaviour” “Health and wellbeing across learning is a responsibility for all” “Underpinning this is the emotional health and wellbeing of staff.” Building Curriculum for Excellence Through Positive Relationships and Behaviour (2010) This interactive programme has been designed specifically as a support resource for adults working within schools, learning establishments and Children’s Services. It encourages all adults to consider their own emotional wellbeing….how this is promoted and how this in turn helps influence the emotional wellbeing of the children and young people we work with. The programme clarifies the significance of emotional wellbeing within Scotland’s policy and guidance framework including The Early Years Framework, Curriculum for Excellence and GIRFEC and makes clear the significance of the national approaches, including Restorative and Solution Oriented Approaches, in developing skills and attitudes which help promote an environment which encourages the emotional wellbeing of everyone within the community.

Confident Individuals Effective Contributors CfE / Pre-birth to 3 Successful Learners Confident Individuals IDL Food & Health Physical Ed & Act Planning for C&C Curricular Areas Wider Achievement Involved Included Substance Misuse SRE & Parenthood MESP Outline to participants that it is appropriate to quickly review 2 of the most significant developments in Scottish education at this point: 1. CfE has a vision of allowing all children to reach their potential. This can be viewed as follows: 4 capacities: what we want for all our children and young people in education (cf. best interests; non-discrimination) Arrows: these represent the 2 dynamics which realise the four capacities: the CfE entitlements, and the principles of curriculum design (e.g. relevance, personalisation & choice etc); 4 contexts for learning (cf. right to an education – which develops personality, talents, mental and physical abilities to a child’s potential) Health and Wellbeing (cf. right to an education – which develops personality, talents, mental and physical abilities to a child’s potential) Child at the centre (cf. participation, partnership and the right to be heard) Responsible Citizens Ethos Effective Contributors

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Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2012 Findings: 4,898 surveys completed Quantitative, qualitative, case study Low-level disruption (e.g. talking out of turn; running in corridors; mobile phone use (sec)) Serious disruption: not common Positive trend Challenges: Perceptions of support staff less positive Peer-peer aggression Increasing numbers of complex difficulties and specific disorders Use of mobile devices 2012 Cycle of policy into practice informing new policy Intelligence gathering National networks ADES LA meetings 2009 BiSSR Policy Guidance..Building Curriculum for Excellence through Positive Relationships and Behaviour 2010 Language,tone,focus on implementation Discipline Stakeholder Group re-named Scottish Advisory Group on Behaviour in Schools (SAGBiS)

Better Relationships Better Learning Better Behaviour (http://bit “Research demonstrates that investing time and resources into improving relationships and behaviour in establishments leads to positive outcomes around inclusion, engagement and achievement in the short term, and community safety and cohesion in the longer term.”

? SELF ESTEEM SELF ESTEEM SAFETY & SECURITY Developing Children: Maslow (adapted) SELF ACTUALISATION SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE SELF ESTEEM LOVE & BELONGING SELF ACTUALISATION SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE SELF ESTEEM LOVE & BELONGING ? SAFETY & SECURITY Link to GIRFEC: this is what every child needs This is fundamental to our understanding of children’s (and adults!!!!) needs. EWB developments confirm what we know: - learning cannot happen unless the more basic needs for physical and emotional nurturing are met first and then the opportunities are created to develop emotionally literate skills & attitudes and the habits of sound emotional wellbeing. PHYSIOLOGY: food, water, shelter, clothing 11

Renfrewshire Policy Promoting Positive Relationships – previously Improving Relationships and Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy current being reviewed – all sector representation Gathering of good practice from all sectors Draft Education Policy Board – May Consultation following Board - Schools - Parents - Pupils

Policy areas Background Purpose Ethos, relationships and leadership Understanding behaviour Positive approaches Staged intervention Settings and provision

Included, engaged and involved part 2 Revised SC8 Exclusion of pupils from school National guidance on school exclusions – purpose of which is to summarise legislation and procedures in exclusions, and also outlines policy and practice in exclusion in the context of national policy for children and young people including the national outcomes. CfE and GIRFEC. Replaces previous guidance circular 8/03

Exclusion Guidelines National guidance on Exclusion…Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2 steering group and draft policy 2010 Consultation 2010-2011 and final publication Focus on prevention

Key principles Promotion of inclusion Exclusion on its own does not address the underlying reasons for exclusion This strategy sits with in the department’s policies for inclusion and promoting positive behaviour. We want to support the development of strategies to promote inclusion such as in school support bases, the use of de-escalation techniques and restorative approaches. Exclusion can be a legitimate and proportionate response to a serious situation. However in many cases the exclusion will have no impact on addressing the underlying causes of the behaviour. Exclusion should not be used as a punishment. The purpose of exclusion is to give schools a chance to address the behaviour giving rise to the exclusion and ensure that the young person returns to learning as soon as possible. It should be a last resort and robust evidence is needed to justify such action, particularly in relation to looked after children or children with additional support needs.

Legal basis for exclusion Regulation 4 of the Schools General (Scotland) Regulations 1975, as amended An education authority (or a school, if operating under devolved responsibility) shall not exclude a learner from school unless the authority (or school) Are of the opinion that the parent of the pupil refuses or fails to comply, or to allow the pupil to comply, with the rules, regulations or disciplinary requirements of the school Consider that in all the circumstances to allow the pupil to continue attendance at the school would be likely to be seriously detrimental to order and discipline in the school or the educational well-being of the pupils there There is no legal basis for exclusion from school of a learner other than in compliance with this Regulation. This includes any kind of period of informal exclusion or sending home. Parents have a right to appeal an exclusion and there is a presumtion that a child of 12 years old or older has an independent right to appeal his or her own exclusion

Key changes In Renfrewshire the power to exclude is devolved to heads of establishment to a maximum of 4 days Where incidents occur involving Looked After Children or children in primary 1 that may merit consideration of exclusion from school it is expected that the school will engage with the Children’s Services Support team, prior to any decision, to discuss an appropriate course of action and review support plans It is expected that children and young people will not be excluded from alternative provision, however where this requires to be considered, any decision must be made in conjunction with the Children’s Services Support Team The length of an exclusion is not defined in the legislation and should be for as short a period as possible. Previously our guidance allowed schools to exclude for a period of up to 10 days before engaging with the centre for discussion. In the revised SC this period is reduced to 4 days. This allows time to put plans into place to support the learner and return them to education within a week wherever possible. There may be circumstances where a longer period is required and this can be agreed in discussion with the Education manager. For LAC children who are vulnerable and for P1 children who are in their first year of formal education, we want to ensure that any decision to exclude is taken in conjunction with a member of the children’s services support team. We need to ensure that exclusion is not going to impact adversely on children who are already vulnerable. We also want to make sure that we have an overview of children whose behaviour has given rise to consideration of exclusion so that we can best support need. These changes have been made to reflect the national guidance and to ensure that we are taking account of the needs of the most vulnerable children and families in Renfrewshire.

Decision to exclude Factors determining decision to exclude: Is the level of indiscipline such that effective education in the mainstream setting is impossible at this time? Does serious action require to be taken to prevent the level of disruption to the education of other learners? Is the behaviour of the child or young person a danger to other children and young people and/or staff? Is the parent/carer unwilling to co-operate with the school?

Decision to exclude – the process The head teacher must have taken account of: The particular situation giving rise to exclusion The individual’s circumstances and needs; and Any risk factors, particularly where the learner is a looked after child or vulnerable in another way However…the decision to exclude a learner who is Looked After should be taken in consultation with the child’s social worker/ lead professional What will the impact be on a foster, kinship or residential placement? What impact will the exclusion have on the well-being of a child who has already experienced discontinuity of nurture and support in their lives? Similarly for a child on the Cp register – what risks will the child be exposed to if they are sent home to a an unpredictable situation? Have to ensure that we are not sending any child home if we cannot conact parent. Make sure paperwork is issued immediately. On return from exclusion, changed the re-admission form in line with national guidance to make it more solution focussed, so that it does not seek guarantees or contracts of behaviour in order for a learner to be re-admitted to school but allows for a discussion to take place about an understanding of future behaviour, responsibilities and support strategies.

Parent Conferences Informal opportunities to engage with parents on a range of topics of interest Half day (Saturday) with activities for children Suggested topics – CfE; tackling bullying; promoting positive relationships; health and well-being; homework Questionnaire for parents to follow