R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Why have a R.E.S.P.E.C.T mindset?
There are three main reasons why the school has initiated this wellbeing mindset.
One size does not fit all
We are a SEN school and our pupils range significantly in regards of their communication, social and cognition skills and it is therefore important to recognise that having the same procedure for behaviour support does not always work for everyone. Having a fixed protocol for sanctions and rewards regarding pupil behaviour does not support our individual learners and their needs in the best way. What we can offer however, is a consistent approach; a consistent attitude; a consistent mindset so that our pupils receive differentiated initiatives of behaviour support that meet their individual needs but all stem from the same way of thinking.
Behaviour policies are long documents
Whilst it is essential to have a wellbeing/behaviour policy in schools, they can often be so detailed and lengthy that they are not practical for day-to-day use. Therefore having something more concise and user-friendly, which encompasses everything from the policy into one acronym, means we can effectively adopt this approach and embed it in everything we do.
There is always room for improvement
The behaviour policy at the Brook has always been strong and the practice of its staff is excellent, however, we can always strive to be that little bit better and to ensure we are providing the best schooling for our pupils. The teaching staff (teachers and support staff) identified what they valued as important attitudes and approaches that they wanted as part of our shared mindset. These were categorised, defined and then streamlined into the R.E.S.P.E.C.T mindset that we have today.