Task 5b

Task 5b

In Task 5a I made a listed and explained some of the code of practice that guide the ethical framework at my school. For this task I re-read the staff handbook to refresh my knowledge. 

I found that the majority of the codes of practice I abide by and reinforce at school, but it was beneficial to re-visit them in depth.

The Governors

I started by looking at the message from the governing body, which outlines their expectations from the school for the coming year. 

The message also acknowledges the improvements that have been made, in particular the improved behaviour and as result an enhanced learning experience of our students. 

The role of the governors is vital in; overseeing the School Development Plan, holding the school accountable for the pupil progress, financial integrity and school improvement.  (School handbook). 

As the governing body derive the areas in which we must focus each year, how we should go about improving them and have the ability to intervene they could be considered as the guardians of the ethical framework within our organisation.

My department/team

My department was set up in response to students who were unable to participate effectively in classes within the main school. The Team’s aim is to reintegrate the students back into the main school. 

There are two groups of students who are referred to the Team, as stated in Team framework:

·       Persistent truants and school refusers;

·       Students whose behaviour has become so destructive to the learning of other students, or who represent such significant health and safety risks in classroom setting, that they require an alternative provision.

Inclusion is central to the aim of the Team and is best addressed in the three steps in the Teams framework in the school handbook; contact, engagement and reintegration.

Contact- The team makes contact with students, and parents/carers and work together to design an individualised programme for the student. 

Working with the parent/carer to make arrangements as to where and how long the student’s sessions will be.

Some students are taught on or off-site and access vocational courses. The Team are in contact with other agencies such social service, FIP and YOT/ISSP.

Having close contact with the students is important as it presents us with the opportunity to get to know the students and families we work with well. 

Most importantly, getting to know the students intimately informs us how best to support them.

Engagement – Some of the students are so disengaged with education that we have to visit them outside of school grounds. 

We aim to engage them with the programme/curriculum encouraging them to progress to learning on-site and, with the support of their tutor, pinpoint lessons in the main school the student can go on to attend.

Reintegration – After discussion between the student, parent/carer and subject teacher, the student will finally access one or two lessons in the main school with support from our team. 

Access increases as the students develop strategies to manage their behaviour in the classroom setting.

I mainly work with KS4, which is the last year of secondary school education. 

As well as helping them attain their GCSE’s I support them emotionally with their anxieties about leaving school, going to college, what results they will achieve and what will life without the support and consistency of school will be like. 

A large part of my role is to inform and support them and their parents/cares during this process.

Vision statement of the school

The vision statement of our school really stresses the importance that is placed on ensuring that the students have a good ethical framework. 

The students we have will not necessarily excel academically, but can give a lot to society by being guided into a more moralistically healthy way of being than they may have previously experienced. 

I have highlighted the areas of the vision statement of the school where I think this really stands out below:

“[School name] is a school where all members of the community feel emotionally and physically safe. Boundaries are clear and this helps staff maintain an intuitive, nurturing and emotionally available relationship with the children and young people entrusted to their care. 

The environment contains resources that are attuned to developing the therapeutic approach needed when working with traumatised and unattached children.

Opportunities for academic, sporting, vocational and social growth are offered throughout the school. The School is at the centre of vibrant, multi-agency network that offers solutions and support to the pupils, their families and the community they live in.

The care and education offered by the school ensures that the children who progress and graduate from the school have the skills and self-belief in themselves, care for others, gain long-term employment and lead adult lives that are happy, healthy and fulfilled”. 

I feel really motivated by our vision statement as it emphasis the trust that the school has in us to nurture our students into having good moral values that improve their self-belief, respect and their happiness.

One way in which I have included an aspect of the statement into my work process is by offering painting and drawing sessions that encourage emotive discussions and response, taking a more therapeutic teaching approach.

Behaviour Policy

I feel I have a good understanding of the behaviour policy, as it is in-line with the assumptions I made in task 5a. 

The policy emphasises that we need to have a good understand of the emotional needs of students that we work with to be able to respond to their behaviour appropriately.

Our students have difficulties with attachment, trust and have very low self-esteem. The school recognises this by adopting an approach that understands their difficulties and helps them realise their full potential by using strategies that work therapeutically.

Here is a list of some of the general principles approaches that they use:

·       A nurturing approach that involves caring, consistent, empathic, non-retaliatory and boundaries relationships between staff and pupils.

·       Recognising that pupils may have early-years needs (e.g. play) that are unmet and need to be provided before they can progress. This may mean providing support, which is appropriate to their emotional/social age rather than their calendar age.

·       Having cleary-communicated expectations of pupils’ behaviour.

·       Developing pupils’ abilities to understand and communicate about their emotions.

·       A positive approach with a focus on praising and rewarding good behaviour, recognise and developing strengths and abilities and helping pupils to develop an improved perception of themselves.

·       Ensuring that pupils always feel wanted and supported despite their behaviour – firm expectation around behaviour without shaming or further damaging self-esteem.

·       Acting as appropriate role-models for our pupils. Being aware of our verbal and body language as well  as our emotional reactions to the pupils and how we respond to them. Being responsible about seeking support when needed.

·       Providing good attachments for our pupils whilst being sensitive to and supporting when needed.

·       Providing good attachments for our pupils whilst being sensitive to and supporting relationships between parents/carers and their children.

·        Providing opportunities for specialist therapeutic input where needed.

·       Providing opportunities for pupils to demonstrate maturity and responsibility as they progress up the school.

Safeguarding and Child protection

Safeguarding is very important aspects of our work in the school; we must insure students are safe from harm at all times. This is highlighted in the school Safeguarding and Child protection policy;

“The school recognise their responsibilities and duties to report Child Protection concerns to the Social Department and to assist Social Service in Child Protection enquiries and in supporting Children in Need. 

The schools will raise Child Protection concerns with parents/ carers at appropriate opportunity. 

The schools will insure that all staff are given the opportunity to attend appropriate training in Child Protection issues, as recommended in the guidance.”

It is interesting to read back to my opening section in 5a, as I write about duty of care [safeguarding] in a very emotive way. 

I think this shows that I put a great deal of moral importance in ensuring that this area of my work is fulfilled, as I can empathise with the students and consider it my moral duty not to fail them.