Introduction

St. Olave’s Grammar School is a tolerant, respectful and diverse community. Students are expected to
always uphold these values. They are expected to show consideration for others and to conduct themselves
in a manner which could give no cause for adverse criticism. They are expected in and out of school to
uphold the good name of St. Olave’s.

This policy sets out clearly the expectation of behaviour and social relations in the school. The key aim is
to create and maintain a community which is considerate, where interaction is based on mutual respect,
and which fosters good learning and teaching. The School will not accept bullying of any type, racist,
sexist, homophobic, transphobic or prejudiced behaviour, rudeness or disrespect to any staff (teaching or
non-teaching) or to any member of the student body; rowdy behaviour, swearing, fighting, bullying (See
Anti-Bullying policy) lack of respect for the School buildings, grounds and property will also not be
tolerated.

Physical or mental intimidation of a person by another or a group, which can cause distress or anxiety to
the victim is unacceptable from any member of the school community, as no person has the right to
intimidate another.
Therefore:
• No-one should have to suffer name-calling;
• Banter is not an excuse for unpleasant or offensive jokes;
• No-one should have to suffer physical violence or unwanted physical contact;
• No-one should feel victimised in any way for example, for their appearance, their race, gender, religion,
or other choices that they make;
• Sexual abuse and/or harassment will not be tolerated; for example, upskirting, taking, asking for, or
sharing inappropriate images including nudes, rating students on attractiveness or making sexual
comments;
• No-one should suffer abusive or unkind messages via social media;

St. Olave’s recognises it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that bullying and child-on-child abuse is not
tolerated.
Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)
Next Review: Summer 2024
It is important, in a school environment, that each student should project an image that would bring credit
to the School and themselves.

We have the highest expectations that our pupils will behave with courtesy and consideration for others in
and out of school. We believe that in order to enable effective teaching and learning to take place it is
essential that we promote and maintain the highest standards of behaviour. We acknowledge and reward
the good work and behaviour of pupils and seek to create a caring, safe and happy learning environment
in school by:

1. Encouraging all members of the school community to show consideration for others.
2. Encouraging pupils to acquire self-discipline, taking responsibility for their own actions and choices.
3. Encouraging pupils to respect the customs and regulations of the School and have proper regard
for authority.
4. Fostering a set of shared values among staff, pupils, parents and carers and the wider community.

The School will endeavour to:

1. Make explicit the philosophy underlying the School’s system of rewards, punishment and pastoral
provision.
2. Encourage staff to recognise and praise good behaviour as well as dealing with bad behaviour, and
to ensure that punishment, when needed, is appropriate and applied in a fair and consistent
manner.
3. Ensure that staff, pupils and parents know, and understand the reasons for, the School rules and
code of conduct.
4. Promote early intervention in case of breaches of the rules.

The School has a published set of rules that are the framework for good behaviour and appearance, as well
as promoting high standards. Courtesy, safety and common sense are the basis of the rules, which are
applied fairly and consistently.

Statutory Powers
The School’s statutory powers regarding behaviour and discipline are set out in the Education and
Inspections Act 2006, supplemented by the Department for Education’s ‘Ensuring good behaviour in

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
schools’ (April 2012), “Behaviour and Discipline in Schools” 2019 , “Behaviour in Schools 2022” and
Searching, Screening and Confiscation July 2022. Due consideration is given to the Equality Act 2010. These
powers give any member of staff in lawful control of children the right to regulate pupils’ conduct and
impose sanctions. Powers shall be exercised ‘reasonably and proportionately’. Where reasonable this
power extends to pupils when outside of school (for example on school trips, travelling to and from school,
representing the school at sports’ fixtures). These powers include the right to:
• Detain pupils on weekdays (after the normal school day has ended), weekends, or staff days. There
is no requirement for 24 hours’ notice.
• Detain pupils at lunchtime provided that lunchtime detentions are not of such duration that a pupil
misses the opportunity to eat.
• Confiscate articles (‘seize, retain or dispose of’) with authority from the Headteacher.
• Search a pupil for prohibited items, using reasonable force if necessary, without consent (Violent
Crime Reduction Act 2006).

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Pupils are expected to take responsibility for their own behaviour to enable staff to teach and
promote learning without interruption or harassment. They will be made fully aware of the school
policy, procedure and expectations. Pupils also have a responsibility to ensure that incidents of
disruption, violence, bullying and any form of harassment are reported.
2. Staff, including teachers and support staff, will be responsible for ensuring that the policy and
procedures are followed, and consistently and fairly applied. Mutual support amongst all staff in the
implementation of the policy is essential. Staff have a key role in advising the Headteacher on the
effectiveness of the policy and procedures. They also have responsibility, with the support of the
Headteacher, for creating a high-quality learning environment, teaching good behaviour and
implementing the agreed policy and procedures consistently. The Headteacher will treat failure by
staff to apply the policy as a serious dereliction of duty.
3. The Headteacher will be responsible for ensuring the implementation and day-to-day management
of the policy and procedures. The Headteacher and SLT will oversee support for staff faced with
challenging behaviour.
4. The Governing Body has established in consultation with the Headteacher, staff and parents, the
behaviour policy and will keep it under review. It will ensure that it is communicated to pupils and
parents, is non-discriminatory and that the expectations are clear. Governors will support the School
in maintaining high standards of behaviour.
5. The Governing Body, Headteacher and staff seek to ensure that there is no differential application
of the policy and procedures on any grounds, including ethnic or national origin, culture, religion,

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
 gender, disability or sexual orientation. They will also ensure that the concerns of pupils are listened
to and appropriately addressed.
6. The School values a close relationship with parents, and carers and they will be expected to work in
partnership with the School to assist in maintaining high standards of behaviour. Parents will have
the opportunity to raise with the School any issues arising from the operation of the policy. Schools
are required to have, and to ask parents to sign, a Home School Agreement that outlines the
responsibilities of the parent and the school, including those in respect of behaviour and attendance.
Parents are under a legal duty to ensure that their child (aged 5-16) receives a suitable full-time
education either at a school or by making other suitable arrangements. For school-registered pupils
parents must ensure that their child attends punctually and regularly. If they do not, the school or
local authority may ask them to sign a parenting contract or may issue a penalty sanction of £60
(rising to £120). Parents have a clear role in making sure their child is well behaved at school. If they
do not, the school or local authority may ask them to sign a parenting contract or may apply for a
court-imposed parenting order.
7. In the interests of supporting young people, referrals may be made to External Agencies (including
the Police) with the aim of identifying the best resolution of problems that cannot be dealt with in
school.

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
Rewards

There are many opportunities to reward and acknowledge effort, achievement, and good behaviour. These
include:
• Praise - Praise will be given for the behaviour we want to see more of and for pupils doing the right
thing.
• Merits / Commendations - Merits may be given to pupils in Years 7 – 8 for: work of a high standard;
exceptional effort; a marked improvement in schoolwork; exemplary behaviour; a marked
improvement in behaviour; being helpful to staff or other pupils. Merits contribute to house points
and are recorded in reports to parents and enable pupils to receive certificates.
• Key Stage Three Certificates - Key stage certificates are awarded termly in the Lower School by
each subject. They are awarded for both effort and achievement to four pupils per class in each
subject.
• House points – In the Middle School House points are issued for effort or a minor achievement
• Commendation Slips - In the Middle School and Sixth Form merits are replaced by Commendation
slips which may be given for the same reasons although not as liberally as merits. Commendation
slips are recorded centrally and on School IPM Full Reports. A Commendation tie is awarded to
students who have achieved the highest commendations in Years 9-13.
• Commendation Certificates - Commendation Certificates are awarded on three occasions in the
Middle School. All teachers of Years 9, 10 and Year 11 classes award certificates for attainment
and effort to between 5 and 10 per cent of their group. Pupils with the highest number of rewards
receive their certificates from the Headteacher.
• Prizes and Other Awards - Outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievements are celebrated
by announcements and presentations of Full Colours, Team Colours and certificates in assemblies,
prizes at Lower School Celebration Day and Prize Evening, articles in the School Magazine and in
weekly and termly newsletters and displays around the School.

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
Pastoral Support
The School recognises that pupils with emerging serious academic / behaviour concerns may benefit from
pastoral support. School-based strategies which can be offered to pupils to support sustained
improvements in progress and behaviour (and therefore learning) include:
• Meetings with pupils and parents (which may include setting targets)
• Yellow daily report (issued by tutors)
• Red daily report (issued by the Head of Year)
• Targeted teaching strategies or curriculum resources
• Subject support clinics
• Behaviour mapping (identifying any specific points during the school day where behaviour
deteriorates)
• Mentoring programmes including Peer Mentors, Sixth Form “Buddies”, Form Prefects or SLT
Mentoring
• Withdraw from lessons for individual or small group support
• The use of the School Chaplain (in school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
• The use of the School Wellbeing Practitioner and Bromley Y
• CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) – following consent from
pupils/parents/carers

Pupils at risk of failure at School from disaffection or of permanent exclusion from the School will be placed
on a Pastoral Support Programme (PSP). A plan will be agreed between the School, the pupil and
parents/carers (and outside agencies where appropriate) and in the most serious of cases the Local
Authority and other external agencies. Plans will normally last 8 weeks and will involve the setting of short
term SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely) targets which will be closely monitored
and reviewed mid-way through, and at the end of, the agreed time period with the pupil and parents. In
these cases the School may also use the following strategies:

• Use of other outside agencies including education welfare officers, social services, child protection,
health services, including mental health, drugs teams and community police
• Flexible Schooling - At the discretion of the Headteacher, a system of flexible schooling can be
initiated where the pupil remains on roll but the majority of his education takes place elsewhere,
including at home
• Managed move - where the parents and the pupil agree that a move to another school may be
in the best interests of the pupil.

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
Pupil transition
To ensure a smooth transition to the next year, pupils have transition sessions with their new teacher(s).
In addition, staff members hold transition meetings.

To ensure behaviour is continually monitored and the right support is in place, information related to pupil
behaviour issues may be transferred to relevant staff at the start of the term or year. Information on
behaviour issues may also be shared with new settings for those pupils transferring to other schools.

Sanctions
In cases of misbehaviour, both in school or when off site (under certain circumstances), or inadequate work,
the School will use a range of sanctions. Crucial to our system of sanctions is the principle of proportionality.
A member of staff who refers a matter to a member of the pastoral team will be given full support and an
explanation of action to be taken. Such action will depend on the severity of the incident, the pupil’s
previous record and any extenuating circumstances. A record of any reported incident will be kept in the
pupil’s file.

The following examples are not meant to be prescriptive but should serve to give some indication of when
a particular sanction might be used. It is important to state that a pupil’s previous record will be taken into
account and it is, therefore, consistent to have similar infringements resulting in different punishments.

These will include:

Reprimand (all staff) walking on grass; running in corridor

Demerit (all staff) minor misdemeanour; uniform infringement

(Years 7-8 only)

Standards (all staff) Minor misdemeanour; uniform infringement; minor disruptive

(Years 9-11) behaviour

Late Detention (Form Tutor) after four lates in one term (at discretion of HoY)
modified regulations apply to Year 7

Private Detention (all staff) poor work effort in class

one-off failure to produce homework

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
Faculty Detention repeated failure to do a piece of homework
(all staff) missing internal coursework deadlines
failing to attend Private Detention

Withdrawal of privileges (e.g. loss of misuse of Year 11 Form Room or Sixth Form Areas
study afternoons, or use of form room) Sixth Form work and attendance issues
(Form Tutor / Head of Year) persistent bad behaviour (in addition to other sanctions)

School Detention (all staff) disruptive behaviour

failing to attend a Faculty Detention
three demerits in a term
three standards
chewing gum

Saturday Detention missing a lesson, assembly or other timetabled activity

(Assistant / Deputy Headteacher) deliberate damage to school property
cheating in class assessment
three school detentions in a term
inappropriate language in the presence of a member of staff

Internal Exclusion truancy

(Assistant / Deputy Headteacher) persistent bad behaviour
smoking and vaping
plagiarism
cheating in a school internal exam
refusal to comply with the request of a member of staff
three Saturday detentions across the academic year
racial or sexual harassment

External Suspension serious breaches of the school’s behaviour policy which may
(Headteacher) include:
(This may result in a final written swearing at a member of staff
warning) violent or abusive behaviour (including sexual abuse and
assault)
persistent defiance

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
 theft
bullying
vandalism
serious breaches of the School’s Network User Agreement
conduct which brings the School into disrepute

Permanent Exclusion Exceptional circumstances where it may be appropriate to

(Headteacher) permanently exclude a pupil for a first or ‘one off’ offence
include:
• serious actual or threatened violence against another
pupil or a member of staff
• sexual abuse or assault
• involvement with illegal or unauthorised drugs
(including possession or dealing). This would include,
for example, so called ‘legal highs’.
• carrying an offensive weapon (e.g. knife/baton)
• BB guns brought onto the school site
• fireworks brought on to the school site

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
Persistent Poor Behaviour
The following pattern ensures that persistent poor behaviour eventually reaches the higher level
punishments.
• Three demerits in one term leads, at the discretion of the tutor, to a School Detention.
• The third School Detention in one term becomes, at the discretion of the Head of Year, a Saturday
Detention.
• Three Saturday detentions across the year becomes, at the discretion of the Assistant or Deputy
Headteacher, an internal exclusion.
• At any stage a number of other strategies are available to the pastoral team (see Pastoral Support
section).
Procedures for putting pupils into detention are contained in the Staff Handbook.

Internal exclusions and External suspension

An internal exclusion from lessons will mean that the pupil has to work outside the Headteacher’s (or a
member of SLT’s) Office from 8.30am until 4.30pm.

The Headteacher decides whether to externally suspend a pupil, for a fixed term or permanently, in line
with this behaviour policy, taking into account all the circumstances, the evidence available and the need
to balance the interests of the pupil against those of the whole school community.

Before deciding whether to externally suspend a pupil the Headteacher will:

• Ensure that an appropriate enquiry has been carried out.
• Consider all the information available, including written accounts, and the pupil’s school file, taking
account of the School’s Behaviour and Equal Opportunities Policies and the Equality Act 2010.
• Allow the pupil to give his or her version of events taking care that questioning techniques are not
oppressive, based on leading questions or conditioned by threats of punishment. In some cases a
parent or other adult (e.g. pupil’s Head of Year) may be invited to be present during the interview.
• Check whether the incident may have been provoked, for example by bullying or by racial or sexual
harassment.

The Headteacher may externally suspend a pupil if satisfied that, on the balance of probabilities, the pupil
did what she or he is alleged to have done and the matter is serious enough to merit such a sanction.

Parents have the right to make representations to the Governing Body about an external suspension and
the governing body (through its discipline committee) must review the external suspension decision in

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
certain circumstances, which include all permanent exclusions. Where a governing body upholds a
permanent exclusion parents have the right to appeal the decision to an independent appeal panel.

Schools are under a duty to provide suitable full-time education for an excluded pupil. Local authorities are
under a duty to provide suitable full-time education from the sixth school day of a permanent exclusion.

Parents are required to attend a reintegration interview after any period of fixed term external suspension.

Search Powers
School staff can search pupils with their consent for any item. This will normally be a member of the Senior
Leadership Team, where possible of the same gender as the pupil and in the presence of another member
of staff who will act as the Appropriate adult. The designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) will be informed
of any searching incidents where the member of staff had reasonable grounds to suspect a pupil was in
possession of a prohibited item. The safeguarding needs of the young person will be carefully considered.
Before any search takes place, the member of staff conducting the search will explain to the pupil why they
are being searched, how and where the search is going to take place and give them the opportunity to ask
any questions.

The Headteacher and staff authorised by the Headteacher have the power to search pupils or their
possessions, without consent, where they suspect the pupil has a ‘prohibited item’. A pupil’s possessions
can only be searched in the presence of the pupil and another member of staff, except where there is a risk
that serious harm will be caused to a person if the search is not conducted immediately and where it is not
reasonably practicable to summon another member of staff. The person conducting the search may not
require the pupil to remove any clothing other than outer clothing. Prohibited items are:
• knives and weapons
• alcohol
• illegal drugs
• stolen items
• tobacco and cigarette papers
• fireworks
• Sexual images
• any article that has been or is likely to be used to commit an offence, cause personal injury or
damage to property

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
If required, the police will be contacted. If the police carry out a search staff at school will be mindful of
their duties to uphold the best interests of the child. A member of school staff will remain with the child.
Parents will be contacted and informed of a search being carried out.

Confiscation
School staff have the right to seize any prohibited item found as a result of a search inappropriate items
(see section on search powers).

School staff have the right to confiscate any item, however found, which they consider harmful or
detrimental to school discipline. When an item is confiscated a record of the incident will made by the
member of staff involved and a copy kept on the pupil’s file. Items of obvious value will be labelled and
stored in the School’s safe until they are returned to the pupil. In most cases confiscation is a sufficient
sanction and return of the item at the end of the lesson or school day is adequate time to reinforce the
school rule.

Weapons, knives, illegal drugs and extreme or indecent illegal images of children will always be handed
over to the police otherwise it is for the School to decide if and when to return a confiscated item. If the
school chooses not to return an item at the end of the school day then parents will be informed in writing.
In some cases a responsible family adult may be asked to retrieve the item. This will be followed by a letter
to the parents confirming the reasons for confiscation.

Serious Incidents
Incidents of a very serious nature (normally those that would be reported to the police) must be reported
to the Local Authority using the Bromley School Incident Form. The School works in partnership with the
police through our school’s police liaison officer. The School may inform the police when any offence of a
criminal or anti-social nature has taken place. The School is obliged to give the police any evidence of a
criminal act discovered in the course of a search under the Violent Crime Reduction Act. This might include
drugs.

Physical Violence
In any incident of physical violence a record must be kept in the file of the victim as well as in the file of the
perpetrator. The victim’s parents must be informed of the steps taken to deal with the matter. Similarly,
where both parties are held to be culpable, a note of the incident and the action taken should be recorded
in both files. Normally all parties involved in a fight will receive the same punishment unless, in the
professional judgment of the investigating member of staff, there are mitigating circumstances.

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024
Use of reasonable force or restraint
The school does not advocate the use of physical restraint of pupils. An underlying principle of this policy
is to create an ethos where it should not be necessary. Only in exceptional circumstances will physical
intervention be used:
• to prevent pupils from committing a criminal offence
• to prevent pupils from injuring themselves or others
• to prevent pupils from causing a damage to property, including their own property
• as a last resort, when all other de-escalation strategies (including positive handling techniques)
have proved ineffective in preventing a pupil from engaging in behaviour which disrupts the good
order and discipline of the school
• to remove disruptive pupils from the classroom where they have refused to follow an instruction
to do so
• to prevent a pupil behaving in a way that disrupts a school event or a school trip or visit
• to prevent a pupil from leaving the classroom where allowing the pupil to leave would risk their
safety or lead to behaviour that disrupts the behaviour of others

If required to use physical intervention, staff will:

• Use the minimum force necessary, proportional to the circumstances
• Use as an act of care, and not as punishment

Action in Respect of Unfounded or Malicious Allegations by a pupil against teachers and other staff
If an allegation of abuse against teachers and other staff is determined to be unfounded or malicious, the
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) should refer the matter to the children’s social care services to
determine whether the child concerned is in need of services, or may have been abused by someone else.
If an allegation is shown to be deliberately invented or malicious, the Headteacher should consider whether
any disciplinary action is appropriate against the pupil who made it; or whether the police should be asked
to consider if action might be appropriate against the person responsible, even if he or she were not a pupil.
Monitoring and Analysis
The school monitors behaviour incidents to identify issues and trends. CPOMS and SIMS are used, allowing
monitoring to take place. Internal and external suspensions are tracked. The school makes effective use of
SIMS to support the implementation of its procedures. Staff receive individual and collective feedback (as
appropriate) on behaviour management issues, trends and the outcome of referrals. The school monitors
incidents of poor behaviour in terms of:
• whole school detention type
• type of incident
Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)
Next Review: Summer 2024
 • pupils involved;
• profile of pupils involved (FSM, PP, VC, age, SEN);
• outcomes

Years 7 to 11

The school’s expectations of pupils in the main school are set out in the Rules and Regulations Policy for
Years 7 to 11, which includes the Home-School agreement.

Sixth Form

The School’s expectations of Sixth Form pupils are set out in the Rules and Regulations Policy for Sixth
Form, which includes the Sixth Form Agreement.

Complaints Procedure

Any complaints regarding the application of this behaviour policy should be made in writing to the
Headteacher or the Chair of Governors.

Reviewed: September 2023 (RM)

Next Review: Summer 2024