This is our new behaviour policy which has been in place since September 2023.

Magdalen's Behaviour Policy 2023

The text below is intended to give an easy overview of the policy, our approaches and how you can support your child and the school.

This poster is displayed throughout the school and summarises the policy with our ethos; the key expectations of behaviour for everyone, and the steps we use in class and around school to address misbehaviour.

The most common examples where students need reminders or intervention with behaviour fall into the ‘Misbehaviour’ section of the policy.

Misbehaviour Policy Definition

When misbehaviour is recorded on Go4Schools you will see that the action taken is one of these ‘live sanctions’.

On occasions where a student doesn’t own their mistake and change their behaviour in class, this leads to a ‘Red Card’ where the student finishes the lesson in a different class. These events lead to a lunchtime detention so that the student has dedicated time to reflect. Wherever possible this detention will be the following day and hopefully before the next lesson of the subject.

Sometimes a student acts in a way that not only hinders them, but affects others and the common good. These are identified in the policy as ‘Serious Misbehaviours’. 

Serious Misbehaviour Policy Definition

Where an act of ‘Serious Misbehaviour’ has occurred staff will consider carefully the appropriate sanction, beginning at the stage of a School Detention which happens after school.

Detentions for Reflection

At Magdalen we use detentions as a time for students to own and reflect on their behaviours.  In detentions, students will have a reflection sheet, students will work through this with the supervising members of staff.  This allows the students to reflect on their behaviours and to decide on strategies to prevent these behaviours from happening again. Our intention and expectation is that students do not repeat these same mistakes.

Where acts of ‘misbehaviour’ have been repeated in one lesson and led to a ‘Red Card’ OR where students have accrued more than 10 minutes lateness to lessons in a week, they will be required to sit a lunchtime detention. Parents and carers will be notified of the detention via Go4Schools and an email. Please support us by ensuring your young person knows when and where the detention will be, and that they attend ready to reflect and ‘own’ their mistake.

Where acts of ‘serious misbehaviour’ are sanctioned with a School Detention this will run from 3.30 to 4.15pm and be led by a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Parents and carers will be informed by a telephone call and then details confirmed via email and Go4Schools.

Attendance at School Detentions is not optional, and we appreciate parents and carers working with us to support the student. If a student is not in the expected detention, you will receive a phone call as a matter of urgency to inform you. The detention may be rescheduled to another day, or you may be asked to support your student in returning to school straight away.

In cases where a student has persistently missed a School Detention we will schedule it at a time when you can bring your student to the detention, perhaps in the early evening or the morning before school. In these cases, we will discuss that with parents and carers to find a time that works. In extreme cases it may be necessary to arrange this detention time at the weekend. We will remain determined to hold the student accountable for reflecting on their errors and seek to avoid escalation to a ‘bigger’ sanction.

We remain grateful to parents, carers and families for their support when working together to address behaviour.

If you have any questions please email emilyt@magdalen.northants.sch.uk