​Behaviour Policy

Our Approach and Values:

At EDClass, we are committed to treating every learner with dignity and respect. We understand that some of the children who access our platform are vulnerable and may have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) which often explain their outbursts in behaviour. At EDClass, we are proud to take a trauma-informed approach to behaviour, where we place supportive relationships and the young person’s safety at the heart of our behaviour management.

Our trauma-informed approach to behaviour is supplemented by the one-to-one support we offer our learners. Our one-to-one support allows our learners the opportunity to:

✔ learn in a flexible, supportive environment where they can grow academically and emotionally;

✔ build positive relationships with teachers;

✔ become curious about the world they live in;

✔ build resilience to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

✔ Engaged in their learning

✔ Determined to succeed in the face of challenges

✔ Compassionate towards the feelings of others.

Our teaching staff focus on overcoming difficulties through the use of restorative conversations, emotional coaching, quality interactions and praise. At the heart of our teaching and learning strategies are our teaching values:

✔ we believe that every learner deserves the opportunity to meet their intrinsic need to learn, achieve and grow;

✔ we seek to afford every learner the right to harness education as a vehicle for improvement;

✔ we uphold the principle of unconditional regard;

✔ we are mindful of the barriers to education that learners may be encountering in their lives.

Expectations for Behaviour

At EDClass, we expect our learners to be:

Essentially, we expect that our learners:

✔ respect themselves and others;

✔ should be fully clothed to show that they are ready to learn;

✔ should be working from a suitable environment: lying in bed is not acceptable;

✔ should enable their camera so that we can ensure their safety;

✔ should quickly develop an expectation that they will be greeted politely and should respond politely;

✔ should be assured that teachers are here to support or discuss any issues or interests;

✔ should use language that is respectful and non-aggressive / non-threatening at all times - in cases where their language is inappropriate/abrupt or rude this will be addressed;

✔ should expect to be treated with dignity and respect, and at all times observe proper boundaries appropriate to staff positions;

✔ who display aggressive or threatening behaviours with others on camera, should expect to have this addressed as a matter of urgent safeguarding;

✔ using mobile phones on camera (other than where permission has been given to take screenshots) will be challenged by teachers;

✔ with behaviours that are not age-appropriate (such as, but not exclusive to, vaping, drinking alcohol etc) should expect to have this treated as a matter of urgent safeguarding;

✔ who are on camera with ‘unrecognised’ people present (not identified on their learner profile) should expect to be questioned as to who they are;

✔ who disclose information that may be pertinent to their safeguarding and well-being (for example, but not exclusive to, going out to meet someone, having injured themselves, feeling down, verbal or physical abuse from another person) should expect to have this treated as a matter of urgent safeguarding;

✔ must expect teachers to have high regard for the need to safeguard them and their well-being according to statutory provisions;

✔ must show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others;

✔ must not undermine fundamental British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs;

✔ can expect that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways that exploit their vulnerability or might lead them to break the law;

✔ using the chat feature deliberately to mislead teachers as to who they are or fabricating scenarios which begin safeguarding procedures and which later have been found to be false, will be treated as an urgent matter to be reported to schools and maybe the appropriate authorities.

At EDClass, we define negative behaviour as the following, which is outlined further in Appendix 1 - Behaviour Procedures:

  • unsuitable clothing on camera
  • unsuitable working environment
  • offensive language (swearing, name-calling, verbal abuse)
  • aggression
  • inappropriate language
  • poor attitude to learning
  • disruptive behaviour
  • rudeness
  • refusal to enable the camera
  • refusal to access timetabled lessons
  • sexualised behaviour
  • bullying
  • smoking/ vaping
  • discriminatory language
  • inappropriate signs and signals on camera
  • harassment or manipulation
  • swearing/ insults
  • inappropriate views
  • deliberate misuse of the alert button/questionnaire
  • threatening behaviour
  • substance misuse
  • coercive behaviour
  • making accusations which are later deemed as false
  • violence
  • nakedness

Roles and Responsibilities

The teaching team are often the first responder to a learner’s behaviour and will therefore act immediately, following the Behaviour Policy and Appendix 1 – Behaviour Procedures.

The DDSL will be alerted immediately if a learner’s behaviour poses a safeguarding concern and will follow the Behaviour Policy, Appendix 1 – Behaviour Procedures and the Safeguarding Policy.

The Reintegration and Engagement Team will be alerted about a learner’s behaviour at Stage 3 of the Behaviour Policy, unless the learner’s behaviour poses a safeguarding concern, at which point the DDSL will take over. The Reintegration and Engagement Team are responsible for conducting a Formal Review with the school regarding the learner’s behaviour, if they achieve a Stage 3 sanction, the findings will be reported to the Head of Teaching and Learning. The Reintegration and Engagement Team will follow the Behaviour Policy and Appendix 1 – Behaviour Procedures.

The Head of Teaching and Learning will be alerted if a learner has achieved Stage 3 or Stage 4 sanction. The Head of Teaching and Learning will discuss learners at a management meeting, where the process will be reviewed regarding the learner’s behaviour and the procedures which were followed by all stakeholders involved. The Head of Teaching and Learning will follow the Behaviour Policy and Appendix 1 – Behaviour Procedures.

Consistency and Implementation

All stakeholders must take a consistent yet flexible approach to this policy, considering the varied and complex needs of the learners who access our platform.

To help us achieve our aims we will:

✔ consistently follow the measures outlined in Appendix 1 – Behaviour Procedures, which outlines the processes that the teachers, designated safeguarding lead(s) and any other relevant members of staff at EDClass should follow when a learner displays a negative behaviour whilst using our platform;

✔ ensure a trauma-informed approach is embedded across the platform so that the mental health and well-being of learners and staff is a priority;

✔ provide a clear approach and set of values which outline our expectations for behaviour and approaches to behaviour management;

✔ ensure that children understand the meaning of inappropriate and unsafe behaviour and know how EDClass will deal with it;

✔ publicise the Policy and its relevant documents so that everyone is clear about what is expected and the consistent approaches to behaviour management across the business.

Our Behaviour Policy acknowledges the business’ legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 in respect of safeguarding and in respect of pupils with special educational needs (SEN).

The policy also operates within agreed legal guidelines as follows:

✔ Education Act 1996

✔ School Standards and Framework Act 1998

✔ Education Act 2002

✔ Education and Inspections Act 2006

✔ School Information (England) Regulations 2008

✔ Equality Act 2010

✔ Education Act 2011

✔ Keeping Children Safe in Education

✔ Working Together to Safeguard Children

Rewards

Learners receive praise for a positive attitude to learning, a commitment to making progress, completion of lessons to a high standard and engagement with teachers to acquire knowledge and develop confidence.

Teachers may provide learners with positive verbal feedback in the chat or on camera to say ‘Well done’ for their effort in a particular lesson, or for their effort on any day. These messages are recorded under ‘Comments’ from the learners’ tiles.

EDClass also rewards learners for their work by awarding ‘EDDollars’, which can be spent to access educational games (outside of timetabled time) on the platform. They can be awarded when marked work is submitted, or through a learner’s tile, and are awarded, for example, for:

✔ work of a high standard;

✔ work that shows progress;

✔ a high level of engagement, in support chats or in a lesson;

✔ signs of developing self-worth or confidence.

Development of Self-Worth and Confidence

EDClass will promote good and improved behaviour in order to help build a learner’s self-worth and confidence. ‘Little wins’ are recorded under ‘Comments’ on a learner’s tile. These are achievements that can be credited to a learner which may not be academic and which should relate to learners showing more readiness for the world of work/progression/post-school and may include, but isn’t limited to:

✔ a learner developing the confidence to respond to a chat greeting;

✔ a learner developing the confidence to move beyond one-word responses to chat greetings and asking how the teacher is in return;

✔ a learner developing the confidence to ask teachers for help with the work;

✔ a learner developing the confidence to ask questions;

✔ a learner showing greater independence/no longer needing to work alongside a parent/carer;

✔ a learner moving from typed messaging with teachers to a willingness to speak over the camera feed;

✔ a learner progressing from an unsuitable working environment (e.g. in their bed, in the darkness) to an environment more conducive to learning;

✔ a learner wanting to email teachers work they have completed, revealing their sense of pride and achievement;

✔ a learner’s language shifting from rude/aggressive to mannered and polite;

✔ a learner messaging their appreciation to teachers / showing gratitude.

The ‘Comments’ provide a log of positive pastoral comments to run alongside an academic progress report and any concerns.

Positive Destinations and Successful Reintegration into School

At EDClass, it is our intention that whilst a learner is using our platform, we provide them with the right tools to achieve a positive destination or successfully reintegrate back into a classroom setting.

Alongside the use of the Behaviour Policy and Appendix 1 – Behaviour Procedures, the teaching team endeavour to support learners to make positive choices, which will inevitably provide them with a better opportunity to arrive at a Positive Destination. 

A positive destination for the teaching team is one where learners not only achieve academic success but also grow as individuals, become active and engaged members of their community, and are well-prepared for future challenges and opportunities.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is our priority at EDClass. In the instance that we feel a learner is at risk of harm, the teachers and Designated Safeguarding Leads will follow Appendix 1 - Behaviour Procedures as well as the safeguarding procedures that we have in place to protect any persons involved.

Personal and Professional Conduct

The teaching team is expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct.

The following statements define the behaviour and attitudes that set the required standard for conduct which can be found on the gov.uk website. Teaching (and Support Staff) uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour within and outside the company by:

✔ treating learners with dignity and respect, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to staff’s positions;

✔ having regard for the need to safeguard learners’ well-being, according to statutory provisions;

✔ showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others;

✔ not undermining fundamental British Values: including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

✔ ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways that exploit learners’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.

Links to Other Policies

Safeguarding Policy

GDPR Policy

Admissions Policy

E-safety Policy

Curriculum Policy

Prevent Policy

Health and Safety Policy

Early Help Processing Policy

Call Recording Policy