Before 2012, and the shift to nurture-based relational practice, St Andrew’s utilised punitive practices when pupils displayed what was then perceived to be challenging behaviour. Assumptions were made that young people of teenage years “should know better” in terms of how to behave. It was typical to send pupils with behavioural issues home, or to send them out to the corridor or to other classrooms.  

 

Nurture training transformed the school’s understanding of concepts like attachment, adverse childhood experiences, and the impact that trauma can have on young people. They realised that they must teach young people, who have not had positive early years experiences, how to behave, and can’t assume that they know how. 

 

Through work with When The Adults Change, St Andrew’s completely shifted their approach. They now talk about attachment seeking behaviour instead of attention seeking behaviour and follow a relational, restorative, nurture-based approach. The environment at the school is one in which young people feel welcomed, nurtured and secure. There are safe spaces in most departments, and this is extending all the time. Staff are developing confidence in leading restorative conversations with young people, but still know that they have Principal Teachers and Senior Leaders who will support them with these conversations when needed. 

 

They have a very nurturing staff team who immediately responded to Nurture training and were committed to supporting their students. They bought into the school value of love and the idea of loving all young people the same; especially those who might try to push people away. However, as the level of need became apparent, the weight of the responsibility to get this right for pupils, led to staff asking for support with strategies to deliver the best inclusive classroom and school for the young people. 

 

They found that the ‘simple and common-sense approach’ from WTAC was a game changer for them. The school’s improvement planning agenda led to two members of staff embarking on their own learning journey to ensure they were well equipped to lead staff on this important relational approach journey. As a school they now ensure that all new and existing staff members receive regular, high quality refresher training. Consistency is key, and they take building capacity in staff seriously. They are a staff team who support each other. Behaviour is everyone’s responsibility. 

 

Staff members feel that the use of ‘Ready, Respectful, Safe’ as school rules has been highly effective due to their simplicity and the clear consistent message that pupils receive in each class, dept or area of the school. Everyone knows the school values and uses them daily in interactions with the young people, families and staff. Young people are regularly reminded of the standards and expectations through everyday classwork, school announcements and assemblies. ‘Ready, Respectful, Safe’ is reported on to parents and carers to enhance and cement the understanding and familiarity. 

 

Routines have been built in across departments to ensure consistency across the school. The school has become better at celebrating successes and noticing positive behaviours as opposed to negatives. Positive Noticing Day has been widely embraced by the whole staff body. This year, each staff member was given Positive Noticing Day cards, with the aim of issuing a minimum of five cards to young people that deserved them. They also felt it was important for staff to be positively noticed for their hard work. There was such a buzz in the school that day and it was clear that feeling valued boosts moral. Positive noticing is embedded year-round, with opportunities to positively notice and reinforce desired behaviour, however, making it a real focus on that special day was impactful. Next year, with more time to plan, St Andrew’s will expand it so that young people are involved in issuing cards too.

 

St Andrew’s staff fully embrace relationships being at the forefront of everything. They recognise that, as a school, they have a duty to develop positive relationships with all members of the community and to support those young people whose behaviour can be a barrier to inclusion and engagement in learning. It hasn’t been an easy journey, and it’s still not over, but St Andrew’s can certainly say that it’s been worth it! Staff and pupils have better relationships, and, in many cases, this has improved the behaviour of young people.