Agenda item

APPROACHES TO SECURING 'POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR' IN CARMARTHENSHIRE SCHOOLS.

Minutes:

[NOTE:  Councillors B.W. Jones, G. Jones and E. Schiavone had earlier declared an interest in this item.]

 

The Committee considered a report providing an overview of current practice and guidance in support of positive behaviour and anti-bullying within Carmarthenshire’s schools. 

 

Carmarthenshire has a strong and lengthy track record of working effectively within this field, drawing on numerous elements of research and good practice both nationally and internationally.

 

The report detailed the range of strategies available to our schools to achieve high standards of positive behaviour and our clear expectation of keeping everyone safe from any level of bullying.

 

The following questions/observations were raised on the report:-

 

·       Asked how progress is monitored and how you measure whether bullying is being reduced, the Head of Education Services explained that the monitoring process includes a range of activities such as  Challenge Advisers visiting schools and questionnaires are circulated to schools on an annual basis to review the progress and impact of such strategies;

·       Asked whether the questionnaires are targeted at pupils or teachers the Committee was advised that one questionnaire is for schools leaders to complete and the other is an electronic version which schools circulate to their learners.  The Director added that schools will have their own ways of recording pupil satisfaction and wellbeing measures.  The department gathers that data and the outcome of any surveys could be circulated to the committee for information;

·       Asked whether the questionnaires might contain comments regarding the impact that bad behaviour can have on teachers, the Head of Education Services explained that this would be addressed through Challenge Advisers’ core visits and if any concern is raised then they would provide any support needed;

·       Reference was made to the fact that there appears to be a lot of different initiatives in schools and the need for consistency throughout the county was stressed as bullying can define the rest of someone’s life.  Officers were asked if it would be possible to operate a county-wide anti-bullying policy to include the latest anti-bullying legislation.  The Director explained that the Authority can provide a framework and template document.  He added that the really effective models in schools are those which have been prepared by the schools themselves.  The Head of Curriculum and Wellbeing explained that the landscape is changing with e-safety and the hazards of social media.  Wellbeing is ascending as a theme in our schools and a Behaviour and Wellbeing Manager has been seconded to work on strategies to promote positive behaviour;

·       Reference was made to the success of the Speakr initiative in this regard and officers agreed to provide the Committee with data in relation to take-up;

·       Concern was expressed that bullied children are unable to get transport to attend another school.  The Head of Curriculum and Wellbeing stressed the importance of making sure that the culture/ environment in the school is right so that pupils do not feel the need to move schools.  

 

RESOLVED

 

7.1     that the report be received;

 

7.2     that the Committee receive a report at a future meeting to include           data measuring the effectiveness of positive behaviour initiatives.

 

 

 

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