Maintaining a calm and orderly school environment in which all pupils and adults can be safe, happy and productive is of paramount importance to everyone at Westfield Arts College. All adults subscribe to the notion that ‘behaviour is the child’s loudest voice’ and that building relationships with our pupils is the best way of understanding this voice. We all recognise the strong link between behaviour, feelings and experiences and use this knowledge in all elements of school life.
As pupils make their way through the school they are supported to understand what this means in practice and to recognise that how they conduct themselves has a significant impact on those around them. This is done through positive behaviour support strategies that seek to balance the desire for high expectations and clear boundaries with the need to tailor strategies to the individual and complex needs of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), autistic spectrum condition (ASC), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. A high priority is given to working alongside parents and carers as partners in this work.
Therapeutic Thinking is the over-arching therapeutic approach to behaviour support that has now been embedded in all of the TADSS schools and is also being used in many different school settings across Dorset.
The emphasis throughout the school is on supporting pupils to behave in a prosocial way and to encourage pupils to develop internal controls rather than punishing them for getting this wrong.
At Westfield, the definition of behaving in a prosocial way is behaviour that is positive, helpful, and intended to promote social acceptance. It can be characterised by a concern for the rights, feelings and welfare of other people, and behaviour that benefits other people or society.
Westfield’s focus is on how to create prosocial experiences and feelings to achieve prosocial behaviours. Without this, we would be expecting pupils to develop prosocial behaviours without being shown how or explicitly taught.
Staff empathy and understanding of each pupil’s perspective and experience of the world is seen as central when considering how best to support and encourage appropriate behaviours. Westfield’s aim is to provide positive experiences for our pupils to support them to build self-esteem and confidence which then leads to more appropriate behaviours. Our response to antisocial behaviour is clear and carefully structured. Where there are incidents of difficult or dangerous behaviours staff implement protective consequences (keeping everyone safe) and educational consequences (how I can learn to do things differently).
At times in their school lives a very small number of our pupils may need physical intervention to keep them and others safe. All Westfield staff are trained in Therapeutic Thinking principles and practice, giving them the skills they need to de-escalate difficult situations and the confidence to step in if a physical intervention is needed.
Incidents of bullying are very rare at Westfield: concern for other people is a priority for us all and the quality of relationships within the school is often remarked upon by visitors. However, we take nothing for granted and all pupils have the opportunity to consider bullying, what forms it takes and how we can avoid it.
