Our Values and Behaviour

We believe that strong, positive relationships are at the heart of a happy, safe and successful learning environment. Our approach to behaviour is rooted in our shared school values, which help children develop the attitudes and qualities they need to thrive.

• Care and Kindness – we look after ourselves, others and our environment, showing compassion and understanding.

• Creativity – we are curious, imaginative and willing to explore new ideas and ways of thinking.

• Optimism and Hopefulness – we approach challenges positively, believe in ourselves and look forward to the future.

• Respect – we value ourselves and others, celebrating differences and treating everyone with dignity.

• Trust and Honesty – we are truthful, reliable and take responsibility for our choices and actions.

Through these values, we encourage every child to develop resilience, confidence and a love of learning. We want all our children to feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their full potential.

Together, we create a safe, inclusive and welcoming community where everyone is encouraged to care, learn, grow and succeed.

:

Ready, Respectful, Safe

At High Down, our approach to behaviour is rooted in positive relationships, consistency and nurture. We believe that behaviour is a form of communication and that every child deserves to be treated with dignity, kindness and respect.

Our three simple expectations help everyone understand how we want our school community to feel and behave:

Ready

We are ready to learn, play and make the most of every opportunity.
We come prepared, listen carefully, join in and give things a go. When things feel difficult, we are supported to regulate our emotions and get ourselves ready to learn.

Respectful

We treat ourselves, others and our environment with care and kindness.
We listen to others, value differences, use kind words and actions, and take responsibility for repairing relationships when things go wrong.

Safe

We make choices that keep ourselves and others safe.
We follow agreed routines, use equipment appropriately and speak to an adult when we are worried or need help.

Our approach

We recognise that all behaviour is communication and that children sometimes need help to meet our expectations. We focus on connection before correction and aim to understand what is behind a behaviour rather than simply reacting to it.

Adults at High Down will teach, model and positively reinforce our expectations. When behaviour falls below the expected standard, we will respond calmly and consistently, helping children to reflect, regulate and make better choices.

We believe that every child can succeed, and that mistakes are opportunities to learn. Our aim is to create a nurturing environment where children feel known, valued and supported to become Ready, Respectful and Safe.

Please follow link to our policies section to view the Behaviour Policy.

Anti-Bullying 

At High Down, we believe that every child has the right to feel safe, valued, respected and included. As a nurture school, we recognise that children develop and learn best when they feel secure and supported within positive relationships.

We promote kindness, respect, empathy and understanding, and we do not accept bullying in any form. We work with children to help them understand the impact of their behaviour, repair relationships and make positive choices. Our aim is not simply to respond to bullying, but to create a caring community where everyone feels that they belong.

If you feel that you are being bullied, or you are worried about something happening to someone else, please tell an adult as soon as possible. You can speak to a teacher, member of staff or one of our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. We will always listen, take your concerns seriously and work with you to make things better.

We have Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in every year group who help promote positive friendships and encourage children to speak up when something doesn't feel right.