Our Restorative Approach

Bradley Barton Primary School is a restorative community. 

Restorative approaches help develop a happier school where the focus is on learning not conflict. Every member of our school community should feel safe and respected and will know that when things go wrong we will do everything we can to help put it right.

Restorative approaches encourage people to think about how their behaviour has affected others. At Bradley Barton School, our whole community is restorative and adults model the use of these approaches for our pupils.  This approach helps children to develop respect, responsibility and truth telling.

If your child has been upset we will try our very best to make sure they feel that it has been put right for them and that it will not happen again.

If a child has done something which has caused harm to another they will have the opportunity to repair this harm in a meaningful way.

Staff share that restorative approaches lead to:

• Children practising sharing their emotions and feelings- developing their emotional literacy
• Children identifying what is unfair
• Our youngest pupils actively discussing their needs
• Children taking responsibility for their actions and their impact on others
• Greatly improved honesty and prompt truth telling
• Improved understanding that their behaviour may upset others
• Mutually respectful relationships
• More effective teaching and learning
• A meaningful way of addressing negative behaviours
• Raising morale by developing a culture of inclusion and belonging

Parents have shared feedback about restorative approaches which includes:

• "My child has surprised me with how well he expressed how he was feeling."
• "I think it is great that children are so aware of how they can repair harm that has been caused."
• "I am surprised at some of the ways children have chosen to repair harm, they are very hard on themselves!"
• "We have tried talking with her about the impact of her behaviour, however when Child A told her how he felt as a result of her behaviour, this was far more effective!"

All our restorative conversations are built on 6 questions:

1. What has happened?
2. What was I thinking at the time?
3. How was I feeling?
4. Who has been affected?
5. How will I repair the harm that has been caused?
6. How can I make sure that this won't happen again?

Children are chaired in a meeting by our staff, or in minor behavioural issues, by our "Anti Bullying Ambassadors." As children progress through the school, this language becomes part of their vocabulary and they increasingly manage challenges they face using this approach independently.  These conversations are always chaired when all involved are calm and ready to talk.  This may not always be immediately after an event but when everyone is ready to move forwards together.

Behaviour flow chart

The following flow chart is used to clearly show children the steps that will be taken following specific behaviours. A restorative conversation will take place during every stage.