Learning activity 1 – Going directly to the behaviour policy

Collect a copy of the behaviour policy for your own primary school, as well one or more of your students’ destination schools (Year 6). Year 7 teachers will only need the policy for their own school.

As a lead-in activity, students could discuss:

  • What are examples of rules or expectations in their primary school?
  • Why did these rules work, or how did they not work?
  • Did any rules change during their time at primary school?
  • Are there any rules that students didn’t know about?

Teachers can either display the behaviour policy on a whiteboard (for example), or students might have their own copy that they can search.

    Identify and discuss

    Identify the following, perhaps in small groups and as a whole class. What are the secondary school’s:

    1. General expectations around behaviour?
    2. Suspension and expulsion policies?
    3. Procedures for when students are late?
    4. Consequences for rule breaking?
    5. Bullying prevention?
    6. Policies for mobile phones and other devices?
    7. Conflict resolution?

    Discussion points:

    • Do these rules and expectations seem reasonable? Why?
    • Do students think they will be able to remember the rules and expectations? What can students do if they think they might forget?
    • If we do make a mistake, how can we accept the consequences bravely?