At Deer Park we have high expectations and the vast majority of our pupils behave exceptionally well. We know that our pupils thrive in a learning environment that provides support and challenge and encourages success. This is reflected in the School Standards which encapsulate our shared values and core principles, together with our Behaviour for Success Policy which provides us with the mechanism by which we can achieve this. We are aware that the fragmentation of our pupils’ school experience, owing to the pandemic and periods of lockdown and self-isolation, has meant that some pupils have found the return to school and a more structured environment more difficult. Therefore, we have had to reset our expectations.

On Monday 31 January 2022 Mr Bellamy, Assistant Head, and Mr Clutterbuck, Deputy Head, led a whole school assembly reminding pupils of our shared values and core principles with the key message that in order for pupils to thrive we need to make sure that we have disruption-free learning. They also spoke of our expectation that we are kind to one another and the way in which we treat each other, in and around the school and in the wider community, should exemplify our aim for pupils to be the best we can be.

The rest of the assembly was the launch of a new centralised lunchtime detention system which we have put in place to support disruption-free teaching and learning. Mr Bellamy and Mr Clutterbuck explained that:

• From Tuesday 1 February, and until the end of this academic year, we are reintroducing lunchtime detentions;
• Lunchtime detentions will be issued for low to medium * disruption of learning;
• These lunchtime detentions are centralised and run by our Extended Leadership Team (ELT);
• They run for 15 minutes at the start of each lunch break;
• The detentions are held in Monkscroft (T5); there is access to toilets.

As a further deterrent, any pupil who is late for the detention, misbehaves in the detention or chooses not to attend the detention will go straight into Isolation for a full cycle of the school day, and will then sit the detention at the end of their period in Isolation.

The reason for our detention system is to provide a responsive sanction to support pupils in their learning and staff in their teaching. Every pupil has the right to disruption-free learning and every teacher has the right to disruption-free teaching; our core values, school standards and home school agreement are clear about these expectations and allow us to be the best we can be every day. For the vast majority of pupils this is something which will sit in the background of their school day as a safety net to ensure that they can focus on learning and enjoying school, and be the best they can every day.

* from our Behaviour for Success Policy:

11.1. For the purpose of our Behaviour for Success Policy, we define ‘low level disruptive behaviour’ as any behaviour which may disrupt the education of the perpetrator and/or other pupils, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Lateness;
• Talking out of turn in class;
• Failure to complete classwork to the required standard;
• Lack of correct equipment;
• Refusing to complete homework, incomplete homework, or arriving at school without homework;
• Use of mobile phones without permission.

11.2. ‘Medium level disruptive behaviour’ includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Rudeness;
• Defiance;
• Graffiti;
• Disruption on public transport.