Relational Practice and Behaviour Management at St Mary's

Our Rationale 

At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Whitstable we recognise that wellbeing and behaviour are inextricably linked and work to develop a visible culture of kindness and patience. Research into child development, neuroscience and attachment theory all evidence how positive mental health support educational outcomes. When children experience safety in their relationships and understand their emotions they can challenge themselves and are open to new learning. At St Mary’s, we believe that we need to meet the needs of the learner before they can meet our expectations and that behaviour is a form of communication. We therefore take responsibility for listening to the needs a child is expressing through their behaviour, whilst setting clear boundaries and high expectations. 

Guided by the principles of emotional coaching, Paul Dix ‘When the adults change’ and attachment theory, we focus on relationships and emotional regulation first. We do this by providing clear and consistent expectations and putting relationships at the heart of our approach. This allows us to create a school community which is safe, happy, calm and supportive and where our staff, parents and children feel valued. 

To support families in understanding our approach to building relationships and managing behaviour, we have created a pre-recorded webinar explaining our policy.