Relationships and Behaviour

Our Approach to Relationships & Behaviour


At St Martin’s C of E Primary School, relationships sit at the heart of everything we do. We believe that children flourish when they feel safe, valued and understood, and our approach to behaviour is rooted in kindness, dignity and our Christian ethos.

“Positive, respectful relationships are at the heart of a safe, inclusive and effective learning environment.” 

Relationships first 

Our approach is shaped by our Christian foundation and the belief that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). We teach and model our FRESH values every day:

Friendship
Respect
Empathy
Sharing
Humility


These values underpin how we treat one another, how we resolve difficulties, and how we build a school culture where every child feels known, loved and supported.

A Kind, Predictable and Nurturing Environment


Children thrive when routines are clear and adults are calm, consistent and compassionate. 

This means:

  • Adults lead with kindness in every interaction

  • Children know what is expected and feel safe within clear boundaries

  • Staff are visible, present and supportive throughout the school day

  • We teach positive behaviour explicitly, just like any other part of the curriculum

OUr RUles 

At St Martin’s, our rules shape how we learn, how we treat one another, and how we keep our community safe. They are simple, easy to remember, and lived out every day in classrooms, corridors, the playground, and beyond. We teach them explicitly, talk about them often, and celebrate pupils who show them in action.

Be Ready

Being ready means preparing ourselves to learn, listen, and participate. It’s about having the right equipment, the right attitude, and the willingness to try our best. 

Be Respectful


Respect is at the heart of our Christian ethos and our FRESH values. We show respect through kindness, good manners, positive behaviour, and care for our environment and community. 

Be Safe

Safety matters everywhere — in the classroom, online, and around school. We look after ourselves and each other by making sensible choices, following guidance, and speaking up if something doesn’t feel right.

Why These Rules Matter

These three rules help every child flourish. They support calm classrooms, strong relationships, and a culture where everyone feels valued and able to succeed. They also link directly to our FRESH values — Friendship, Respect, Empathy, Sharing, Humility — helping pupils understand not just what we expect, but why it matters.

When Things Go Wrong: Repair and Restore


We understand that behaviour is a form of communication. When difficulties arise, we respond with empathy and a focus on repairing relationships.

Our restorative approach helps children:

  • Understand what happened

  • Recognise feelings (their own and others’)

  • Learn from mistakes

  • Repair harm with kindness and dignity

We use restorative conversations to help children reflect, learn from their mistakes, understand the impact of their actions and repair harm done.

These conversations only happen when everyone is calm and ready to engage positively.

Clear, Fair and Supportive Consequences


When behaviour needs redirection, we use calm, least‑intrusive steps:

  • Reminder – a gentle non verbal or verbal reminder of expectations

  • Caution – a private, calm warning

  • Time to Reflect – a short break to regulate and reset

  • Restorative Conversations – a supportive conversation to repair and restore

These steps are applied with professional judgement, kindness and consistency. More serious incidents follow our structured ladder of consequences, always with a restorative conversation and communication with families.

Recognising Positive Behaviour


We celebrate children who show our values and make positive choices. Staff give attention to kindness, effort and respect, and children can earn:

  • Praise and kind words

  • Shine Bright certificates

  • FRESH certificates

  • Super 7 certificates

  • Positive Points leading to rewards chosen by School Council. 

Our focus is always on encouraging and reinforcing positive behaviour.

Sharing
You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
Jane Goodall