Behaviour at our academy

Our behaviour at Dixons Trinity Chapeltown is based around our driver of Autonomy. Autonomy is the desire to direct our own lives. This key driver will help ensure we create a disciplined and joyful school culture. We will teach students about how to learn, not just what to learn. 

From the first day at Dixons Trinity Chapeltown, your child will be expected to pick up and keep our six learning habits, which we believe every student has the ability to demonstrate. In doing so, each student will thrive at our school and will have the skills they need to be successful in the future. 

We have high expectations and expect students to meet them. Whilst sometimes this may be challenging, we expect our students to live by our learning habits 100% of the time. If they do this, their hard work will be recognised. However, if any of the learning habits are not met, a same-day, 30 minute correction will be issued. It is vital this is served on the same day so that the student is given the opportunity to reflect and can start the next day with an unconditional fresh start. 

Learning Habits

The six simple learning habits that we will insist on, day-in and day-out:

Positive response 

Like a referee, sometimes teachers get things right and sometimes wrong, but it is never acceptable for a child to answer back or question the decision in front of the class. We expect all students to respond positively to students and staff alike. Responding inappropriately, by answering back, stops others from learning and it undermines all respect for the teacher. This is a very bad habit to get into.

Uniform

We will insist on perfect uniform: not nearly perfect, but perfect. This is because we want children at Dixons Trinity Chapeltown to be proud of themselves and proud of our community. Sloppy uniform can lead to sloppy habits and a lack of pride and can encourage learning to slip.

Homework and Deadlines

We will insist on all homework being completed on time and to a good standard, neatly and with pride. Please see the homework timetable on the website and in your child's knowledge organiser. We run a daily homework club and we also open our IBase before school, at break time and after school. No child, therefore, has a reason not to do their homework. All homework must be done for the right day and time. 

On-Task

We will insist on focused learning in class and a focused environment around the academy. When a teacher has carefully planned a lesson and other students are trying so hard, it would be unfair for a child to cause a distraction from learning for themselves or others. If a child does not follow instructions or, for example, talks whilst they are not supposed to, this would be considered 'off-task.

Punctuality

We will insist on punctuality to school and to each and every lesson. Every child should be ready for Morning Meeting, with all of the equipment they need, by 8.18 each day. A child will be considered late if they do not arrive within three minutes of the start of their lesson. Please support this by keeping to bed-times and preparation time in the morning before school. Your child will worry about this at first but they will soon pick up the good habit.

Equipment

We insist that all students carry all of the required equipment each day. This includes their planner, locker key, DEAR book, exercise books for their lesson and knowledge organiser. This is checked in morning meeting and again during Advisory and corrections issued for incorrect equipment.  If a child comes to their HOY or MR in the morning, before 8.18 we will give any equipment for the day without issuing a correction. Being organised is a great life skill and one we insist on at Dixons Trinity Chapeltown. You could help by packing their bags with them to start with but quickly you should expect your child to check their timetable each night and learn to do this for themselves.

Corrections and Red Line

Our system of sanctions is very simple and we count on our parents to support. If any of our learning habits are not adhered to, we will contact you by text that day and let you know that your child has a 30 minute correction that night. If a child breaks more than one rule on a given day, then they will receive an hour correction. Additional sanctions may be required for persistent poor behaviour - this would be discussed with you if necessary. 

Evidence from the UK and abroad suggests for sanctions to be effective they need to be immediate and specific to the problem. We don't want to punish anyone. We believe that children should learn to control themselves. Our system is simple and fair. We hope students don't get a correction in the first place - but if they do please don't see it as the end of the world. Your child simply sits a 30 minute correction and gets a fresh start the following day.

If your child fails to attend a correction, or presents with more serious behaviour / gets multiple corrections in a single day, they will have crossed the red line. This means your child will likely spend the next day in our Red Line room. The consequences of missing further correction would be extremely serious,