Rewards

The commendation and distinction systems exist to reward good work and behaviour and are used when it is felt appropriate to go beyond verbal praise or praise written in a pupil’s exercise book. Assembly is also used as a way of recognising and praising achievement.

a) The Distinction System
The distinction system is a way of formally recognising distinguished work by a pupil. It is only used to recognise distinction in regard to the highest standards applicable to a year group.

The boy or boys in question show their work to the Headteacher and sign the Distinction Book. They also receive an automatic Commendation.

b) The Commendation System
The system offers rewards to achievements across the whole range. Commendations can be awarded for good work or effort or for any action worthy of special recognition: good support or effort in school teams or the choir or drama, good progress in music lessons, helping out a member of staff or another pupil, etc. The list of possibilities is very long as the idea is to reward as many facets of pupils achievements as we are aware of.

As a motivating force, the commendations accumulate to lead to various further awards.

Once a pupil has reached ten commendations within a school year, he qualifies for a Bronze Certificate which is issued by the Form Teacher.

Twenty-five commendations within the year qualify for a Silver Certificate which is issued by the Head of Key Stage.

Fifty commendations within the year qualify for a Gold Certificate issued by the Head.

One hundred commendations within the year qualify for a Platinum Certificate.

The boys with the highest number of commendations are awarded prizes. These and the Platinum Certificates are presented at Junior Prize Giving at the end of the Summer Term.

Sanctions

By and large the standards are observed by the members of the school willingly and cheerfully. The atmosphere is one of peace and co-operation. It is, nevertheless, necessary to have strategies in place to keep boys up to the mark.

Disruptive behaviour in class can be met with a short period of exclusion from the classroom.

Repeatedly or seriously unhelpful, bad, or disruptive behaviour or a serious shortfall in effort to work may lead directly to a lunch-time or a series of lunch-time detentions, an after-school detention, monitoring through the Progress Card system, individual counselling and monitoring, or a combination of these. Depending on the gravity of the matter, the parents will or will not be involved.

As a further response, a contract of good behaviour may be formally drawn up for signing by the pupil and his parents. This will indicate the ways in which the pupil’s behaviour has been found wanting and the terms which have to be adhered to.

The most serious cases can lead to internal seclusion or to exclusion from school either for a fixed period or permanently.

Prospective parents who do not feel they can support our high standards or any of the methods used for enforcing them should not consider sending their son to the school.