Happy Lunchtimes

We have recently had a fantastic day with Steve Harris, helping staff to develop and exciting lunchtime offer for our children.  Our goals to achieve our ‘Happy Lunchtimes’ for our children are:

  • Staff/playground leaders to use ‘The  Zone’ to provide a new activity each lunchtime for children
  • Staff/playground leaders to use a positive behaviour system to encourage good behaviour
  • Children have good manners and good table manners
  • Children show respect for staff, equipment and each other
  • Children to eat in a quieter, pleasant, dining hall
  • Staff to improve the organisation of wet play

Steve Harris from ‘Wellbeing Education’ delivering a ‘Happy Lunchtime’ with children at Manorfield.

Below, you can find out more about how our new system will work.

THE ZONE

The Zone – an area of playground will be known as ‘The Zone’. Each day a different activity will take place, drawn from a wide range of activities designed to appeal to differing ‘styles’ of play. Staff/playground leaders will let the children know each day where the zone will be.

An adult, who will choose that day’s activity and ensure that the rules are known and respected, will supervise the Zone – everyone is welcome in the zone. There will be a different activity every day.

Rules for the Zone

  • Use the equipment in the zone – it can’t be taken out of the zone
  • Everyone can join in  (learners should reply ‘Of course you can’ when asked by another learner if they can join in)

REWARDS

  1. Pom Poms  – Adults (Lunchtime staff) can award poms poms freely for positive behaviour during lunchtime.  Pom poms will be collected in spaghetti jars ( one per class). The winning class will be announced each week in our phase assembly each week. The winning class will be presented with the ‘Golden Lunchbox Award’ and a special treat for the class.
  2. Certificate – each adult will nominate a pupil for a special mention in class assembly.  Certificates will include pupil name, staff name and reason for the award. Where possible the reason will be linked to our learning habits and values

THE DINING ROOM

 We all want to ensure that the hall is a quiet and pleasant area to eat dinner. If the hall is too noisy then an adult will show an orange card to indicate that the volume needs to be turned down. If this does not happen then a red card will be shown- we are aiming to achieve 7 days without a red card.

ABC SANCTIONS

A = a QUIET WORD 

This is used when somebody ‘gets carried away’.  This involves telling children what is not acceptable without ‘telling them off’.

Adults will: 1. Listen if a child wants to explain. 2. Remain quiet and calm.  3. Be crystal clear about expectations 4. Leave children with a smile.

B = 2 MINUTE REFLECTION AND APOLOGY

This is used when expectations / or school rules have been made clear but the child decides not to follow them.  It is deliberate/ pre-meditated misbehaviour.  It becomes 5 minutes ONLY if the pupil is un- cooperative or cheeky etc.

Adults will explain what was unacceptable and the child will have a 2 minute time-out accompanied by the staff member quietly.  The child will be asked to apologise and reflect on what they did,  accept that they were wrong, show respect and take responsibility.  At the end of the reflection period the adult will end the period positively with a thank you.

If the child refuses to co-operate and show the adult respect then the adult will give them a warning, that if they don’t do their reflection time now, it will be 5 minutes.

If the child still refuses then the reflection period becomes 5 minutes.

C= THIS IS A RED LINE BEHAVIOUR eg bullying, racism, violence, swearing, outright defiance (eg refusing 5 minutes reflection with an adult).

The child is sent to a member of the Senior Leadership Team or class teacher in their absence. Following discussion and reflection time with the member of SLT,  the child will return to the lunchtime adult, reflect for 2 minutes and apologise. (This will happen at the next break if the problem occurred at the end of break)

The adults on duty deal with playtime  and lunchtime problems, at playtime and lunchtime.