Rewarding students is extremely important to us and all members of the Academy community encourage positive behaviour and reward students on a daily basis. We are constantly looking for students who are ‘getting it right’ to reinforce positive behaviour. The Behaviour for Learning policy was designed to work with the Class Charts software which we use, and this has given us a highly effective rewards system. Class Charts recognises when a student receives praise for academic achievements, progress, behaviour, attendance and contributions to the wider community and will automatically assign Praise Points to students and inform key staff so that the appropriate action can take place. ‘Praise Points’ can be awarded for the following, although this list is not exhaustive:
When students achieve certain thresholds with their ‘Praise Points’ they are eligible for particular rewards, which include:
Praise points can then be spent each half-term in our Class Charts Praise Points shop. We have items ranging from stationary to mountain bikes.
We have a significant number of students each year who exhibit exemplary conduct and make it from September to July collecting ‘0’ red points. This is an outstanding achievement and means that they are on time to school and lessons every day, they complete all of their classwork and homework to the best of their ability, and they make a positive contribution to the school community across all areas on a regular basis.
We have challenged all our students to make it through the year without any red points and there are some ‘super’ rewards waiting for all these students!
To reward students who show exemplary behaviour at social times and moving around the Academy, we award Golden tickets. This is to encourage our students to become good citizens and to appreciate why the Bishop Character qualities (Benevolence, Integrity, Self-Fulfilment, Health and Happiness, Oneness and Perseverance) are at the core of what we stand for. These can be exchanged for 25 Praise Points, or for a special treat on Friday each week.
All staff can use their discretion when awarding Praise Points, but the following is a guide that we encourage all to follow:
Senior staff will provide a high presence across the Academy, and they can award Praise Points at their discretion. Teaching staff can refer students to the principal if they are working exceptionally well.
Praise Points are not only designed to reward individual students, but they can also be used to recognise the success of a year group / tutor group in the school pastoral system. The year group system is designed to encourage a sense of belonging to the school and to encourage students to work together and support one another. The house system also promotes achievement by enabling students who gain rewards to earn points for their Cathedrals. The Year Leaders, supported by students, promote Sports Day, fund raising events, curriculum area competitions and activities and assemblies in order to motivate students and promote a sense of achievement and belonging.
