At Arbour Academy, we are committed to creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive. Our behaviour expectations are built on our H.E.R.E. values, ensuring that all learners are supported in developing the skills and mindset needed for success.
🔹 High Standards – Striving for positive change and setting ambitious goals.
🔹 Empathy – Listening to and respecting the views of all students.
🔹 Resilience – Working together to overcome challenges and make a difference.
🔹 Emotional Response – Expressing ideas confidently and making thoughtful contributions.
We believe that positive behaviour is the foundation for learning, and we are dedicated to meeting the academic, social, emotional, mental health, and SEND needs of our students. By removing barriers to participation and achievement, we empower our learners to take ownership of their education, decisions, and future.
Arbour Academy is a place where young people learn through supportive interaction, experience, and success. We foster a culture of mutual respect, where students are encouraged to develop personal integrity, self-respect, and a strong sense of citizenship.
Our goal is to provide every student with the tools, confidence, and resilience to transition successfully into mainstream education, further education, or employment. With high expectations for all, we encourage our students to take responsibility for their actions and support each other in making positive choices.
A Consistent, Calm, and Certain Approach
Our behaviour strategy is influenced by the research of Paul Dix, who emphasises the importance of a consistent, calm, and certain environment in schools.
✔ Consistency – Clear expectations, predictable responses, and fair consequences ensure all learners understand the boundaries and expectations.
✔ Calmness – Staff maintain a composed and professional approach, reducing conflict and promoting a positive atmosphere.
✔ Certainty – Every action has a clear, fair, and proportionate consequence, ensuring students feel secure and supported.
By embedding these principles, we remove barriers to learning, build strong relationships, and create a culture where students feel safe, respected, and motivated to succeed.
Restorative Action WAVE system
| WAVE 1 | WAVE 2 | WAVE 3 | WAVE 4 |
| A reminder of expectations and a chance to make a better choice. | A clear consequence for repeated poor choices. | Targeted intervention and increased support. | Formal intervention and leadership involvement. |
| Calm verbal reminder linked to school expectations (Ready, Respectful, Safe). | Behaviour grade affected – a chance to reflect and improve. | Support from a Learning Mentor or TA for 1:1 learning (lesson/morning). | Parent/Carer meeting with Senior Leadership Team (SLT). |
| Lifeline/Strategy offered (e.g. Sensory intervention, new learning space). | Removal from the lesson for a short reset with the opportunity to return. | Parent/Carer meeting with form tutor to review concerns. | Multi-agency or dual school meeting for additional support. |
| Lost learning catch-up Follow Lost Learning WAVE approach and strategies. |
Phone call home at the end of the school day to reinforce expectations. | Action plan created and signed by student, parent/carer, and staff. | SENDCo meeting to review EHCP/yes to assess referral or additional support and guidance. |
| Behaviour grade affected – a chance to reflect and improve | Removal by Learning Mentor/TA for further intervention. | Increased monitoring & additional support from inclusion team team. | Fixed-term exclusion as a last resort if all strategies have been exhausted. |
This structure reinforces certainty over severity, ensuring that students understand expectations, take responsibility for their actions, and are given opportunities to restore relationships and repair mistakes.
