Restorative Practice, what do I need to know?

[Whatalottachocca]

Our Primary school is about to introduce this with great fanfare. Does it work or is it just the next big fad?

Fad. Lots of time spent filling out 'reflection forms'.
Deputy Head let slip last week that they thought these forms were useless!
So why do I spend every break and lunch filling them out?!

We do THRIVE in our school and I love it. It's worked really well for us on a group of challenging children too. The main drawback is that School’s embrace it a bit too while heartedly so that children are given the idea that there will be no consequences for poor behaviour choices apart from a nice chat with somebody.
For us, there are still real consequences to poor behaviour but they incorporate restorative practice.

Ooh, @GeorgeandHarold66 could you tell me a bit more about Thrive, please? I thought it was all a bit faddy in secondary OP, but am now in SEN and am interested in how it might work.

I’ll see how it goes but I’m not feeling optimistic.

@13luckyblackcats

Ooh, *@GeorgeandHarold66* could you tell me a bit more about Thrive, please? I thought it was all a bit faddy in secondary OP, but am now in SEN and am interested in how it might work.

THRIVE sees all behaviour as communication and behaviour patterns as a symptom of unmet need. They assess children using developmental strands to work out where the gaps are. It can be used in several different ways, approaches for the whole class, small group work, 1-1 sessions and it also gives you ways to react to behaviour. It shouldn't result in a wishy washy "here have a teddy and a sweet" kind of approach to discipline because it advocates "shining a light on behaviour" basically making children face up to what they did and the impact of that and letting them know that it wasn't acceptable. In our school we're still fairly strong in our responses to behaviour but at times I think the danger is that it gets taken a bit too far and children do as they please with no consequences beyond a bit of a chat with an adult. I hope you find it a positive experience. We love THRIVE in our school but it's one useful tool of many.