‘The Dedworth Way’ is an ethos that we, as a school, work hard to promote amongst every stakeholder. Our goal is to ensure we provide our students with every opportunity to unlock their potential to achieve. By developing a clear structure that is embedded across all elements of the school we maximise our students’ chances to succeed.

At the heart of ‘The Dedworth Way’ is the unwavering dedication of our staff to ensure that honest, healthy relationships are maintained and nurtured for every pupil. This is developed and enhanced by honest, open conversations that ensure pupils and staff feel safe and supported.

At Dedworth Middle School we feel that honest, healthy relationships can be fostered by ensuring all staff have clear expectations; a resolute passion for stretching students and supporting them to achieve their behavioural goals. Clear expectations will be articulated by all stakeholders guaranteeing pupils are aware of what is needed to be successful whilst at Dedworth Middle School.  

We also strive to ensure first attention is applied to pupils who are demonstrating positive behaviours. The process of recognition is important for all staff at Dedworth Middle School, we are keenly aware of the positive effects of highlighting appropriate behaviours on students and the wider environment. Staff work as a team to ensure pupils experience the same level of high expectations and positive recognition in every classroom, this creates a supportively structured learning environment across the school.   

‘The Dedworth Way’ is enhanced by our set of clear, concise expectations that are designed to ensure our students are empowered to learn. At Dedworth Middle School, all members of the school community are expected to be safe, be ready and be kind. Students are reminded of these expectations through school assemblies, PSHE lessons, Tutor time activities and bespoke sessions with our ACHIEVE mentors.

Being safe is essential to ensure all pupils can learn in an environment that supports their needs. Our students are encouraged to consider the impact of their actions on themselves and others and to ensure they are acting safely in all school contexts. Students are taught the value of being safe when traveling to and from school, in the classroom and outside in the playground. A clear understanding of this expectation ensures that Dedworth Middle School is a secure environment for all members of the community.

Being ready is essential to guarantee all pupils are maximising their potential to achieve success. Our students are taught the value of being mindful of a given task and ensuring they are physically and mentally ready to complete it. Our students are aware that being ready is an expectation in the classroom, in the playground and in the wider community. A clear understanding of this expectation ensures that Dedworth Middle School is a calm environment for all members of the community.

Being kind is essential to ensure all pupils feel supported, valued and encouraged. At Dedworth Middle School we believe the expectation of kindness will empower our students to develop strong positive relationships with their peers and the wider community. Our students are aware that being kind is an expectation that is built on integrity, respect and honesty and that each student is responsible for ensuring their words and actions support and empower anyone they interact with. A clear understanding of this expectations ensures that Dedworth Middle School is an encouraging environment for all members of the community.

At Dedworth Middle School students are recognised for exemplifying these expectations. Recognition of positive behaviour choices is an important element to ensure a safe and productive learning environment is accessible for all members of the community. Dedworth Middle School staff have been trained to ensure first attention is paid to individuals who are making positive choices, this ensures that the focus remains on students who embody the expectations and values of our school.

Classrooms have recognition boards that are designed to celebrate the hard work and diligence of our pupils, this can be for academic, social, or behavioural acts that exemplify what it means to be a champion of Dedworth Middle School. Celebration assemblies are utilised by Heads of Year to recognise students who are trying hard and achieving their own personal goals

Each classroom teacher is equipped with our Classroom Behaviour Cycle. This dynamic system ensures that students are provided with a consistent approach to monitoring and improving behaviour.

Students are given a reminder initially – this could be proximity reminders or very informal verbal reminders.

If the behaviour continues the member of staff will provide the student with an official warning. This is done privately wherever possible.

The next step is for the staff member to return to the pupil privately and give a last chance warning, during this step the staff member will highlight the expected consequence if the behaviour continues.

If, unfortunately, the behaviour continues then the staff member will inform the student that the elected consequence will be enacted. The consequence will always be focused on teaching the pupil better behaviours to demonstrate during the class situation.

The final phase of the behaviour cycle is the most important- restoration. This has been included in the behaviour cycle because it is important for staff and students to have time to re-establish a positive working relationship that is focused on mutual respect and a shared vision.

The restorative conversation is vital to ensuring that pupils and staff have a strong working relationship that is built on respect and a shared desire for our students to be successful.

The restorative justice procedure will be enacted when there is a disagreement between pupils or when consequences have had to be implemented from a member of staff to ensure a student’s behaviour is improved.

These conversations are designed to be quick but effective as they are used to highlight the thinking process of all people involved. It is staff led but students are encouraged to be honest and have the opportunity to express their own opinions and emotions in a safe and secure environment.

Staff have had extensive training to ensure this process is followed.  Restorative conversations are viewed as a support to ensure student are achieving to their full potential, not as a consequence of poor behaviour. 

To ensure behaviours are consistently dealt with, staff have access to The Dedworth Microscript. This is designed to ensure staff have a structure to follow when addressing inappropriate behaviours.

Once again, this process is effective in ensuring that the relationship between student and staff is maintained and that the pupil is made aware of the expectations in a clear and measured manner.

The Dedworth Microscript relates directly to The Dedworth Expectations and staff will continuously refer to Be Kind, Be Safe, and Be Ready when identifying the infraction.

Students are encouraged to recall an action in the past that showed this expectation and given reminders about how to return to the expected behaviour.