At Mawnan CE VA Primary School, we believe that positive behaviour is something that children learn, practise and develop over time. Our approach is rooted in our Christian vision, “Using our God-given gifts to let our light shine,” and reflects our commitment to creating a school community where everyone feels safe, respected, valued and able to flourish.
Our behaviour approach has three interconnected elements: our Rainbow Promises, a restorative approach and an explicitly taught behaviour curriculum.
Our Rainbow Promises set out three simple, positive expectations that underpin everyday life at Mawnan.
We speak kindly, listen carefully, treat others with dignity and show courtesy in our words and actions.
We look after ourselves, one another, our school environment and the wider world.
We listen, respond positively, make thoughtful choices and take responsibility for our actions.
The promises apply to everyone in our school community, including children and adults. They provide a consistent language for recognising positive behaviour, teaching expectations and addressing situations when things go wrong.
Rather than simply telling children what they must not do, our Rainbow Promises help them understand what positive behaviour looks like and why it matters.
At Mawnan, we recognise that children will sometimes make mistakes. We see these moments as opportunities to teach, reflect, take responsibility and develop the skills needed to make better choices in the future.
Our restorative approach combines warmth, understanding, clear boundaries and accountability.
When behaviour falls below our expectations, staff respond calmly, consistently and proportionately, following a clear sequence:
Restorative conversations help children consider what happened, who was affected, how others might have felt and what they can do to put things right.
Importantly, being restorative does not mean there are no consequences. Children are supported to understand that their actions have an impact and that taking responsibility is an important part of growing and learning.
We recognise that some children need additional support to regulate their emotions and behaviour. Our approach is inclusive and responsive to individual needs, while maintaining high expectations for everyone.
We believe that behaviour should be taught with the same care and intention as any other aspect of the curriculum.
Our behaviour curriculum makes expectations explicit, ensuring that children are not simply expected to know how to behave but are shown, taught and given opportunities to practise.
Through assemblies, classroom teaching, modelling, discussion and everyday routines, children learn:
Respect and relationships: kindness, courtesy, listening, empathy and appreciating differences.
Self-regulation: recognising emotions, managing frustration, seeking help and responding appropriately to challenges.
Responsibility: making thoughtful choices, following instructions and understanding the impact of actions.
Positive routines: moving safely around school, transitioning between activities, learning behaviours and caring for shared spaces.
Resolving conflict: managing disagreements, recognising harm, repairing relationships and moving forward positively.
These behaviours are explicitly modelled by adults, rehearsed by children and revisited regularly. Staff use a shared language so that expectations remain consistent across classrooms, corridors, the playground and the wider school community.
Our curriculum is also underpinned by our Christian values and our commitment to children's rights, helping pupils understand that everyone has the right to feel safe, to be respected and to learn.
Our Rainbow Promises describe how we expect everyone to behave.
Our behaviour curriculum teaches children how to meet those expectations.
Our restorative approach supports children when things go wrong, helping them take responsibility, repair harm and make better choices in the future.
Together, these elements create a positive, inclusive and consistent culture in which behaviour is understood as part of children's personal development, not simply a matter of rewards and sanctions.
Ultimately, our aim is for every child at Mawnan to develop the kindness, self-discipline, responsibility and respect they need to flourish, both within our school community and beyond.
At Mawnan CE VA Primary School, we believe that everyone has the right to feel safe, happy, valued and included. We celebrate the uniqueness of every individual and are committed to creating a school community where everyone is treated with dignity, kindness and respect.
Our Rainbow Promises underpin everything we do, encouraging children and adults to show respect and good manners, care for everyone and everything, and follow instructions with thought and care.
We recognise that friendships can sometimes be challenging and that disagreements and unkind behaviour may occur as children learn and develop their social and emotional skills. Through our behaviour curriculum and restorative approach, we teach children to recognise the impact of their actions, take responsibility for their choices and build positive, respectful relationships.
Bullying, however, is never acceptable at Mawnan. We define bullying as:
“Behaviour by an individual or group, repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group, either physically or emotionally.”
We help children understand the difference between bullying, disagreements and other forms of unkind or inappropriate behaviour. All concerns are taken seriously, investigated carefully and responded to appropriately, ensuring that children feel listened to, supported and safe.
To help children recognise bullying and understand how to respond, we use the simple message STOP:
Several Times On Purpose – helping children recognise what bullying can look like.
Start Telling Other People – encouraging children to speak to a trusted adult if they experience or witness bullying.
We teach children that speaking up is important and that they should never feel they have to deal with bullying alone. Adults will listen, take action and work with children and families to resolve concerns and prevent further incidents.
Our aim is not simply to prevent bullying, but to nurture a culture of kindness, belonging and mutual respect where every child can flourish and let their light shine.