Behaviour

At South Hill Park Pre-school we want to create a happy, caring and safe place where children can learn, grow and feel proud of themselves. We are committed to including every child by understanding their needs and adjusting our approach, rather than always expecting children to fit in with what’s already in place.  We believe: 

• Children learn best when they understand simple rules and routines.

• We are fair and consistent when helping children understand boundaries.

• We always role model positive behaviour because children learn by watching us.

• We support children’s social, emotional, and communication skills to help them make good choices.

• Every day is a fresh start

• We keep learning the best ways to support children’s behaviours

Roles and Responsibilities

• The Pre-school Manager, Deputy Manager and SENCO make sure the rules are followed and that children get the support they need.

• Each child has a Key Worker who watches their development and talks with parents and other staff if there are concerns.

• Staff share important information about children’s wellbeing to help everyone understand their needs.

• The Pre-school Manager and Deputy Manager look after the overall wellbeing and behaviour of all children.

• All staff are introduced to our behaviour policy as part of their induction.  They attend training related to behaviour management and we give recognition to the Five to Thrive process.

Working with Parents and Carers

• We ask parents to share anything happening at home that might affect their child’s behaviour (like a new baby, moving house, or being unwell), this helps us provide them with appropriate support.

• We offer support by giving advice and signposting parents to workshops or parenting programmes.

• We do not inform parents about every small incident, but will contact them if there is a significant incident or issue, or we identify a pattern of behaviour.

How we encourage positive behaviour

• We praise good behaviour and encourage children to be proud of their actions.

• We listen to children and respect their feelings.

• We encourage children to share how they are feeling.

• We teach children to be kind, share and respect others.

• We apply rules fairly and explain why they exist. See our Pre-school Promises below. 

• We try to stop problems before they happen by guiding children kindly.

• We help children understand their feelings and how their actions affect others.

How we handle problems/negative behaviour 

• Approach calmly and get down to the child’s level.

• Acknowledge their feelings and explain simply what behaviour is not okay.

• Ask the child to help solve the problem.

• Encourage kindness. (staff will model this if needed).

• If negative behaviour continues, the child may have some quiet time to calm down and to think. On rare occasions a short timer (1-3 minutes) might be used as a visual aid. 

• For ongoing issues, we will work with parents and possibly other professionals to create a support plan.

• In the rare event that a child needs to be physically removed from a situation to ensure their safety or the safety of others, a member of staff will do so calmly, carefully and respectfully. Parents will be informed when they collect their child.

What we do not allow

• No bullying, verbal or physical by anyone. 

• No physical punishment by anyone at Pre-school.

• We do not shame children.

• We never call children “naughty.” We focus on behaviour, not labels.

• Any racial abuse is immediately addressed with clear explanations appropriate to the child.

Additional support 

• Sometimes, when children show challenging behaviour, it can mean they are upset or something is wrong. We try to find out what’s happening and help them.

• Some children find it hard to talk, play with others, or stay focused. We help them by building their language and social skills, and by giving them activities that help them concentrate.

• Children with special educational needs get extra support from our SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator).

• We also use tools like feelings charts, quiet spaces, and choice boards to help children manage their behaviour.

Our Pre-school Promises

• We walk inside and run outside.

• We keep our feet on the floor indoors and ask for help if we need to reach something.

• We use kind words.

• We keep our hands and feet to ourselves.

• We share and take turns.

• We help each other.

• We listen when someone is talking.

• We tidy up when we are done.

• We have fun

We introduce our Pre-school Promises to the children when they start Pre-school.  They are then reviewed with the children each term.  

Last reviewed August 2025