We teach behaviour. We don't just expect it. 

At Hadfield Infant School, we believe that children should not be expected to automatically know how to behave in every situation. 

Just as we explicitly teach children how to read, write and solve problems, we believe that positive behaviour needs to be explicitly taught, modelled and practised and reinforced. 

Our behaviour curriculum helps children understand what our school expectations look like, sound like and feel like in everyday life. 

We want our children to leave Hadfield not only knowing our school rules, but understanding why they matter and having the skills to make positive choices for themselves and others. 

Our three school rules

Our behaviour curriculum is built around three simple rules: 

Be Ready 

Being ready means being prepared to learn and participate.

We teach children to: 

• Listen and pay attention 
• Have the equipment they need 
• Follow instructions 
• Be ready to learn 
• Move safely around school 
• Be prepared for the next activity 

Be Respectful 

Being respectful means treating ourselves, other people and our environment with care. 

We teach children to: 

• Use kind and polite words 
• Listen when others are speaking 
• Take turns 
• Respect other people's feelings and belongings 
• Include others 
• Look after our school and our environment 

Be Safe

Being safe means making choices that keep ourselves and others safe. 

We teach children to: 

• Follow safety instructions 
• Walk calmly around school 
• Use equipment appropriately 
• Keep our hands, feet and objects to ourselves 
• Tell an adult if something is worrying us 
• Make safe choices when playing and learning 

A three-week behaviour cycle 

Each of our three school rules has a dedicated week 

WEEK 1 - BE READY 

Children learn, discuss and practise what being ready looks like across different parts of the school day 

WEEK 2 – BE RESPECTFUL 

Children explore what respect looks like when learning, playing, talking and working with others. 

WEEK 3 – BE SAFE 

Children learn how to make safe choices and understand their responsibility for keeping themselves and others safe. 

The cycle then begins again. 

Although each rule has a particular focus week, all three expectations apply every day. 

We explicitly teach the behaviour we want to see

At the beginning of each week, the focus on behaviour is introduced to children. 

We talk about what the rules mean and give children clear examples of what it looks like in different situations. 

Staff model the behaviour and give children opportunities to practise it. 

We then reinforce the expectation throughout the week so that children understand that the same behaviour is expected in the classroom, on the playground, in the dining hall, in assemblies and throughout school. 

This consistency is really important. 

Every member of staff uses the same language and reinforces the same expectations, helping children understand that our school rules apply wherever they are. 

We notice and celebrate positive behaviour

We believe that children need to know when they are getting it right. Every classroom has a Recognition Board, linked to our behaviour focus for the week. Children are actively recognised when they demonstrate the behaviour we are looking for. 

This might be: 

'I noticed how ready you were for learning this morning.' 'You showed fantastic respect when you listened carefully to your friend.' 'You made a really safe choice when you told an adult what had happened.' 

Our aim is to make positive behaviour visible, valued and celebrated. 

Why explicitly teach behaviour? 

Children are still learning how to manage their emotions, communicate with others, solve problems and make decisions. We cannot assume that a child knows what 'be respectful' or 'be safe' means in every situation. For example, being respectful in a classroom looks different from being respectful in the playground. 

That is why we break our expectations down, model them and give children opportunities to practise them. When we explicitly teach behaviour, we help children to: 

• Understand what is expected 
• Develop positive habits 
• Recognise the impact of their behaviour on others 
• Make better choices independently 
• Develop self-regulation and responsibility 
• Feel successful and valued 
• Transfer positive behaviours into different situations 

We are not simply telling children what not to do. We are teaching them what they can do instead. 

Consistency matters

For our behaviour curriculum to be successful, children need to meet the same expectations as all adults. Our staff team therefore uses consistent language and expectations throughout school. Whether a child is in their classroom, on the playground, in the dining hall or walking through the corridor, our three rules remain the same; 

BE READY 

BE RESPECTFUL 

BE SAFE 

By teaching, modelling, practising and celebrating these behaviours repeatedly, we are helping our children develop the skills they need to become independent, responsible and respectful members of our school community and beyond.