Restorative Practice
                     Building relationships, restoring trust, moving forward together

At Elloughton Primary School, we believe that positive relationships are at the heart of a successful school community. Children need to feel safe, secure and valued in order to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

Restorative practice sits at the heart of our behaviour approach and helps us to build a respectful, supportive and inclusive school environment. It provides a shared language and approach that enables pupils and adults to build, maintain and repair relationships.

Through restorative practice, pupils are encouraged to reflect on their actions, understand the impact of their behaviour on others and take responsibility for putting things right.

Key Principles of Restorative Practice
Restorative practice is underpinned by the values of empathy, respect, honesty, acceptance, responsibility and mutual accountability.

It focuses on three key principles.

Building and repairing relationships
Restorative practice encourages individuals to work together in ways that are respectful and engaging. It helps pupils develop empathy and recognise the impact of their behaviour on others.

When difficulties arise, restorative conversations support pupils in repairing relationships and moving forward positively.

Empowerment
Restorative practice supports individuals, groups and communities to develop confidence and take responsibility for their actions. Pupils are encouraged to have a voice and to contribute positively to the school community.

Mutual accountability
Restorative practice provides opportunities for individuals to take responsibility for their actions. Pupils are supported to understand the impact of their behaviour and to repair harm wherever possible.


Restorative Practice at Elloughton
​At Elloughton, our restorative approach helps pupils to recognise and manage their feelings while building positive relationships with others.

Regular class community circles ensure that all pupils have a voice and feel listened to. These discussions help to create an environment where respect, understanding and appreciation of differences are valued.
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Through these approaches, pupils learn to resolve problems in a thoughtful, respectful and mature way.

Restorative Questions
We use restorative questions to guide discussions and support conflict resolution. These questions help pupils reflect on their actions and understand the impact on others. Examples include:
What happened?
What were you thinking at the time?
What have you thought since?
Who has been affected by what happened?
In what way have they been affected?
What do you think needs to happen next?
These conversations help pupils to reflect on their behaviour and develop the skills needed to manage relationships positively.

Behaviour and Restorative Practice
At Elloughton Primary School, our behaviour approach is built on positive relationships, clear expectations and consistency. Our behaviour expectations are based on three simple principles that guide our school community:
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Be Kind – We treat others with kindness, respect and consideration.
Be Ready – We are prepared to learn, listen and try our best.
Be Safe – We make choices that keep ourselves and others safe.

These expectations help create a calm, supportive learning environment where all pupils can thrive. Positive behaviour is recognised and celebrated through a range of rewards including house points, star learner certificates, Headteacher Awards and recognition of acts of kindness.

When behaviour falls below expectations, staff use consistent and supportive approaches to help pupils reflect on their actions and make better choices in the future. Restorative conversations help pupils understand the impact of their behaviour and repair relationships. Further details can be found in our Behaviour Policy.

The Impact of Restorative Practice
Our restorative approach helps to create a positive school culture where pupils feel safe, respected and valued. By encouraging reflection and open communication, pupils develop important life skills such as empathy, resilience and problem solving. These skills help children to take responsibility for their behaviour and build positive relationships with others.

​At Elloughton Primary School, restorative practice supports our vision that our moral compass will guide and inspire us to learn, to care and to fulfil our dreams in life’s journey.
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Our Behaviour Policy
Behaviour Policy