Restorative Practice enables the building, maintaining and repairing of relationships.  The philosophy embodies a set of clear values and principles. It is a way of working with people that provides a common language and approach and enables restorative practice to be taught. 

What are the key principles?
 
Restorative Practice is underpinned by values of empathy, respect, honesty, acceptance, responsibility, and mutual accountability.
Restorative Practice has three main goals are:
 
• Building and repairing relationships to work in ways that are respectful and engaging, enabling participants to develop understanding and empathy and recognise the impact of their behaviour both positive and negative. Additionally to work in ways that enable participants to put right relationships when harm has been caused.
 
• Empowerment of individuals, groups and communities.  Restorative Practices aims to support these groups to build confidence and control over their own lives. Restorative Practice tries to meet the needs of community through strategies that build relationships and empower families, schools and communities to take responsibility for the well-being of its members.
 
• Mutual Accountability - Restorative Practice provides opportunities for wrongdoers to be accountable to those they have harmed, and enable them to repair the harm they caused to the extent possible.
 
Why does Elloughton work restoratively?
 
Our restorative community equips our pupils with the skills to recognise and manage their own feelings and nurture their relationships within the school. Regular community circles ensure ALL pupils have a voice and thrive in an environment that promotes respect and appreciation of differences, therefore the school is a safe and happy place to be where pupils learn to resolve their problems in an effective and mature way.
Restorative questions scaffold our conflict resolution. Some of these are;
 
• What happened?
• What were you thinking about at the time?
• What have your thoughts been since?
• Who has been affected by what happened?
• In what way have they been affected?
• What do you think needs to happen next?
 
Working restoratively creates a safer, more productive and a more caring environment for all.