Before the implementation of relational practice, Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery faced the challenges of bullying and discrimination. However, recognizing the need for change, Headteacher Claire Westcott embarked on a quest for knowledge and inspiration. Her encounter with the book “When the Adults Change, Everything Changes” ignited a spark, prompting her to explore alternative ways of addressing disruptive behaviour and struggles among the students.
In 2018 a whole school training session empowered the entire staff to embrace and implement the consistent approach of relational practice. They introduced a new behavior policy and revamped their traditional reward systems which they realized were not effective in fostering positive behaviour.
The school community persisted in developing and embedding the principles of “When the adults change” into daily school life. While maintaining a calm and consistent approach, they also implemented methods of recognition, such as sending postcards and making positive phone calls home.
Meridan, Ready, Respectful and Safe have been embedded as “how we do it here” and are exemplified in an anthem that was composed by their music teacher and is played throughout the school every Tuesday and Thursday morning much to everyone’s delight.
The efforts of implementing relational practice have had a positive impact on staff, students and parents. And in November 2018, an Ofsted inspection commended Meridian as a calm and purposeful institution, where students took pride in their learning and the guidance provided by their teachers.
Meridian’s journey continues to unfold with ongoing dedication and commitment to making their school an inclusive, safe place to learn making them a prime “When the Adults Change” partner school.