Building Positive Relationships
At Ysgol Ty Coch, it is very important that our children's well-being and interaction with each other is positive. Staff and children alike are encouraged to be positive role models to support each other.
The school is on the journey to becoming a Trauma Informed school and Trauma Informed Approaches are used on a daily basis. There are a number of staff trained to TIS diploma level and all staff in school have had TIS training. TIS approaches are written into our context booklets.
PACE: Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy. A trauma-informed approach to supporting children and young people
PACE is a way of thinking, feeling, communicating and behaving that aims to make children and young people feel safe. It is particularly effective in meeting the needs of children and young people who have experienced trauma. Developed by clinical psychologist, Dan Hughes, the approach focusses on building trusting relationships, emotional connections, containment and a sense of security. More information can be found in the Relationships Policy.
The school endorses the Restorative Approach to behaviour, focussing on building, maintaining and repairing relationships. We believe this fits with the ethos and values of our school. The Restorative Approach gives positive results regarding pupils being aware of their feelings and managing conflict, although the school recognises that the RA may not be suitable for all learners and needs to be discussed on an individual level whether it is appropriate for that child/ young person.
Positive behaviour is encouraged through reward, distraction, clear structure and routine. Some pupils may need positive behaviour plans for more individualised programmes to assist their behaviour. If this is needed, then the school will work in cooperation with the parents. PHPs are reviewed frequently throughout the year.
All staff are trained in Team Teach- a recognised provider which ensures that 95% of the course is regarding de-escalation. Team Teach is a provider which has been advised by the LA. Staff at YTC are very experienced at recognising low level arousal and de-escalating before they become more challenging situations. If Team Teach is required for a young person, then it is written into the PHP and agreed with the parent.
Anti Bullying
Regarding bullying, we take bullying very seriously at YTC and aim to manage any unkindness in the early stages before it becomes an issue.
If you have any concerns about your child being bullied, please contact us straight away, where the matter will be addressed immediately. More details can be found in the Anti-Bullying Policy. There is also an anti-bullying policy for the pupils which is simple to understand.