Restorative Practices at BHCS - What is it?

As a school community, we strive to create a safe and supportive environment that promotes positive behaviour and academic success for all students. One approach we use to achieve this is Restorative Practices, an alternative approach to student behaviour management that focuses on repairing harm, building relationships, and promoting accountability.

Restorative Practices is grounded in the belief that individuals are more likely to take responsibility for their actions when they feel heard, respected, and understood. This approach emphasises repairing harm caused by wrongdoing and addressing the needs of both the victim and the offender. When a student engages in behaviour that violates school rules, Restorative Practices aim to hold them accountable while also providing opportunities for learning and growth.

Some examples of restorative practices that schools might use include:

·       Restorative circles: These are structured conversations that bring together students, teachers, and other members of the school community to discuss issues, build relationships, and develop solutions to problems.

·       Restorative conferences: These are more formal meetings that involve the student who has caused harm, the victim, and other members of the school community. The goal of these conferences is to repair the harm caused by the student's behaviour, develop a plan for making things right, and prevent future incidents.

·       Restorative interventions: These are individual or small-group interventions that focus on helping students understand the impact of their behaviour on others, take responsibility for their actions, and develop strategies for making amends.

The role of consequences in Restorative Practices is to balance accountability for actions with a focus on repairing harm and restoring relationships. Consequences may vary depending on the severity and nature of the behaviour, as well as the needs and perspectives of the victim, the offender, and the broader school community.

Consequences may involve directly related to the harm caused by the behaviour, as well as opportunities for the student to make amends and take steps to repair the harm.

From a biblical perspective, Restorative Practices aligns with the values of forgiveness, reconciliation, and redemption. These values are emphasised throughout the Bible, and are embodied in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is a central theme in the Bible, and Restorative Practices offer a way to help students learn from their mistakes and take steps toward redemption.

Restorative Practices offer a way to promote a positive school culture that emphasises accountability, repairing harm, and restoring relationships. It aligns with biblical values of forgiveness, reconciliation, and redemption, and offers an alternative to traditional punitive approaches to discipline that often rely on punishment and exclusion. As always, our goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where all students can thrive, learn and grow.