Some children at Bearsden Primary needed extra support resolving disputes with their peers.  Name calling, hitting and excluding others from play were features during playground interactions. Children would often report that they were being bullied.

Staff recognised that these disputes transitioned into the classroom environment. This affected relationships between the children. It was also challenging the school’s calm and productive learning environment.    

What the school did

Whole-school approaches

Senior leaders have adopted restorative practice to develop positive relationships. This is a whole-school, universal, planned approach. This has helped address the relationship difficulties children were having in school.

The headteacher views restorative practice as a whole-school strategy. Staff use this to de-escalate and resolve situations. Restorative practice provides all staff with a consistent framework for preventing bullying.

Professional learning

All staff participated in professional learning on restorative practice. This resulted in confident and capable staff who can lead restorative conversations.

Staff use restorative language and questions. This allows children to understand the effects of their behaviours. The children’s ability and confidence talking about children’s rights enhances conversations. They connect their rights to different aspects of their lives. This supports a calm, purposeful environment built on positive relationships and mutual respect.

Involving children and young people

The principal teacher created a visual emotions folder. This ensures that all children can access restorative conversations. It helps children who need additional support to share their thoughts and feelings. This helps staff to adopt a restorative approach with all children. 

The language in restorative practice scripts is short and simple. This ensures that the scripts are accessible to all.

Restorative conversations help children well to reflect on their actions. It allows them to consider how their behaviour can affect others. These conversations essential to ensuring difficult relationships and conflict do not escalate. They also recognise the opportunity for children to learn from their mistakes. this helps them to develop the skills to make good choices.     

The impact and what changed for children and young people 

Children are extremely positive about the use of restorative conversations. They recognize that conflict is resolved more quickly and positively through this approach.

The restorative approach is also helping to promote personal responsibility. It is helping children to develop a greater sense of autonomy and agency. This is leading them to be more thoughtful, considerate and respectful.

Senior leaders track incidents. Their records show a significant reduction in referrals for inappropriate behaviour or conflict.