Student culture
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At Aylward, great behaviour is explicitly taught. As Tom Bennett, an expert in school behaviour, says: “The duty of adults is to explicitly teach children how to behave… It is a curriculum: the conduct curriculum.” Students need to be guided and supported every day to develop the values of Excellence, Integrity, Kindness, and Self-Control that help them thrive.
Staff share the responsibility for shaping the student culture through the Aylward Way, built on our core values: Excellence, Integrity, Kindness, and Self-Control. They guide us to always work on being the best we can be and reflect on what makes the difference. We do the right thing even when no one is looking. We show care through our standards, actions and words, thinking carefully about how our actions affect those around us.
We have high expectations — 100%, 100% of the time — because, as Tom Bennett reminds us, “If a teacher chooses not to teach norms in the classroom, norms will still exist — only they won’t necessarily be ideal ones.” We design clear routines and simple systems so students understand what is expected and feel a strong sense of belonging.
We use public praise to highlight and encourage the positive behaviours we want to see, while corrections are given privately and kindly. Correction is important because it helps students learn from their mistakes and develop strong character, guided by our values of Excellence, Integrity, Kindness, and Self-Control.
At Aylward, we are all one team, with staff leading to create an environment that fosters a love of learning. Every student is supported to become a confident learner and a positive member of our community — preparing every student to lead a long, happy, and successful life that leaves a positive legacy.
Ofsted December 2025 said:
“ A revamped approach to behaviour management has established clear routines and high expectations, resulting in a calm learning environment. Persistent absence has also decreased significantly.”
"Character development and values are at the heart of school life. Pupils understand and live by the values of excellence, integrity, kindness and self control".
Please click the link below for our full Behaviour for Learning policy and further information on our other related policies.
Behaviour - Local Arrangements
