Restorative Practice is a positive approach that promotes working with students, rather than doing things to them or for them.

Conflict is an inevitable part of life. How we work to resolve conflict impacts on a school’s climate and culture and ultimately on students’ social and academic outcomes. Schools need to be safe places where young people can learn and thrive in a supportive, enriching environment.

A restorative approach focuses on building and maintaining positive relationships across the whole school community. It aims to create an ethos of respect, inclusion, cooperation, accountability and responsibility.

Restorative Practice is a teaching and learning approach that promotes self-regulation and encourages behaviour that is supportive and respectful. It puts the onus on individuals to be truly accountable for their behaviour and to repair any harm caused to others as a result of their actions.

When schools are restorative they:

• value quality relationships
• model empathy and respectful relationships
• value student voice and utilise collaborative problem solving
• view inappropriate behaviours as opportunities for learning
• apply procedural fairness
• recognise the importance of repairing damaged relationships
• separate the ‘deed’ from the ‘doer’
• use active listening and positive language and tone
• avoid scolding, judging, lecturing or blaming
• foster self-awareness in the student
• implement consequences that are proportional and fair
• remain future focused.

Schools that work restoratively find that relationships are stronger, and learning is more effective. Restorative dialogues can provide important ‘teachable moments’ and opportunities to understand the impact of behaviour of self and others.

Restorative Practice is a non-punitive approach which accepts that we all make mistakes and have the ability to ‘fix’ the problem together and learn from our experiences. It is inclusive and concerned with maintaining and building connectedness between students, parents, teachers and the community. It is an essential component of wellbeing.

If you have any queries or questions about this process in our school, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or anyone in the office.

Kind regards,