Reward Guidance at Roundwood Primary School

Reward Philosophy

Rewards at Roundwood Primary School are incredibly important as they allow us to celebrate each child for the amazing things they do every day. We use two types of rewards: ones that are whole school based that each child can expect to be included in weekly and ones that are individually class based and reflect the needs of the class, what the teacher would like to see more of and how they are going to praise and reward when they do see it. (This could be an individual reward from a treat box or a whole class reward such as an extra play or disco).

Ultimately, rewards help us to give praise, re-inforce our expectations and help to develop children’s self-awareness and motivation. Rewards help to build positive relationships between teachers and children which are essential for children to thrive, learn and develop.

We will share rewards in a weekly celebration assembly to raise the profile of each child and to celebrate in individual achievements. This will contribute towards building self-esteem and to further model to all children the learning and behaviour that is expected at Roundwood. All rewards are further explained below.

Whole School Rewards

House system

Each child is assigned to a house group, our four houses are, Willow, Maple, Silverbirch and Redwood. Each Year, the Year Six children are voted house captains, they are there to mentor and support their house pupils. Across the year, children will take part in events in their house groups, such as Sports Day. Children are awarded house points throughout the week, for their work, manners, demonstrating the school values and class participation. In Key Stage Two, these are totalled up each week by the house captains and announced in the weekly celebration assembly. The house with the most points at the end of each term will have a house treat, previous house treats have been, pizza party, a film, or a sports afternoon.

Celebration Assembly

Celebration assembly will take place each week. The whole school will come together where Mrs Handley or Mrs Clarke will share the rewards for each class. There will also be a section for children to share a unique talent they have and give a demonstration along with any rewards children have received outside of school.

Marvellous Me

Keeping our parents and carers informed of their child's activities and achievements at school is really important to us, so we are excited to use Marvellous Me. We have found that using an interactive app like Marvellous Me to celebrate children's successes is a great way to keep parents and caregivers involved in their child's education. The use of 'thumbs up' as house points and badges for school values adds a positive reinforcement aspect, encouraging children to exhibit good behaviour and promotes the school values. Sharing activities and detailing what the children have been doing in the classroom through the app is an excellent way to foster communication between teachers and parents. It not only keeps parents informed about their child's academic progress but also provides conversation starters for discussions at home. This can help strengthen the connection between the school and the families, creating a supportive learning environment for the children. Overall, using technology to facilitate communication and celebrate achievements enhances the engagement of both parents and children in the educational process. It's a great example of leveraging modern tools to create a more collaborative and positive learning community.

Year group passports

In each year group, children have a set of exciting activities and trips that they work towards achieving over the year, all which link to their personal development. At the end of each year, the children will be receive a certificate and keepsake for achieving their passport objectives, which will be celebrated in their graduation or leaver’s assembly.

Individual class rewards and incentives

In Foundation Stage, the children work together to create a set of rules or guidelines to make our class a happy place.  This is decided upon at the start of the academic year.  For example; the children might decide to agree to using gentle hands, to share with each other and use kind words, to persevere and always do their best and to keep themselves and others safe.  When we notice a child following these guidelines they can earn a reward stamp on their chart. Reward stamps can also be earnt for reasons such as excellent effort in phonics or maths, for showing excellent manners or for being extra helpful. Once a child has completed a reward chart, they can choose a prize from our reward box. In the Summer term we will also work towards earning a class treat. The treat will be something the class has decided to work towards, such as a movie with popcorn or an afternoon playing a variety of games.

In Year 1 and 2, we follow a consistent approach to reward children for meeting the Roundwood Learning and Social Expectations. This is based on our Positive Behaviour Management Policy and our school values. These are displayed in the classrooms and referred to regularly throughout the day. When children meet these expectations, their name is written on the recognition board, and a notch on their reward card is punched. When children have received ten notches on their card, they select a prize in celebration assembly. House points on Marvellous Me and badges are awarded in line with the whole school approach. At the end of each half term each class would decide on a class reward to celebrate the achievement from that half term. This is decided democratically through a class vote.

In Year 3 and 4, the children work together to create a set of rules and guidelines to make our class a supportive and positive working environment. Each day the children are striving for Marvellous Me badges, house points and for a chance to be celebrated in class as ‘Star of the Week.’ These can be earned through listening well, working collaboratively, completing work of a high standard and displaying the school values. Each week on a Friday in class, a child will be awarded a small prize for their superb efforts in the week, which they will select from a prize box.  

In Year 5, we maintain high expectations throughout all aspects of the school day.   We encourage the children to become more independent, take ownership of their belongings and take on small roles of responsibility. We celebrate children who take the lead and actively fulfil different monitor roles. As well as this, we share and celebrate any badges earned through Marvellous Me. Children have the opportunity to earn these badges for their class work, their attitude to learning and being a good role model. Children who go above and beyond, also have the chance to earn a raffle ticket which goes into a weekly draw – the winner gets to choose from a wide array of exciting and creative prizes! 

Being in Year 6, and at the top of the school, comes with many extra responsibilities. We love to promote leadership and role modelling in our class so we have a reward system which reflects this. Children are given the opportunity to apply for a role of responsibility including “Head Pupil”, “House Captain”, “Junior Road Safety Officer”, “Play Maker” and many more. We celebrate the effort the children put in to these jobs and share their successes.  We promote a love of learning, a want to challenge yourself, the use of initiative, taking responsibility for one's actions and demonstrating the school values to younger members of Roundwood. We want our children to be proud of being the role models at our wonderful school.