It's widely regarded that the more aspects of a young person we see as positive, the better their mental health, and the better their life in general.  So here I am at Broom Valley primary school. I'm early for a meeting so  I look round the lobby and see certificates, values (more on those later) and a fantastic board of photos showing the wide variety of bilingual students in the school. Celebrating diversity in its most real sense.  

As for the school's values, they are agreed through school council and more importantly lived and breathed within school.  You fancy a job here? (I personally would recommend applying) well the first value to hit you in the face is 'we do not shout' - if you think it's ok to do so then fine, but not here.  Ply your trade elsewhere and save your modeling of lack of control for another cohort.  It is widely recognised that shouting indicates a loss of control that helps no-one.

Unsurprisingly, there are too many positives going on at Broom Valley to take the attention.    The odd fall from grace becomes insignificant. Far from 'the slippery slope' it is simply a one-off exception to the rule.  After all who hasn't on occasion told a lie. . . 

As with any effective system, Broom Valley's doesn't sit on a shelf- its reward tokens are the first thing you see on entering the school and the very same rewards are shining in the eyes of the pupils who simply love being in school.

And so to the parameters of the praise pod- what are the keywords to get attention?  fidgeting- No. Inquisitive challenge - yes. Shouting; not even a chance. There's simply too much going on that is positive.