A SECONDARY school says it is bringing about a culture change following the appointment of a new headteacher team.

Maltings Academy, in Witham, has appointed new executive headteacher Damian Lee and new head of school Sherry Zand.

Keith Green joined the academy as assistant headteacher at the start of the school year.

The new team worked over the summer break to put together a new behaviour policy which aims to bring “simple systems, clarity and consistency” for students and teachers.

Mr Green said: “To get the best from our students, we have to have the highest standards. We are able to have those high standards because we believe in these students.

“Within the first two weeks of being at Maltings, the students had proven to me they were responsive – I cannot praise them enough.

“We do not want students’ education interrupted, so we have zero tolerance on bullying, racism and homophobic language.”

On the first day of term, each year group had assemblies to learn about the new system.

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It includes a four-point system to deal with disruptions in the classroom – with two warnings given for negative behaviour, before the student is moved or asked to go outside, before the final stage of a senior member of staff removing them from the lesson.

The aim is to get the student back into class for the next lesson, having reflected on what happened.

Changes also include tweaks to uniform and students being encouraged to communicate politely with adults.

Mr Green added: “Our students are fantastic and they deserve to be rewarded. It can be easy to fall into a trap of focusing on bad behaviour, but we are promoting everything that is positive here.”