Our Values & Behaviour

At the heart of Felixstowe International College is our motto, ‘Friendship Through Education’, and a set of shared values we believe every successful citizen should possess. They shape the way we teach, the way we live together as a family school, and the character our students carry with them long after they leave.

Compassion, Contribution, Diligence, Resilience, Responsibility, Honesty, Friendship and Respect — each value is captured in the poster below, illustrated with the words of those who have lived them. Together they form the picture of the confident, mature and respectful individuals we hope our students will become. These same values run through our Behaviour Policy, summarised further down this page: they shape what we expect of our students, how we recognise positive behaviour, and how we respond when behaviour falls short — in lessons and in the boarding houses alike.

Our Values and Behaviour

Our Behaviour Policy exists so that every student can learn – and, for boarders, live – in a calm, safe and supportive environment. It applies across the whole school, including boarding, and is built on our eight values:

  • Compassion: we treat one another with dignity and kindness, and we look behind behaviour for hidden pressures, such as homesickness or adjusting to a new country
  • Contribution: helpfulness, contributions to class discussion and effort beyond what is expected all earn merits and recognition
  • Diligence: classwork, homework and prep completed to a high standard is expected, and excellent work is rewarded
  • Resilience: after any sanction, students are supported to reflect, rebuild and return through restorative conversations and personalised goals
  • Responsibility: students are helped to take responsibility for their actions, to accept sanctions when given, and to uphold the school’s good name in person and online
  • Honesty: we ask students to report anything that makes them uncomfortable, however small it feels, and honesty is expected of everyone, staff included
  • Friendship: bullying in any form is never tolerated or passed off as ‘banter’; our Anti-Bullying Policy sets out how we protect friendship
  • Respect: for staff, for each other, for the right of every student to learn, and for the school buildings, boarding houses and property

What We Expect of Our Students

Our student code of conduct asks every student to:

  • behave in an orderly, self-controlled way and move quietly around the school
  • show respect to members of staff and each other, and in class make it possible for all students to learn
  • wear the correct uniform at all times and treat the school buildings, boarding houses and school property with respect
  • only use devices in lessons when the teacher allows
  • accept sanctions when given, and refrain from behaviour that brings the school into disrepute, including outside school or online
  • for boarders: follow house routines – a tidy room, prep time used for study, and respect for others’ sleep, privacy and possessions.

Recognising Positive Behaviour

When a student’s behaviour meets or goes above and beyond the expected standard, staff recognise it clearly and fairly through:

  • verbal praise, in the moment
  • merits, awarded for any praiseworthy work or behaviour, e.g. high effort, helpfulness, contributions to class discussion, or going beyond what is expected
  • rewards, chosen from the approved list for every 20 merits
  • discussions and emails with parents to share praise
  • recognition in assemblies
  • positions of responsibility.

When Behaviour Falls Short

Staff respond consistently, fairly and proportionately — the same for day students and boarders — always considering contributing factors such as SEND or personal circumstances, and what support could help a student meet the standard in future. The usual escalation route is:

  1. Verbal reminder: for a first instance of low-level disruption or a minor breach
  2. Demerit: for repeated low-level disruption, lateness, missing equipment, incorrect uniform or device misuse at break, recorded and monitored by the tutor or houseparent
  3. Detention: for high-level disruption, device misuse in lessons, disrespectful behaviour or damage to property, with parents informed by email
  4. Parent partnership: persistent misbehaviour brings behaviour emails, a meeting with parents or guardian, and an agreed behaviour contract
  5. Structured support: a support plan agreed with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), with the SENCO consulted where underlying needs are suspected; possible suspension
  6. Suspension or exclusion: only for the most serious incidents and only as a last resort, decided by the Principal under the exclusions policy.

Safeguarding runs alongside every stage: changes in behaviour can be a sign that a student needs help, and where that may be the case we follow our child protection and safeguarding policy.

Our Promises to Every Student

Every student has the right to feel safe, valued and respected, in lessons and in the boarding houses. Rewards and sanctions are applied consistently and fairly to all students, day and boarding. No sanction will ever humiliate or degrade a student, and boarders are never deprived of food, drink, sleep, contact with their parents or medical care. Restrictive interventions, including reasonable force, are only ever used as a last resort, and every significant incident is recorded and reported to parents. A student’s SEND, mental health and personal circumstances are always considered, with reasonable adjustments where needed. Bullying, child-on-child abuse and sexual harassment are never ignored – every incident is taken seriously. And families, carers and educational guardians are our partners in supporting good behaviour.

This page summarises our Behaviour Policy & Statement of Behaviour Principles, which applies to the whole school, including boarding, and is reviewed annually.

Download the full Behaviour Policy