Stories

Collaborative Pathways to Success

In the Spring term of 2021, RJ Working embarked on the beginnings of a journey with six schools in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to celebrate the epic work that’s happening within Restorative Practice in Education. Supported by the Restorative Justice Council, we have forged a unique pathway for these schools to work together to achieve registered Restorative Organisation status (formerly the Restorative Quality Mark) in a way that is more collaborative than going it solo.  

Since then the teachers, support staff and school leaders have brought Restorative Practice to life in numerous creative ways. Over the summer term, Pensans School created a legacy sculpture to symbolise Restorative Practice and Five Islands Academy began running weekly Restorative circles with each of their classes. Circles are now regular practice at Five Islands and include pathways for student voice to reach Senior Leadership. 

The winter term of 2021 has been a big one for Restorative Leadership in the group. Our Step-Up programme was facilitated at Penpol Primary and St Day & Carharrack to support children to be leaders for younger children and at Pensans Primary, the newly appointed Year 6 Restorative Ambassadors were celebrated at a school assembly and have been leading Restorative sessions themselves. Mounts Bay Academy created a stunning performance piece exploring the intersection between social justice and environmental protection – something that is embedded into our own charitable objectives.  

The Benefits of RJC Registration

Iffley Academy is one of the first schools to have achieved registered Restorative Organisation status. The Headteacher Tom Procter-Legg has said the journey to this achievement strengthens and makes explicit the shared language and values of a school. He describes it as a school improvement tool and an excellent investment of school funding. With the support of the RJC, registration costs for schools have been kept to a minimum for the group.  

Having supported over 50 schools in the last three years in a variety of MATs and Local Authorities, we’ve learned that Restorative Practice lends itself to shared learning and peer-collaboration and our first cohort has affirmed this. Each school leader within the group is an expert in their own school culture, explicitly mapping and making visible their school’s strengths using the Restorative model. 

If you’d like to learn more about registered Restorative Organisation status, please get in touch with Emma at emma@rjworking.co.uk.