Circle Time - Quality Circle Time

Quality Circle Time

Quality Circle Time is a democratic and creative approach used to consider a wide range of issues affecting the whole school community.

It was developed in response to England's Primary schools' need for a whole school Behaviour Policy as a part of Personal, Social and Health Education(PSHE). Quality Circle Time is based on the promotion of self-discipline and self-esteem. Students learn and understand the consequences of their behaviour and begin to take on responsibility for themselves and their immediate and wider community. This has been shown to gradually shift responsibility for discipline from the teacher to the children themselves.

At the heart of the Circle Time Model is a class meeting which involves the whole class sitting in a circle to look at issues relating to personal, social, moral and health education. The circle meetings aim to encourage the development of positive relationships, self-discipline, conflict resolution, assertive communication and democratic group processes alongside the skills of speaking, listening, observing, thinking and concentrating.

Circle Time follows a clear structure over half an hour:

• Opening game: pulls the group together, provides a sense of fun and enjoyment, used to teach learning skills, moral values and codes of conduct
• Round Table: gives everybody a chance to speak. A speaking object such as a conch can be used to enable a focus on the speaker and indicate that all others must listen. It is this section of Circle Time where scripted sentences are often used. Examples might include: I find it easiest to work in class when…I get fed up when... I was pleased with myself when...
• Open Forum: an open, free discussion phase which can be used to discuss and solve problems and set targets
• Celebration of successes: a chance for pupils to thank others, both children and adults, for acts of kindness etc. during the past week
• Closing game: brings a sense of closure and bridges into the next part of the school day

The structure is designed to build a sense of class community and the teacher acts as a non-authoritarian facilitator, encouraging co-operation and creating a climate of emotional safety.