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Material 11: Primary School Principal
This interview went to and fro between understandings of restorative that are about going back to the way things
were before they went wrong and restore as being future oriented, promoting well being and vigour.
(See earlier reference to Jenkins)
The main challenge of restorative practices in this school has been to find practical ways to restore children who are
growing up in family situations where there are:
• many pressures on parents or carers - ‘the process understanding’ of restorative practices;
• promoting values – ‘the values concept‘ of restorative practices
• breaking cycles of low self-worth and under achievement (the equity dimension of restorative practices).
The school, even though it serves many homes that have very limited resources, has set itself the goal of introducing
the children to the wider world beyond the school and local community, affirming in the children that they can
negotiate strange places and supporting them in journeying to other areas, and even other countries. Each child has
personal agency, each can make a difference and the school places that experience in the children.
In essence the school gives children possibility, choice and opportunity. It enables people to restore communication
with those they have become distanced from.
What is restorative?
This principal described the struggle to promote a restorative culture in the way the school worked each day.
The children and their parents need a deeper and wider engagement with the school each day that supports them.
The Principal was not only promoting a set of restorative questions, although that discipline is a useful one for children
to use when there are conflicts and harm done. The principal wanted a whole school culture to develop.
Home school liaison work associated with this school is deeply integrated with the broader vision the Principal has for
the school. Restorative actions in day to day meeting and engaging teachers, children and parents are about
communication and working to a base of values.
Many of the families are living under high levels of deprivation; many of the homes offer few rituals of sitting together
and sharing meals and so some of the rituals and forms of working together in school are seeking to make up for this
gap in children’s lives.
This school had a therapeutic facility capable of offering time and resources to individual children. This facility has been
generated with local support and is a deeply restorative facility. In practically supporting children remain within the
bounds of a public school yet have additional support, this is deeply inclusive.
Restorative practice is a diagnostic tool about the relationships that have gone wrong but also about promoting the
sorts of changes and developments that groups and institutions need to promote well being.
For children to have a sense of safety in playing is a restorative action.
DÚN LAOGHAIRE / RATHDOWN COMENIUS REGIO ‘RESTORATIVE APPROACHES’ PROGRAMME
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